Thermal management of a gas turbine bearing compartment utilizing separate lubrication and cooling circuits

A multiple path fluid circuit comprising:

• a fluid reservoir;
• a cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of a fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit also having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising a lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of a lubrication circuit;
• and
• said lubrication circuit also having a lubrication circuit outlet capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component, or to a component in contact with said moving component.

A multiple path fluid circuit comprising:

• a fluid reservoir;
• an electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of a fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit also having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising an electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of a lubrication circuit;
• said lubrication circuit also having a lubrication circuit outlet capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component, or to a component in contact with said moving component;
• said lubrication circuit having a fluid sump or sumps within the bearing compartment for collection of the spent lubrication fluid, and conduits for return of the lubrication fluid to the reservoir through a scavenge circuit,
• wherein said lubrication circuit is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir through a fluid sump;
• and
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising a flow controller capable of providing a cooling fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered cooling fluid pump to control a cooling fluid flow rate, or said flow controller being capable of providing a lubrication fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered lubrication fluid pump to control a lubrication fluid flow rate.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a multiple path fluid circuit;
• said multiple path fluid circuit comprising:
• a fluid reservoir;
• an electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of a fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit also having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising an electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of a lubrication circuit;
• said lubrication circuit also having a lubrication circuit outlet capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component, or to a component in contact with said moving component;
• wherein said lubrication circuit is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir through a fluid sump;
• and
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump being capable of providing an amount of cooling fluid flow after said gas turbine engine has been shut off from operation.

A gas turbine engine comprising a multiple path fluid circuit;

• said multiple path fluid circuit comprising:
• a fluid reservoir;
• an electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of a fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit also having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising an electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of a lubrication circuit;
• said lubrication circuit also having a lubrication circuit outlet capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component, or to a component in contact with said moving component;
• said lubrication circuit having a fluid sump or sumps within the bearing compartment for collection of the spent lubrication fluid, and conduits for return of the lubrication fluid to the reservoir through a scavenge circuit,
• wherein said lubrication circuit is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir through a fluid sump;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising a flow controller capable of providing a cooling fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered cooling fluid pump to control a cooling fluid flow rate;
• said flow controller capable of providing a lubrication fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered lubrication fluid pump to control a lubrication fluid flow rate;
• and
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump capable of providing an amount of cooling fluid flow after said gas turbine engine has been shut off from operation.

A method for simultaneously cooling and lubricating a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• simultaneously providing a cooling fluid flow to a fluid cooling circuit of a multiple path fluid circuit from a fluid pump, and providing a lubrication fluid flow to a lubrication circuit of a multiple path fluid circuit from said fluid pump;
• wherein said multiple path fluid circuit comprises:
• a fluid reservoir;
• said fluid pump having a fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said fluid pump having a fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of said fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said fluid pump outlet also being in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of said lubrication circuit;
• and
• said lubrication circuit having a lubrication circuit outlet in fluid communication with a delivery system capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component or to a component in contact with said moving component.

A method of cooling and lubricating a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• providing a cooling fluid flow to a fluid cooling circuit of a multiple path fluid circuit from an electric cooling fluid pump;
• providing a lubrication fluid flow to a lubrication circuit of a multiple path fluid circuit from an electric lubrication fluid pump;
• wherein said multiple path fluid circuit comprises:
• a fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump having a cooling fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a fluid cooling circuit inlet of said fluid cooling circuit;
• said fluid cooling circuit also having a fluid cooling circuit outlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising said electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump inlet in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir;
• said electric powered lubrication fluid pump having a lubrication fluid pump outlet in fluid communication with a lubrication circuit inlet of said lubrication circuit;
• said lubrication circuit also having a lubrication circuit outlet capable of supplying a fluid to a moving component, or to a component in contact with said moving component;
• said lubrication circuit having a fluid sump or sumps within the bearing compartment for collection of the spent lubrication fluid, and conduits for return of the lubrication fluid to the reservoir through a scavenge circuit,
• wherein said lubrication circuit is in fluid communication with said fluid reservoir through a fluid sump;
• said multiple path fluid circuit further comprising a flow controller capable of providing a cooling fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered cooling fluid pump to control a cooling fluid flow rate;
• said flow controller being capable of providing a lubrication fluid pump flow rate control signal to said electric powered lubrication fluid pump to control a lubrication fluid flow rate;
• and
• said electric powered cooling fluid pump being capable of providing an amount of cooling fluid flow after said gas turbine engine has been shut off from operation.