Fan drive gear system auxiliary pump monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107142-B2
Application number	US-201414917970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A disclosed lubrication system for turbofan engine includes a primary lubricant circuit, a primary pump driving lubricant through the primary circuit, an auxiliary lubricant circuit in communication with the primary lubricant circuit and an auxiliary lubricant pump driving lubricant through the auxiliary lubricant circuit. A first valve downstream of an outlet of auxiliary lubricant pump separates the auxiliary lubricant circuit from the primary lubricant circuit. A sensor is disposed within the auxiliary lubricant circuit for sensing pressure within the auxiliary lubricant circuit separate from a pressure within the primary lubricant circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lubrication system for turbofan engine comprising:
a primary lubricant circuit;
a primary pump configured to drive lubricant through the primary lubricant circuit;
an auxiliary lubricant circuit in communication with the primary lubricant circuit;
an auxiliary lubricant pump configured to drive lubricant through the auxiliary lubricant circuit;
a pressure responsive control valve disposed within the primary lubricant circuit for controlling lubricant flow between the primary lubricant circuit and the auxiliary lubricant circuit;
a primary pressure sensor disposed within the primary lubricant circuit before the pressure responsive control valve;
a check valve downstream of an outlet of the auxiliary lubricant pump and before the pressure responsive control valve, the check valve preventing lubricant flow into the auxiliary lubricant circuit from the primary lubricant circuit; and
a pressure sensor disposed within the auxiliary lubricant circuit between the outlet of the auxiliary lubricant pump and the check valve, the pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of lubricant within the auxiliary lubricant circuit separate from a pressure of lubricant within the primary lubricant circuit.

2. The lubrication system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to provide information indicative of the pressure within the auxiliary lubricant circuit to a controller.

3. The lubrication system as recited in claim 1 , including an auxiliary lubricant reservoir that is configured to supply lubricant to the auxiliary lubricant pump.

4. The lubrication system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the auxiliary lubricant pump is configured to draw lubricant from a lubricant sump and the auxiliary lubricant reservoir.

5. The lubrication system as recited in claim 1 , including a second valve configured to control lubricant flow between the primary lubricant system and the auxiliary lubricant system, wherein the second valve is disposed downstream of the first valve.

6. The lubrication system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the primary lubricant circuit is configured to direct lubricant to a fan drive gear system.

7. A turbofan engine comprising:
a fan;
a turbine section;
a geared architecture configured to be driven by the turbine section for rotating the fan about the axis;
a primary lubricant circuit configured to supply lubricant to the geared architecture;
an auxiliary lubricant circuit configured to supply lubricant to the primary lubricant circuit to supplement a lubricant supply;
a pressure responsive control valve disposed within the primary lubricant circuit for controlling lubricant flow between the primary lubricant circuit and the auxiliary lubricant circuit;
a primary pressure sensor disposed within the primary lubricant circuit before the pressure responsive control valve;
an auxiliary pump and a pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure within the auxiliary lubricant circuit separate from a pressure within the primary lubricant circuit; and
a check valve downstream of an outlet of the auxiliary pump and before the pressure responsive control valve, the check valve preventing lubricant flow into the auxiliary lubricant circuit from the primary lubricant circuit.

8. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 7 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure between the outlet of the auxiliary pump and the check valve.

9. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 8 , including a controller configured to receive the signal from the pressure sensor and programmed to indicate a fault condition responsive to the signal indicating a pressure below a predefined threshold pressure.

10. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 9 , wherein the pressure responsive control valve configured to control lubricant flow between the primary lubricant circuit and the auxiliary lubricant circuit responsive to a reduction in pressure within the primary lubricant circuit below a predetermined threshold.

11. The turbofan engine as recited in claim 7 , including an auxiliary lubricant supply configured to receive lubricant flowing through the geared architecture for supplying lubricant to the auxiliary lubricant pump.

12. A method of monitoring a lubrication system for a turbofan engine comprising:
separating lubricant pressure within a primary lubricant circuit from pressure within an auxiliary lubricant circuit with a check valve disposed after an outlet of an auxiliary pump and before a pressure responsive valve controlling lubricant flow from the auxiliary lubricant circuit to the primary lubricant circuit; and
monitoring the pressure within the auxiliary lubricant circuit separate from lubricant within the primary lubricant circuit with a pressure sensor within the auxiliary lubricant circuit between the outlet of the auxiliary pump and the check valve.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , including communicating a signal indicative of pressure within the auxiliary circuit to a controller and indicating a fault condition of the auxiliary pump responsive to the indicated pressure being outside predefined limits.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Mastro Jacob Peter
• Parnin Francis

Classifications

• F01D25/20 Primary

  using lubrication pumps · CPC title

• F02C7/36

  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

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title

• F05D2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title

• F01M2001/123

  using two or more pumps · CPC title