Lubrication system valve

Abstract

A fluid scavenging system is provided for a lubrication system including a gas turbine engine having bearing compartments. A valve includes a housing with an outlet and a plurality of fluid inlets respectively in fluid communication with the bearing compartments. The valve includes a rotationally driven member arranged within the housing with the member having a plurality of ports arranged thereon each defining an arcuate slot. Each of the ports are selectively in fluid communication with one of the fluid inlets through the arcuate slot during rotation of the member for selectively permitting fluid flow between the opening of one of the fluid inlets through one of the corresponding ports in the member. A fluid pump is fluidly connected to the outlet for drawing fluid from each of the plurality of fluid compartments during fluid rotation of the member. The driven member rotates about an axis 360°, and preferably, the ports are respectively aligned with the fluid inlets for approximately at least 360° such that the pump does not run dry. The arcuate slots may overlap during a range of degrees such that more than one compartment is scavenged. The size of the arcuate slot and degrees through which the arcuate slot is in communication with its respective inlet determines the duration that a particular bearing compartment is scavenged and the volume of bearing fluid that may be removed from the compartment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.