Method and system for centrifugal pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060290-B2
Application number	US-201514984372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

The pump includes a first rotatable member including a radially inward facing groove having an edge. The first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge. The first rotatable member configured to rotate at a first angular velocity. The pump also includes a second rotatable member including a collector configured to rotate at a second angular velocity. The second rotatable member also includes a plurality of scoop tubes extending radially outwardly from the collector. Each scoop tube of the plurality of scoop tubes includes a first end coupled in flow communication to the collector and a second end including an inlet opening extending into the groove. The second end curved such that the inlet opening is open in a direction of rotation of the second rotatable member. The inlet opening configured to scoop a fluid collected in the groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pump comprising:
a first rotatable member comprising a radially inward facing groove having an edge, said first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge, said first rotatable member configured to rotate at a first angular velocity; and
a second rotatable member comprising:
a collector configured to rotate at a second angular velocity;

wherein said first angular velocity is less then said second angular velocity; and
a plurality of scoop tubes extending radially outwardly from said collector, each scoop tube of said plurality of scoop tubes comprising:
a first end coupled in flow communication to said collector;
a second end comprising an inlet opening extending into the groove, said second end curved such that said inlet opening is open in a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member, said inlet opening configured to scoop a fluid collected in said groove; and

wherein said first rotatable member is configured to rotate in the same direction as the direction of rotation of said second rotatable member.

2. The pump of claim 1 , wherein said first angular velocity is opposite with respect to said second angular velocity.

3. The pump of claim 1 , wherein said fluid comprises oil.

4. A pump comprising:
a first rotatable member comprising a radially inward facing grove having an edge, said first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge, said first rotatable member configured to rotate at a first angular velocity; and
a second rotatable member comprising:
a collector configured to rotate at a second angular velocity; and
a plurality of scoop tubes extending radially outwardly from said collector, each scoop tube of said plurality of scoop tubes comprising:
a first end coupled in flow communication to said collector;
a second end comprising an inlet opening extending into the grove, said second end curved such that said inlet opening is open in a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member, said inlet opening configured to scoop a fluid collected in said grove; and

wherein said first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge from a plurality of sumps.

5. A method of pumping a fluid using a pump that includes a first rotatable member including a circumferential groove on a radially inner surface and a second rotatable member including one or more scoop tubes extending into the groove, said method comprising:
receiving a flow of fluid at the first rotatable member, the first rotatable member circumscribing the second rotatable member;
centrifugally collecting the flow of fluid in a radially outer portion of the groove;
scooping a portion of the centrifugally collected fluid into the one or more scoop tubes;
channeling the scooped fluid to a fluid scavenge system; and
further comprising channeling the scooped fluid into a stationary axial drain tube extending axially aft in a gas turbine engine.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein scooping a portion of the centrifugally collected fluid into the one or more scoop tubes comprises rotating the second rotatable member in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the first rotatable member.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein scooping a portion of the centrifugally collected fluid into the one or more scoop tubes comprises rotating the second rotatable member in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the first rotatable member.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising channeling the scooped fluid into a radial drain tube extending radially downward through an aft engine frame to the bottom of a gas turbine engine.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving a flow of fluid at the first rotatable member comprises receiving a flow of fluid at the first rotatable member from a plurality of sumps.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein channeling the scooped fluid into a radial drain tube extending radially outward through an aft engine frame in a gas turbine engine comprises gravity draining the scooped fluid into a radial drain tube extending radially outward through an aft engine frame in a gas turbine engine.

11. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a high pressure power shaft rotationally coupled to a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine;
a low pressure power shaft rotationally coupled to a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine;
a pump comprising:
a first rotatable member comprising a radially inward facing groove having an edge, said first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge, said low pressure power shaft configured to rotate said first rotatable member at a first angular velocity; and
a second rotatable member comprising:
a collector rotationally coupled to said high pressure power shaft and configured to rotate at a second angular velocity; and
a plurality of scoop tubes extending radially outwardly from said collector, each scoop tube of said plurality of scoop tubes comprising:
a first end coupled in flow communication to said collector; and
a second end comprising an inlet opening extending into the groove, said second end curved such that said inlet opening is open in a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member, said inlet opening configured to scoop a fluid collected in said groove.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said first rotatable member configured to rotate in a direction opposite a direction of rotation of said second rotatable member.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said first rotatable member configured to rotate in the same direction as the direction of rotation of said second rotatable member.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge from a plurality of sumps.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein said fluid comprises oil.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 further comprising a fluid collection system coupled in flow communication with said pump by a drain tube, said drain tube extending axially aft from said pump and extending radially downward through an aft engine frame to said fluid collection system.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Moniz Thomas Ory
• Becker Jr Thomas Lee

Classifications

• F01D25/183

  Sealing means · CPC title

• F05D2240/60

  Shafts · CPC title

• F01D25/18

  Lubricating arrangements (of machines or engines in general F01M) · CPC title

• F04D29/321

  for axial flow compressors · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title