Lubrication network for an attritable engine
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsLawrence A. Binek, Leslie F. Guzman, Sean R. Jackson, Evan J. Butcher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine with a lubrication system includes a ball bearing assembly and a rotor circumscribing a rotational axis and journaled within the ball bearing assembly. The gas turbine engine also includes a lubrication system located radially outward from a rotational axis and radially outward and adjacent to the ball bearing assembly, which includes a lubrication channel having an inlet and an outlet and a dispersion cone adjacent to the outlet of the lubrication channel.
Claims19
A method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- journaling a rotor within a bearing assembly, the rotor rotatable about a rotational axis;
- and additively manufacturing a lubrication system configured to be located radially outward of and in fluid communication with the bearing assembly, the lubrication system comprising:
- a lubrication channel including an inlet and an outlet;
- and a dispersion cone configured to receive lubricant from the outlet, the dispersion cone being a diffuser, and the dispersion cone comprising a plurality of spars in an array, each of the plurality of spars within an interior of the dispersion cone, each of the plurality of spars formed integral with the dispersion cone, and each of the plurality of spars configured to disperse the lubricant traveling through the dispersion cone wherein the dispersion cone has a frustoconical shape with a base and an apex;
- the base adjacent the bearing assembly;
- and the apex adjacent the outlet of the lubrication channel.
A method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- providing a rotor within a bearing assembly, the rotor rotatable about a rotational axis;
- forming a lubrication system that includes a lubrication channel including an inlet and an outlet;
- and a dispersion cone configured to receive lubricant from the outlet, the dispersion cone being a diffuser, and the dispersion cone comprising a plurality of spars in an array, each of the plurality of spars within an interior of the dispersion cone, each of the plurality of spars formed integral with the dispersion cone, and each of the plurality of spars configured to disperse the lubricant traveling through the dispersion cone;
- and arranging the rotor, the bearing assembly and the lubrication system together such that the lubrication system is disposed radially outside of and in fluid communication with the bearing assembly wherein the dispersion cone has a frustoconical shape with a base and an apex:
- the base adjacent the bearing assembly;
- and the apex adjacent the outlet of the lubrication channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.