TURBINE STARTER LUBRICANT COOLING

• US 20110203249A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Telakowski, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.08
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/18 Lubricating arrangements of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/277 the starter being a separate turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/205 Cooling fluid recirculation, i.e. after cooling one or more components is the cooling fluid recovered and used elsewhere for other purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A cooling system for turbine starter lubricant includes one or more outflow transfer passages (54) extending from the turbine starter (10) to a secondary component (40). At least one heat exchange passage (56) affixed at a first end to an end of an outflow transfer passage (54) of the one or more outflow transfer passages (54), is located in the secondary component (40) having a lower interior temperature than the turbine starter (10). One or more return transfer passages (60) are affixed to a second end of the at least one heat exchange passage (56) and extend from the secondary component (40) to the turbine starter (10). Flowing a volume of starter lubricant (42) through the one or more outflow transfer passages (54), the at least one heat exchange passage (56), and the one or more return transfer passages (60) removes thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42) and returns the volume of starter lubricant (42) to the turbine starter (10).

Claims

1. A cooling system for turbine starter (10) lubricant comprising:

one or more outflow transfer passages (54) extending from the turbine starter (10) to a secondary component (40);

at least one heat exchange passage (56) disposed in the secondary component (40) affixed at a first end to an end of an outflow transfer passage (54) of the one or more outflow transfer passages (54), the secondary component (40) having a lower interior temperature than the turbine starter (10); and

one or more return transfer passages (60) affixed to a second end of the at least one heat exchange passage (56) and extending from the secondary component (40) to the turbine starter (10), whereby flowing a volume of starter lubricant (42) through the one or more outflow transfer passages (54), the at least one heat exchange passage (56), and the one or more return transfer passages (60) removes thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42) and returns the volume of starter lubricant (42) to the turbine starter (10).

2. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the secondary component (40) is an engine gearbox assembly (40).

3. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat exchange passage (56) includes a plurality of fins (62) extending therefrom to increase heat transfer.

4. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein a coolant (44) is circulating in the secondary component (40) and is utilized to remove thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42).

5. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the one or more outflow transfer passages (54) are disposed at a higher elevation that the one or more return transfer passages (60).

6. The cooling system of claim 4 wherein flow of the volume of starter lubricant (42) through the cooling system is driven by gravitation forces.

7. The cooling system of claim 4 including at least one lubricant trough (50) disposed at the one or more outflow passages (54) to collect the volume of starter lubricant (42) for cooling.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the turbine starter (10) utilizes splash lubricant circulation.

9. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the turbine starter (10) utilizes an internal pump (64) to circulate the volume of starter lubricant (42) throughout the turbine starter (10).

10. A method of cooling lubricant of an turbine starter (10) comprising:

flowing a volume of starter lubricant (42) from the turbine starter (10) to a secondary component (40) via one or more outlet transfer passages (54);

flowing the volume of starter lubricant (42) through at least one heat exchange passage (56) disposed in the secondary component (40), the secondary component (40) having a lower interior temperature than the turbine starter (10), thereby removing thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42); and

returning the volume of starter lubricant (42) to the turbine starter (10) via one or more return transfer passages (60).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the secondary component (40) is an engine gearbox assembly (40).

12. The method of claim 10 including dissipating thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42) via a plurality of fins (62) extending from the at least one heat exchange passage (56) to increase heat transfer.

13. The method of claim 10 including impinging a coolant (44) circulating in the secondary component (40) on the at least one heat exchange passage (56) to remove thermal energy from the volume of starter lubricant (42).

14. The method of claim 10 including disposing the one or more outflow transfer passages (54) at a higher elevation that the one or more return transfer passages (60).

15. The method of claim 14 including flowing the volume of starter lubricant (42) through the cooling system via gravitational forces.

16. The method of claim 14 including collecting the volume of starter lubricant (42) for cooling in at least one lubricant trough (50) disposed at the one or more outflow transfer passages (54).

17. The method of claim 10 including circulating the volume of starter lubricant (42) throughout the turbine starter (10) via rotation of elements of the turbine starter (10).

18. The method of claim 10 including circulating the volume of starter lubricant (42) throughout the turbine starter (10) via an internal pump (64) disposed in the turbine starter (10).