Lubrication system for waste heat recovery gear box
First Claim
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1. A combustion engine comprising:
- a crankshaft;
a waste heat recovery system including an expander having an expander shaft;
a lube pump;
an output shaft coupled to the lube pump;
a first speed-reducing means for transferring power from the expander shaft to the output shaft to drive the lube pump;
a second speed-reducing means for transferring power from the output shaft to the crankshaft; and
an expander bearing supporting the expander shaft, a lube sump in a power drive housing, and a lube discharge rifle in the power drive housing, wherein the lube pump is configured to suction lubrication fluid from the lube sump and discharge the lubrication fluid through the lube discharge rifle to lubricate the expander bearing and return the lubrication fluid to the lube sump.
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Abstract
A lubrication system and method for an engine arc provided. In some embodiments, the lubrication method comprises driving a lube pump with a gearbox in a power drive housing, the gearbox including an expander shaft of an expander of a waste heat recovery system; suctioning lubrication fluid, with the lube pump, from a lube sump in the power drive housing; lubricating, with the lubrication fluid, an expander shall bearing supporting the expander; and after lubricating the expander shall bearing, transferring the lubrication fluid to the lube sump waste heat recovery power drive and lubrication system therefor.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A combustion engine comprising:
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a crankshaft; a waste heat recovery system including an expander having an expander shaft; a lube pump; an output shaft coupled to the lube pump; a first speed-reducing means for transferring power from the expander shaft to the output shaft to drive the lube pump; a second speed-reducing means for transferring power from the output shaft to the crankshaft; and an expander bearing supporting the expander shaft, a lube sump in a power drive housing, and a lube discharge rifle in the power drive housing, wherein the lube pump is configured to suction lubrication fluid from the lube sump and discharge the lubrication fluid through the lube discharge rifle to lubricate the expander bearing and return the lubrication fluid to the lube sump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A combustion engine comprising:
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a crankshaft; a waste heat recovery system including an expander having an expander shaft; a lube pump; an output shaft coupled to the lube pump; a first speed-reducing means for transferring power from the expander shaft to the output shaft to drive the lube pump; a second speed-reducing means for transferring power from the output shaft to the crankshaft; a power drive housing including an enclosure cover mounted on a power drive housing body; and a lube sump enclosed by the power drive housing, wherein the lube pump is configured to suction a lubrication fluid from the lube sump to lubricate the first speed-reducing means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A combustion engine comprising:
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a crankshaft; a waste heat recovery system including an expander having an expander shaft; a lube pump; an output shaft coupled to the lube pump; a first speed-reducing means for transferring power from the expander shaft to the output shaft to drive the lube pump; a second speed-reducing means for transferring power from the output shaft to the crankshaft; a cooling pump coupled to the output shaft; a lube sump; an expander bearing supporting the expander shaft; and a cooling circuit in the power drive housing, wherein the lube pump is operable to suction lubrication fluid from the lube sump and discharge the lubrication fluid to lubricate the expander bearing, and wherein the cooling pump is operable to pump a working fluid through the cooling circuit to transfer heat from a lubrication fluid to the working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A combustion engine comprising:
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a crankshaft; a waste heat recovery system including an expander having an expander shaft; a lube pump; an output shaft coupled to the lube pump; a first gear train operable to transfer power from the expander shaft to the output shaft to drive the lube pump; and a second gear train operable to transfer power from the output shaft to the crankshaft; a power drive housing including an enclosure cover mounted on a power drive housing body, wherein the first gear train is enclosed within the power drive housing; and an expander bearing supporting the expander shaft, a lube sump in the power drive housing, and a lube discharge rifle in the power drive housing, wherein the lube pump is operable to suction lubrication fluid from the lube sump and discharge the lubrication fluid through the lube discharge rifle to lubricate the expander bearing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification