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US 7,621,117 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for controlling engine windmilling
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsKevin Allan Dooley, William J. K. Savage
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling the ground windmilling of at least one of the spools in a gas turbine engine. Electrical power is supplied to a braking apparatus in one aspect. In another aspect, an oil system is powered during ground windmilling.
Claims9
A ground windmill control apparatus for impeding windmilling rotation of a bladed rotor and an associated engine shaft of an aircraft-borne turbofan gas turbine engine, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one electric generator connected to rotate with the engine shaft
- at least one electric motor connected to rotate with the engine shaft
- a controller configured to be operable while the aircraft is on the ground and the engine is in an unlit shutdown mode to control the generator to operate as an electrical generator and to control the motor to operate as an electric motor to provide electrical power to the electric motor generated by the electric generator to apply a braking torque to the engine shaft opposite in direction to the direction of the windmilling rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.