Geared gas turbine engine with reduced oil tank size

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10054058-B2
Application number	US-201514595255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2015
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A gas turbine engine comprises a fan drive turbine for driving a gear reduction, which drives a fan rotor. A lubrication system supplies oil to the gear reduction. An oil tank is relatively small. The lubrication system operates to allow oil to remain in the oil tank for a dwell time of less than or equal to five seconds. A method of designing a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan drive turbine for driving a gear reduction, said gear reduction for driving a fan rotor; and a lubrication system for supplying oil to said gear reduction, with an oil tank and the lubrication system operable for allowing oil to remain in the oil tank for a dwell time of less than or equal to five seconds, and wherein said gear reduction includes a sun gear for driving intermediate gears, and there being oil baffles located circumferentially between said intermediate gears.

2. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said dwell time is less than or equal to 3.0 seconds.

3. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein an oil capture gutter surrounds said gear reduction.

4. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said fan rotor delivering air into a bypass duct as propulsion air and into a core engine where it passes into a compressor section, with a bypass ratio defined as the ratio of air delivered into said bypass duct compared to the volume of air delivered into said core engine with said bypass ratio being greater than or equal to 6.0.

5. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said bypass ratio is greater than or equal to 10.0.

6. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a gear ratio of said gear reduction being greater than or equal to 2.3:1.

7. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 35 quarts of oil.

8. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said engine is rated greater than or equal to 15,000 and less than or equal to 35,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

9. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 35 and less than or equal to 50 quarts of oil.

10. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said gas turbine engine having greater than or equal to 35,000 and less than or equal to 100,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

11. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an oil capture gutter surrounds said gear reduction.

12. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 35 quarts of oil.

13. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said engine is rated greater than or equal to 15,000 and less than or equal to 35,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

14. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 35 and less than or equal to 50 quarts of oil.

15. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said gas turbine engine having greater than or equal to 35,000 and less than or equal to 100,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 35 quarts of oil, and said gas turbine engine is rated greater than or equal to 15,000 and less than or equal to 35,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 35 and less than or equal to 50 quarts of oil, and said gas turbine engine having greater than or equal to 35,000 and less than or equal to 100,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

18. A method of building a gas turbine engine comprising: providing a fan drive turbine for driving a gear reduction, said gear reduction for driving a fan rotor; and providing a lubrication system for supplying oil to said gear reduction, with an oil tank and the lubrication system operable for allowing oil to remain in the oil tank for a dwell time of less than or equal to five seconds, and wherein said clear reduction includes a sun clear for driving intermediate clears, and there being oil baffles located circumferentially between said intermediate clears.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said dwell time is less than or equal to 3.0 seconds.

20. The method as set forth in claim 18 , comprising:
providing an oil capture gutter around said gear reduction.

21. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said fan rotor delivering air into a bypass duct as propulsion air and into a core engine where it passes into a compressor section, with a bypass ratio defined as the ratio of air delivered into said bypass duct compared to the volume of air delivered into said core engine with said bypass ratio being greater than or equal to 10.0.

22. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein a gear ratio of said gear reduction being greater than or equal to 2.3:1.

23. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 35 quarts of oil.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23 , wherein said engine is rated greater than or equal to 15,000 and less than or equal to 35,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

25. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said oil tank holds greater than or equal to 35 and less than or equal to 50 quarts of oil.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25 , wherein said gas turbine engine having greater than or equal to 35,000 and less than or equal to 100,000 lbs in rated thrust at take-off.

Assignees

• Sheridan William G
• Mccune Michael E
• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Sheridan William G
• Mccune Michael E

Classifications

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F02C7/36 Primary

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F01D25/20

  using lubrication pumps · CPC title

• F02C7/06

  Arrangements of bearings (bearings F16C); Lubricating ({of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or} engines in general F01M) · CPC title

• F05D2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title