Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100294371 | GRAVITY OPERATED VALVE - A valve includes a valve body defining a valve cavity. The valve body has first and second inlet ports, an outlet port, and a dump port. A weighted member is positioned in the valve cavity and is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the first inlet port is fluidically connected to the outlet port and the second inlet port is fluidically connected to the dump port. In the second position, the second inlet port and the dump port are fluidically connected to the outlet port. | 11-25-2010 |
20100294597 | WINDMILL AND ZERO GRAVITY LUBRICATION SYSTEM - A pump system for lubricating a bearing in a gear system of a gas turbine engine includes a main pump, an auxiliary pump, an auxiliary reservoir, a sump, and a valve system. The main pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through a main supply passage. The auxiliary pump is fluidically connected to the bearing through an auxiliary supply passage. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the main pump to the bearing under a first set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir to the sump and from the sump through the auxiliary pump to the bearing under a second set of engine operating conditions. The valve system transfers lubricating liquid from the auxiliary reservoir through the auxiliary pump, bypassing the sump, to the bearing under a third set of engine operating conditions. | 11-25-2010 |
20120324899 | OIL BYPASS CHANNEL DEAERATOR FOR A GEARED TURBOFAN ENGINE - An assembly includes a gas turbine engine, a compartment wall, and a gutter system. The gas turbine engine has a spool connected to a fan shaft via a gear system. The compartment wall is positioned radially outward from the gear system. The gutter system is positioned radially outward from the gear system for capturing lubricating liquid slung from the gear system and positioned radially inward of the compartment wall. The gutter system includes a gutter and a flow passage fluidically connected to the gutter. The flow passage has a plurality of holes that allow the lubricating liquid to pass through the flow passage into a space between the flow passage and the compartment wall. | 12-27-2012 |
20130280043 | Electronic Means for Detecting Buffered Main Shaft Seal Wear or Failure in a Turbine Engine - In accordance with an embodiment, a gas turbine engine is provided having a bearing chamber leak detection system. The gas turbine engine includes a rotatable shaft, a bearing assembly supporting the rotatable shaft, and a plurality of bearing chamber seals surrounding the rotatable shaft creating an annular bearing chamber enclosing the bearing assembly. One or more walls substantially surrounding the bearing chamber create a plenum between the walls and the bearing chamber, and a pressurized air inlet to the plenum is provided. The pressurized air inlet includes an airflow sensor configured and positioned to sense a flow of pressurized air into the plenum, such that airflow at the sensor is indicative of airflow from the plenum into the bearing chamber via one or more of the plurality of bearing chamber seals. | 10-24-2013 |
20130318939 | LUBRICATION ARRANGEMENT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE GEAR ASSEMBLY - An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve. | 12-05-2013 |
20130318940 | LUBRICATION ARRANGEMENT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE GEAR ASSEMBLY - An exemplary apparatus for supplying lubricant to a gear assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a valve having a valve inlet configured to be coupled to a source of lubricant. A valve outlet is configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The valve is selectively controllable into a plurality of settings for varying an amount of lubricant flowing from the valve inlet to the valve outlet. A bypass is associated with the valve. The bypass has an inlet configured to receive lubricant from the source and an outlet configured to direct lubricant to the gear assembly. The bypass permits at least a selected amount of lubricant to flow to the gear assembly independent of a setting of the valve. | 12-05-2013 |
20130319006 | DIRECT FEED AUXILIARY OIL SYSTEM FOR GEARED TURBOFAN ENGINE - A lubrication system for a fan drive gear system includes a main lubrication system and an auxiliary lubrication system. The auxiliary lubrication system including a collection channel disposed about the fan drive gear system for collecting expelled lubricant and an auxiliary pump including an inlet receiving lubricant from the collection channel and an outlet in communication with an auxiliary passage. The auxiliary pump supplies lubricant through the auxiliary passages to a bearing passage for communicating lubricant to a bearing. The auxiliary passages include a reservoir after the outlet of the auxiliary pump and before the bearing passage for storing lubricant. | 12-05-2013 |
20140150439 | Lubrication System for Gas Turbine Engines - A lubrication system is disclosed. The lubrication system may be used in conjunction with a gas turbine engine for generating power or lift. The lubrication system utilized a flow scheduling valve which reduces lubricant flow to at least one component based on an engine load. The lubrication system may further include a main pump which may be regulated by an engine speed. Thus, a lubrication system which provides a lubricant to engine components based on the load and speed of the engine is possible. The system may improve efficiency of the engine by reducing the power previously spent in churning excess lubricant by at least one engine component as well as reducing the energy used by a lubricant cooler in cooling the excess lubricant. The lubricant cooler size may also be minimized to reduce weight and air drag due to the reduced lubricant flow. | 06-05-2014 |