Oil system
AssigneesROLLS-ROYCE plc, Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
InventorsJohn R MASON, Thomas Philip ASTLEY
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method (500) and apparatus (50, 60) for lubrication of a gearbox (30) of an aircraft engine comprise provision (502) of oil to the gearbox (30) through a primary oil system (50) driven by a core (11) of the engine (10) in normal conditions; detection (504) of windmilling conditions and/or failure of the primary oil system (50); and in response to the detected condition or failure, activation (506) of an electric pump (61) of an auxiliary oil system (60), to provide oil to the gearbox (30).
Claims18
A gas turbine engine for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine comprising:
- an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor;
- a fan or propeller;
- a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan or propeller so as to drive the fan or propeller at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft;
- a primary oil system driven by the engine core and arranged to supply bearings of the gearbox with oil;
- and
- an auxiliary oil system comprising:
- an electric pump arranged to be selectively activated, and to supply the bearings of the gearbox with oil, during flight, when activated;
- a sensor arranged to detect windmilling and/or failure of the primary oil system during flight;
- and
- control electronics arranged to receive an output from the sensor, and to activate the electric pump in response to detected windmilling or failure.
An auxiliary oil system for an aircraft gas turbine engine having a gearbox arranged to be lubricated by a primary oil system, the auxiliary oil system comprising:
- an electric pump arranged to be selectively activated, and to supply bearings of the gearbox with oil, during flight, when activated;
- a sensor arranged to detect windmilling and/or failure of the primary oil system during flight;
- and
- control electronics arranged to receive an output from the sensor, and to activate the electric pump in response to detected windmilling or failure.
A method of lubricating a gearbox of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, during flight, the method comprising:
- providing oil to the gearbox through a primary oil system driven by a core of the engine;
- detecting windmilling conditions and/or failure of the primary oil system;
- and
- in response to the detected condition or failure, activating an electric pump of an auxiliary oil system, to provide oil to the gearbox.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.