Lubrication system for a gear system of a gas turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903227-B2
Application number	US-201514961737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to lubrication systems for gear systems of a gas turbine engine. In one embodiment, a lubrication system includes an auxiliary reservoir configured to store lubricant and a lubrication collection device. The auxiliary reservoir is contained within an annular structure of the gas turbine engine. The lubricant collection device can collect lubricant from a gear system of the gas turbine engine and direct collected lubricant to the auxiliary reservoir. The auxiliary reservoir is configured to receive collected lubricant by way of a channel within the annular structure. The lubrication system may compliment a main lubrication system, and in particular, when the main lubrication system is temporarily unable to supply lubricant to the gear system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lubrication system for a gear system of a gas turbine engine, the lubrication system comprising:
an auxiliary reservoir configured to store lubricant, wherein the auxiliary reservoir is contained within an annular structure including an inner structure, an outer structure, and a plurality of struts connecting the inner structure to the outer structure; and
a lubricant collection device disposed radially inward of the auxiliary reservoir and the inner structure, the lubricant collection device being configured to collect lubricant from the gear system of the gas turbine engine and direct collected lubricant to the auxiliary reservoir, wherein the auxiliary reservoir is configured to receive collected lubricant from the lubricant collection device by way of a channel formed within a strut of the plurality of struts.

2. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is a tank integrally formed within a portion of the outer structure of the annular structure.

3. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant collection device includes a gutter configured to collect lubricant from the gear system and a gutter channel to output collected lubricant to the auxiliary reservoir within the annular structure.

4. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the annular structure is a front center body support structure for the gas turbine engine.

5. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is cast within the outer structure and the channel is cast within the inner structure.

6. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the gear system is a fan drive gear system of the gas turbine engine.

7. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant collection device is integral to the annular structure and includes a collection path for lubricant of the gear system.

8. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant collection device receives lubricant from at least one of a bearing and gears of the gear system.

9. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary pump configured to supply collected lubricant from the auxiliary reservoir to the gear system.

10. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a main lubrication system;
a gear system; and
an auxiliary lubrication system including:
an auxiliary reservoir configured to store lubricant, wherein the auxiliary reservoir is contained within an annular structure of the gas turbine engine; and
a lubricant collection device disposed radially inward of the auxiliary reservoir and configured to collect lubricant from the gear system of the gas turbine engine and direct collected lubricant to the auxiliary reservoir, wherein the auxiliary reservoir is configured to receive collected lubricant from the lubricant collection device by way of a channel formed within a strut of the annular structure.

11. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is a tank integrally formed within a portion of an outer diameter of the annular structure.

12. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the lubricant collection device includes a gutter configured to collect lubricant from the gear system and a gutter channel to output collected lubricant to the auxiliary reservoir within the annular structure.

13. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the annular structure is a support structure including an inner diameter structure, an outer diameter structure, and a plurality of struts connecting the inner diameter structure to the outer diameter structure.

14. The lubrication system of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary reservoir is cast within outer diameter structure and the channel within the annular structure is cast within the strut of the plurality of struts.

15. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the annular structure is a front center body support structure for the gas turbine engine.

16. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the gear system is a fan drive gear system of the gas turbine engine.

17. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the lubricant collection device is integral to the annular structure and includes collection path for lubricant of the gear system.

18. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the lubricant collection device receives lubricant from at least one of a bearing and gears of the gear system.

19. The lubrication system of claim 10 , further comprising an auxiliary pump configured to supply collected lubricant from the auxiliary reservoir to the gear system.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Cigal Brian P

Classifications

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title

• F05D2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F01D25/18

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

• F01D25/20 Primary

  using lubrication pumps · CPC title