Oil pumping control for electrical oil pumping system
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorAlan W. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oil pumping system for use with a gas turbine engine includes an electric machine, an oil pump assembly, and a variable frequency drive controller. The variable frequency drive is connected with the electric machine and the oil pump assembly. The variable frequency drive controller is programmed to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the gas turbine engine speed so that a flow of oil moved by the oil pump assembly is controlled to cool or lubricate components of the gas turbine engine independent of the gas turbine engine speed.
Claims17
A gas turbine engine oil pumping system comprising:
- a gas turbine engine that includes a compressor, combustor, and a turbine, the compressor and the turbine configured to rotate about an axis at an engine speed;
- an electric machine;
- a rectifier connected to the electric machine;
- an oil pump assembly configured to provide a flow of oil to the gas turbine engine, the oil pump assembly including an oil pump and a pump motor mechanically coupled to the oil pump and configured to drive the oil pump;
- and
- a variable frequency drive controller electrically connected between the rectifier and the pump motor, the variable frequency drive controller programmed to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the engine speed so that the flow of the oil moved by the oil pump is controlled to cool or lubricate components of the gas turbine engine independent of the engine speed,
- wherein the pump motor and variable frequency drive controller are powered from a dedicated independent generator winding from one of a plurality of generator windings on the same rotor, wherein the plurality of generator windings are included in the electric machine.
A gas turbine engine oil pumping system comprising:
- a gas turbine engine that includes a compressor, combustor, and a turbine, the compressor and the turbine configured to rotate about an axis at an engine speed;
- an electric machine;
- a rectifier connected to the electric machine;
- an oil pump assembly configured to provide a flow of oil to the gas turbine engine, the oil pump assembly including an oil pump and a pump motor mechanically coupled to the oil pump and configured to drive the oil pump;
- and
- a variable frequency drive controller electrically connected between the rectifier and the pump motor, the variable frequency drive controller programmed to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the engine speed so that the flow of the oil moved by the oil pump is controlled to cool or lubricate components of the gas turbine engine independent of the engine speed,
- wherein the variable frequency drive controller is programmed to determine an active torque versus speed curve of the pump motor during use of the pump motor, compare the active torque versus speed curve to a predetermined baseline torque versus speed curve, and generate a signal in response to a difference between the active torque versus speed curve and the baseline torque versus speed curve being greater than a preset value.
A method for use with a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- rotating a compressor and a turbine of the gas turbine engine about an axis at an engine speed;
- generating electric power using an electric machine;
- supplying electric power to a pump motor connected to an oil pump;
- pumping oil from the oil pump to the gas turbine engine;
- and
- varying the electric power supplied to the pump motor to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the engine speed,
- further comprising determining a temperature of a flow of the oil and increasing a speed of the pump motor in response to the temperature of the oil being greater than a predetermined temperature value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.