Temporary post maintenance oil filter for gas-turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169042-A1
Application number	US-201514855854-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of maintaining a gas-turbine engine is provided. The method includes the steps of removing a conduit from the gas-turbine engine, installing a temporary oil filter in place of the conduit in the gas-turbine engine, and starting the gas-turbine engine with the temporary oil filter installed. A fan-drive gear system is also provided and comprises a journal bearing, a main oil pump fluidly coupled to the journal bearing, a main oil filter fluidly coupled between the journal bearing and the main oil pump, and an auxiliary oil pump fluidly coupled to the journal bearing. The auxiliary oil pump may be configured to supply oil to the journal bearing on startup. An auxiliary oil filter may also be installed between the auxiliary oil pump and the journal bearing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of maintaining a gas-turbine engine, comprising:
removing an oil conduit from the gas-turbine engine; installing a temporary oil filter in place of the oil conduit in the gas-turbine engine; and starting the gas-turbine engine with the temporary oil filter installed.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising stopping the gas-turbine engine with the temporary oil filter installed.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising removing the temporary oil filter after starting and stopping the gas-turbine engine.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising reinstalling the oil conduit in place of the temporary oil filter in the gas-turbine engine.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the temporary oil filter is installed between an auxiliary oil pump and a fan-drive gear system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a panel to provide access to the oil conduit.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
decoupling a retention hardware from the oil conduit; and coupling the retention hardware to the temporary oil filter.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising;
decoupling the oil conduit from an interface with a journal supply line; and coupling the temporary oil filter to the interface with the journal supply line.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising running the gas-turbine engine for a predetermined duration with the temporary oil filter installed.

10 . A method of maintaining a gas-turbine engine, comprising:
installing an oil filter in the gas-turbine engine; starting the gas-turbine engine with the oil filter installed; stopping the gas-turbine engine with the oil filter installed; removing the oil filter; and installing a conduit in place of the oil filter.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing the conduit from the gas-turbine engine before to installing the oil filter.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the oil filter is installed in place of the conduit.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising removing a single panel to provide access to the conduit.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the oil filter is installed between an auxiliary oil pump and a fan-drive gear system.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
decoupling a retention hardware from the oil filter; and coupling the retention hardware to the conduit.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising;
decoupling the oil filter from an interface with a journal supply line; and coupling the conduit to the interface with the journal supply line.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising running the gas-turbine engine for at least a predetermined duration with the oil filter installed.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the conduit is substantially unobstructed.

19 . A fan-drive gear system, comprising:
a journal bearing; a main oil pump fluidly coupled to the journal bearing; a main oil filter fluidly coupled between the journal bearing and the main oil pump; an auxiliary oil pump fluidly coupled to the journal bearing, wherein the auxiliary oil pump is configured to supply oil to the journal bearing on startup; and an auxiliary oil filter installed between the auxiliary oil pump and the journal bearing.

20 . The fan-drive gear system of claim 19 , further comprising a substantially unobstructed conduit configured to replace the auxiliary oil filter.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Korn Nathan D
• Muldoon Marc J

Classifications

• F01D5/005

  Repairing methods or devices · CPC title

• F02C7/224

  Heating fuel before feeding to the burner · CPC title

• F01D25/20 Primary

  using lubrication pumps · CPC title

• F02C7/14

  of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F01D25/18

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