Oil tank filling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274570-B2
Application number	US-201916387995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

An oil tank filling system for filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine that includes an aft core cowl. The system includes an oil tank that has an oil tank top and an oil tank bottom and is located within a core of the engine, an oil access port located on the aft core cowl, and an oil tank filling pipe that leads from the oil access port to a tank filling port located at or adjacent the oil tank bottom. The system is configured so that oil that is supplied to the oil access port flows to and into the oil tank using gravitational force. A method of filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine that includes the oil tank filling system.

First claim

We claim:

1. A gas turbine engine that includes a core, an aft core cowl, and an oil tank filling system, the oil tank filling system comprising:
an oil tank that has an oil tank top and an oil tank bottom and is located within the core of the gas turbine engine;
an oil access port located on the aft core cowl, wherein oil is supplied to the oil access port;
an oil tank filling pipe that leads from the oil access port to a tank filling port located at or adjacent the oil tank bottom; and
a sight viewing glass configured to show or indicate a level of oil in the oil tank; wherein the sight viewing glass is located on the aft core cowl and communicates with the oil tank filling pipe to visually alert when oil is backing up the oil tank filling pipe;
the oil tank filling system being configured so that oil that is supplied to the oil access port flows to and into the oil tank using gravitational force.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the oil tank is shaped to curve around the gas turbine engine within the core of the gas turbine engine.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising outlet guide vanes, wherein the oil tank is located between opposing ones of the outlet guide vanes.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the sight viewing glass is located to be visible through an access panel on the aft core cowl adjacent the oil access port.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 wherein the oil access port and the sight viewing glass are positioned to be outboard of a matrix cooler.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 further comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades and a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, wherein the gas turbine engine is for use on an aircraft.

7. A method of filling an oil tank of a gas turbine engine that includes a core and an aft core cowl, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying oil to an oil access port located on the aft core cowl of the gas turbine engine;
transporting the oil using gravitational force from the oil access port through an oil tank filling pipe that leads to a tank filling port, located at or adjacent an oil tank bottom of the oil tank located within the core of the gas turbine engine, and into the oil tank; and
providing a sight viewing glass configured to show or indicate a level of oil in the oil tank, wherein the sight viewing glass is located on the aft core cowl and communicates with the oil tank filling pipe to visually alert when oil is backing up the oil tank filling pipe.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Edwards David A
• Bewick Clare L
• White Samuel W
• Malewicz William A
• Ray Sebastian
• Diaz Garcia Cristina

Classifications

• F01M2011/0033

  with special means for guiding the return of oil into the sump · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F01M11/12

  concerning lubricant level · CPC title

• F05D2230/72

  Maintenance · CPC title

• F16N7/02

  with gravity feed or drip lubrication · CPC title