Apparatus and method for providing damper liquid in a gas turbine engine
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsEnzo DiBenedetto, James B. Coffin, Todd A. Davis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for distributing liquid in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes rotating a fan shaft coupled to a spool via a fan drive gear system. The spool drives rotation of the fan shaft through the fan drive gear system during operation of the gas turbine engine. A pump is driven via the fan shaft. Liquid is supplied from a sump to the pump under a first operating condition. Liquid is supplied from an auxiliary reservoir to the pump under a second operating condition. Liquid is pumped to a damper.
Claims19
A method for distributing liquid in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- rotating a fan shaft coupled to a spool via a fan drive gear system such that the spool drives rotation of the fan shaft through the fan drive gear system during operation of the gas turbine engine;
- driving a pump via the fan shaft connected to the pump through the fan drive gear system;
- supplying a first portion of a liquid from a sump to the pump under a first operating condition;
- supplying a second portion of the liquid from an auxiliary reservoir to the pump under a second operating condition;
- pumping one of the first and second portions of the liquid from the pump to a damper;
- supporting bearings with the damper:
- and
- supporting the fan shaft with the bearings.
A fluid distribution system for use in a gas turbine engine, the fluid distribution system comprising:
- a fan connected to a fan shaft;
- a bearing configured to support the fan shaft;
- a damper supporting the bearing;
- a sump fluidically connected to the damper;
- an auxiliary reservoir fluidically connected to the damper;
- and
- a pump connected to and driven by the fan shaft through gearing and fluidically connected to the damper, the sump, and the auxiliary reservoir, wherein the pump is configured to supply a first portion of a liquid from the sump to the damper during a first operating condition, and wherein the pump is configured to supply a second portion of the liquid from the auxiliary reservoir to the damper during a second operating condition.
A fluid distribution system for use in a gas turbine engine, the fluid distribution system comprising:
- a fan connected to a fan shaft;
- a bearing configured to support the fan shaft;
- a damper supporting the bearing;
- a sump capable of containing a first portion of a liquid;
- an auxiliary reservoir capable of containing a second portion of the liquid;
- a pump connected to and driven by the fan shaft, wherein an outlet of the pump is fluidically connected to the damper;
- a valve fluidically connected to the sump, the auxiliary reservoir, and the pump, wherein the valve has a first position that fluidically connects the sump to the pump and a second position that fluidically connects the auxiliary reservoir to the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.