Bearing compartment self cooling vent system
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsPhilip Scott Burkholder, Mark Allen Winely, Kevin Chin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for use in the bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine includes a first conduit and a second conduit. The first conduit defines inner and outer surfaces between an inlet end and an outlet end. The second conduit defines inner and outer surfaces between an inlet end and an outlet end. At least a portion of the second conduit is substantially coaxial with and enclosed by at least a portion of the first conduit. One of the first conduit or the second conduit is a lubricant feed to the bearing compartment. The other of the first conduit and the second conduit is the air vent from the bearing compartment.
Claims24
An apparatus coupled to a bearing compartment of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a first conduit having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- a second conduit having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- and,
- wherein at least a portion of the second conduit is substantially enclosed by at least a portion of the first conduit such that the outer surface of the second conduit generally faces the inner surface of the first conduit, and wherein one of the first conduit and the second conduit is a lubricant feed conduit adapted for the passage of a lubricant to the bearing compartment and the other of the first conduit and the second conduit is an air vent conduit adapted for the passage of a vent air from the bearing compartment.
A system, comprising:
- a gas turbine engine including a bearing compartment;
- a first conduit extending between an inlet end and an outlet end and having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- a second conduit extending between an inlet end and an outlet end and having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein at least a portion of the first conduit is positioned within the second conduit;
- and,
- wherein the inner surface of the first conduit defines a first fluid flow passageway in fluid communication with the bearing compartment and adapted to vent air from the bearing compartment, the interior surface of the second conduit defines a second fluid flow passageway in fluid communication with the bearing compartment and adapted to feed a lubricant to the bearing compartment.
A method for delivering a lubricant to a gas turbine engine bearing compartment, comprising:
- feeding the lubricant through a first fluid flow passageway to the bearing compartment;
- and
- flowing a vent air from the bearing compartment through a second fluid flow passageway, wherein the second fluid flow passageway is surrounded by and in a heat transfer association with the first fluid flow passageway.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a bearing housing;
- an air vent conduit in fluid communication with the bearing housing and adapted to allow the passage of air from the bearing housing;
- a lubricant feed conduit in fluid communication with the bearing housing and adapted to allow the feeding of a lubricant to the bearing housing, at least a portion of the lubricant feed conduit is disposed about the air vent conduit;
- and
- wherein the lubricant feed conduit with lubricant therein and the air vent conduit with vent air therein define an anti-coking means for preventing coking in the air vent conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.