Systems and methods for heating a gearbox prior to fan rotation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516724-B2
Application number	US-202418626584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2024
Priority date	Apr 4, 2024
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A turbine engine operable in a cold start condition to prevent wear on components of a gearbox assembly of the turbine engine. The turbine engine includes a gearbox assembly, a pump for directing lubricant to the gearbox assembly, a supply line heating path comprising a heat exchanger, a recirculation bypass path, a valve being positionable between a first position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the supply line heating path and a second position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the recirculation bypass path, and an electronic control unit configured to position the valve between the first position and the second position based on a temperature of the lubricant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbine engine comprising:
a gearbox assembly; a pump for directing lubricant to the gearbox assembly; a supply line heating path comprising a heat exchanger for cooling the lubricant and a supply line heater, the heat exchanger is arranged in series upstream of the supply line heater; a recirculation bypass path; a valve located downstream of the pump for controlling a flow of the lubricant, the valve being positionable between a first position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the supply line heating path and a second position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the recirculation bypass path, wherein the supply line heating path extends from the valve to the gearbox assembly and the recirculation bypass path extends from the valve to the supply line heating path only at a downstream end of the supply line heater; and an electronic control unit configured to position the valve between the first position and the second position based on a temperature of the lubricant.

2 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein a first lubricant temperature sensor is located between the valve and the pump for detecting a temperature of the lubricant.

3 . The turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the valve is positioned into the first position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the supply line heating path in response to the temperature of the lubricant is equal to or greater than a first predetermined lubricant temperature threshold, and wherein the valve is positioned into the second position to direct the flow of the lubricant into the recirculation bypass path in response to the temperature of the lubricant is less than the first predetermined lubricant temperature threshold.

4 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the recirculation bypass path passes through one or more engine components that provide heat to the lubricant, the one or more engine components selected from the group consisting of pumps, scavenge elements, sumps, bearings, gears, and accessory gearboxes.

5 . The turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the recirculation bypass path includes a one-way valve positioned downstream of the one or more engine components, the one-way valve preventing the lubricant from flowing back towards the one or more engine components.

6 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger of the supply line heating path is an air cooled oil cooler for drawing heat off of the lubricant.

7 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the supply line heating path further comprises a second lubricant temperature sensor located between the heat exchanger and the supply line heater.

8 . The turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the supply line heater is operated in a deactivated state in response to the second lubricant temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the lubricant exiting the heat exchanger is equal to or exceeds a second predetermined lubricant temperature threshold, wherein the supply line heater is operated in an activated state in response to the second lubricant temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the lubricant exiting the heat exchanger is less than the second predetermined lubricant temperature threshold.

9 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gearbox temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the gearbox assembly; a fan rotor lock controlling operation of the gearbox assembly; and the electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the gearbox temperature sensor and the fan rotor lock, the electronic control unit configured to:
transmit a signal to the fan rotor lock to inhibit rotation of the gearbox assembly in response to determining that the temperature of the gearbox assembly, as determined by the gearbox temperature sensor, is less than a predetermined gearbox temperature threshold; and
transmit a signal to the fan rotor lock to permit rotation of the gearbox assembly in response to determining that the temperature of the gearbox assembly, as determined by the gearbox temperature sensor, is equal to or greater than the predetermined gearbox temperature threshold.

10 . The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the supply line heating path includes a one-way valve positioned downstream of the heat exchanger and the supply line heater and the recirculation bypass path connects to the supply line heating path downstream of the one-way valve.

11 . A method comprising:
activating a pump to direct lubricant to a gearbox assembly; detecting a temperature of the lubricant; operating a valve between a first position and a second position to direct the lubricant into one of a supply line heating path and a recirculation bypass path based on the detected temperature of the lubricant, the supply line heating path comprising a heat exchanger for cooling the lubricant and a supply line heater, the heat exchanger is arranged in series upstream of the supply line heater, wherein the supply line heating path extends from the valve to the gearbox assembly and the recirculation bypass path extends from the valve to the supply line heating path only at a downstream end of the supply line heater; and operating a fan rotor lock between a locked position and an unlocked position to inhibit operation of the gearbox assembly until a temperature of the gearbox assembly is equal to or exceeds a predetermined gearbox temperature threshold.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
operating the valve into the first position to direct the lubricant into the supply line heating path when the detected temperature of the lubricant is equal to or greater than a first predetermined lubricant temperature threshold; and operating the valve into the second position to direct the lubricant into the recirculation bypass path when the detected temperature of the lubricant is less than the first predetermined lubricant temperature threshold.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the supply line heater is located downstream of the heat exchanger, the method further comprising:
operating the supply line heater in a deactivated state in response to detecting that the temperature of the lubricant exiting the heat exchanger is equal to or exceeds a second predetermined lubricant temperature threshold; and operating the supply line heater in an activated state in response to determining that the temperature of the lubricant exiting the heat exchanger is less than the second predetermined lubricant temperature threshold.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger of the supply line heating path is an air cooled oil cooler for drawing heat off of the lubricant.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising circulating the lubricant from the gearbox assembly to the pump.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the recirculation bypass path passes through one or more engine components that provide heat to the lubricant, the one or more engine components selected from the group consisting of pumps, scavenge elements, sumps, bearings, gears, and accessory gearboxes.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the recirculation bypass path includes a one-way valve positioned downstream of the one or more engine components, the method further comprising preventing the lubricant from flowing back towards the one or more engine components with the one-way valve.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the supply line heating path includes a one-way valve positioned downstream of the heat exchanger and the supply line heater and the recirculation bypass path connect

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Miller Brandon W
• Hudecki Andrew
• Sibbach Arthur W
• Gallier Kirk D
• Ganiger Ravindra Shankar
• Roehm Ryan T

Classifications

• F16H57/0416

  Air cooling or ventilation · CPC title

• F16H57/0413 Primary

  Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor · CPC title

• F16H57/0435 Primary

  Pressure control for supplying lubricant; Circuits or valves therefor · CPC title

• F02C7/06

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