Development of a particle separator for the Agusta A109 helicopter & its influence on turboshaft performance

A new particle separator (sand filter) was developed for use on the Agusta A109 helicopter. The system consists of two vortex tube panels which are housed in a fairing with a dynamic intake at the front and static intakes with blow-in doors on the sides. During the development, special attention was given to filtration efficiency, pressure loss, pressure distortion at the compressor face and engine performance. This paper deals with each of these topics1.