PRESSURIZED AUXILIARY POWER UNIT LUBRICATION SYSTEM

• US 20130091862A1
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Osorio, Omar I.
• Application Number:
  US13/273,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091862A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/785
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/50 for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An exemplary lubrication system includes a flow path that carries fluid from a fluid supply through at least a portion of an auxiliary power unit to an outlet separate from the fluid supply. The fluid supply is pressurized to move the fluid along the flow path.

Claims

1. A lubrication system comprising:

a flow path that carries fluid from a fluid supply through at least a portion of an auxiliary power unit to an outlet separate from the fluid supply, wherein the fluid supply is pressurized to move the fluid along the flow path.

2. The lubrication system of claim 1, including a valve arranged in the flow path and configured to selectively permit fluid flow along the flow path in response to a command.

3. The lubrication system of claim 2, including a controller that actuates the valve to control flow of fluid from the pressurized fluid supply along the path.

4. The lubrication system of claim 1, wherein bleed air from a turbomachine pressurizes the pressurized fluid supply.

5. The lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the outlet delivers fluid to a combustor of a turbomachine.

6. The lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the flow path does not recirculate fluid in the flow path to the pressurized fluid supply.

7. An auxiliary power unit lubrication system, comprising:

a gearbox that rotatably couples a turbomachine to a generator; and

a flow path that carries fluid from a fluid supply through at least one of the gearbox and the generator to an outlet where the fluid exits the flow path.

8. The auxiliary power unit lubrication system of claim 7, wherein the fluid supply is pressurized using bleed air from the turbomachine to move the fluid along the flow path.

9. The auxiliary power unit lubrication system of claim 7, wherein the flow path carries exclusively non-recirculated fluid.

10. The auxiliary power unit lubrication system of claim 7, wherein no portion of the fluid carried by the flow path is recirculated fluid.

11. The auxiliary power unit lubrication system of claim 7, wherein bleed air from the turbomachine pressurizes the pressurized fluid supply.

12. A method of lubricating an auxiliary power unit, comprising:

pressurizing a fluid supply to move fluid along a flow path that extends through at least a portion of an auxiliary power unit; and

pressurizing the fluid supply to move fluid through an outlet of the flow path.

13. The method of claim 12, including selectively regulating the flow of fluid along the flow path using a valve.

14. The method of claim 12, including pressurizing using bleed air from a turbomachine of an auxiliary power unit.