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US 5,359,247 AGranted
Cooling arrangement and method for offset gearbox
AssigneeSundstrand Corporation
InventorsJeffrey D. Baldwin, Ellen J. Wagle, Jude C. T. Lai
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AssigneeSundstrand Corporation
InventorsJeffrey D. Baldwin, Ellen J. Wagle, Jude C. T. Lai
Estimating the term…
An offset gearbox of an aircraft has a sump for a lubricant. A heat exchanger core extends through the sump in contact with the lubricant. A fluid coolant for cooling an accessory such as an electrical power generating unit drivingly connected to the offset gearbox is circulated through the core in thermal communication but not mixed with the lubricant of the offset gearbox for cooling the lubricant. The cooling arrangement for the offset gearbox advantageously does not require a separate or dedicated heat exchanger which reduces system weight and cost. The single pump of the accessory can also be used for circulating the coolant. Increased reliability, independent oil change for maintenance and enhanced attitude performance are attained as gearbox performance does not affect power generating unit performance, and visa versa. An existing aircraft can be modified to include the offset gearbox with a minimum of modification and little additional weight and plumbing.
A cooling arrangement for an offset gearbox and an electrical power generating unit drivingly connected thereto in an aircraft, comprising an offset gearbox drivingly connected to an engine gearbox, said offset gearbox having a sump with a fluid lubricant therein for lubricating the offset gearbox, an electrical power generating unit drivingly connected to said offset gearbox, fluid coolant for cooling both the lubricant of the offset gearbox and the electrical power generating unit, and means for circulating the fluid coolant through both the electrical power generating unit, for cooling the unit, and in thermal communication with but not mixed with the lubricant of the offset gearbox for cooling the lubricant of the offset gearbox.
A method of cooling an offset gearbox, for an aircraft engine gearbox, and an electrical power generating unit drivingly connected to the offset gearbox comprising providing the offset gearbox with a sump which contains a lubricant for lubricating the offset gearbox and a heat exchanger core in contact with the lubricant in the sump, said core having a passage therethrough for flowing a coolant, and circulating a coolant for the electrical power generating unit drivingly connected to the offset gearbox, and having a passage for flowing a coolant therethrough, through the coolant passage of the core without mixing the coolant with the lubricant of the offset gearbox.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.