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US 12,767,342 B1Granted
Preheating aircraft propulsion system lubricant
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsThomas E. Clark, Murat Yazici
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for operating an aircraft system. During this method, a first temperature of a lubricant is determined. The aircraft system is operated in a first warmup mode when the first temperature of the lubricant is below a first threshold. The operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode includes driving rotation of a rotating structure about an axis and heating the first quantity of the lubricant contained in the first reservoir using a first electric heater. A startup of the turbine engine is initiated following the operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode.
Claims20
A method for operating an aircraft system, comprising:
- the aircraft system including a turbine engine, a lubrication system and an electrical system, the turbine engine including a flowpath, a rotating structure, one or more engine components, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section, the flowpath extending through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section, the rotating structure comprising a first bladed engine rotor in the compressor section or the turbine section, the lubrication system configured to lubricate the one or more engine components using lubricant, the lubrication system comprising a first reservoir configured to contain a first quantity of the lubricant, and the electrical system comprising a first electric heater in thermal communication with the first quantity of the lubricant contained in the first reservoir;
- determining a first temperature of the lubricant;
- operating the aircraft system in a first warmup mode when the first temperature of the lubricant is below a first threshold, the operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode comprising driving rotation of the rotating structure about an axis and heating the first quantity of the lubricant contained in the first reservoir using the first electric heater;
- determining a second temperature of the lubricant;
- and
- initiating a startup of the turbine engine following the operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode and when the second temperature of the lubricant is equal to or above a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold.
3 more elements
A method for operating an aircraft system, comprising:
- the aircraft system including a turbine engine, a lubrication system and an electrical system, the turbine engine including a flowpath, a rotating structure, one or more engine components, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section, the flowpath extending through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section, the rotating structure comprising a bladed engine rotor in the compressor section or the turbine section, the lubrication system configured to lubricate the one or more engine components using lubricant, the lubrication system comprising a reservoir configured to contain a quantity of the lubricant, and the electrical system comprising an electric machine and a electric heater, the electric machine operatively coupled to the rotating structure, and the electric heater in thermal communication with the quantity of the lubricant contained in the reservoir;
- operating the aircraft system in a first warmup mode, the operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode comprising heating the quantity of the lubricant contained in the reservoir using the electric heater;
- operating the aircraft system in a second warmup mode following the operating of the aircraft system in the first warmup mode, the operating of the aircraft system in the second warmup mode comprising driving rotation of the rotating structure about an axis at a first rotational speed using the electric machine;
- initiating a startup of the turbine engine following the operating of the aircraft system in the second warmup mode;
- and
- following the initiating of the startup of the turbine engine, driving rotation of the rotating structure about the axis at a second rotational speed using the electric machine, the second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed.
3 more elements
An aircraft system, comprising:
- a turbine engine including a flowpath, a rotating structure, one or more engine components, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section, the flowpath extending through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section, the rotating structure comprising a compressor rotor in the compressor section and a turbine rotor in the turbine section;
- a lubrication system configured to lubricate the one or more engine components using lubricant, the lubrication system comprising a reservoir configured to contain a quantity of the lubricant;
- an electrical system comprising a motor-generator and a electric heater, the motor-generator operatively coupled to the rotating structure, and the electric heater in thermal communication with the quantity of the lubricant contained in the reservoir;
- and
- a control system configured to operate the aircraft system in a first warmup mode and subsequently in a startup mode, wherein during the first warmup mode the motor-generator drives rotation of the rotating structure about an axis at a first rotational speed and the electric heater heats the quantity of the lubricant contained in the reservoir, and wherein during the startup mode the motor-generator drives rotation of the rotating structure about an axis at a second rotational speed greater than the first rotational speed and subsequently combustion within the turbine engine is started.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.