SECONDARY LUBRICATION SYSTEM WITH INJECTABLE ADDITIVE

• US 20070261922A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Sbabo, Thomas, Mullen, Michael, Cooper, Clark, Glasser, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 8,602,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/6.120
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 9/02 having means for introducing additives to lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0442 for supply in case of failure, i.e. auxiliary supply
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/045 Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/046 Oil-mist or spray lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 39/00 Arrangements for conditioning of lubricants in the lubricating system cleaning of lubricating oil, lubricating compositions C10M

Abstract

A lubrication system includes an additive and a delivery system. During normal operational conditions, the lubricating oil circulating in the transmission system is collected and contained in a secondary oil reservoir to retain a quantity of the lubricating oil for use in an oil-out condition. When an oil-out condition is detected, the additive is injected and mixed with the collected lubricating oil in the secondary oil reservoir or dispersed directly into a power transmission gearbox housing to enhance the characteristics of the lubricating oil and increases the operational time period of the power transmission gearbox during an oil-out condition.

Claims

1. A secondary lubrication system to lubricate moving components comprising:

an oil reservoir for storage of a quantity of collected lubricating oil for selective release to lubricate the moving components in response to an oil-out condition; and

an additive to enhance a characteristic of said collected lubricating oil in response to the oil-out condition.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said quantity of lubricating oil within said oil reservoir is received and interchanged from a primary lubricating oil reservoir during a normal operational condition.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive is selectively injectable into said oil reservoir in response to the oil-out condition.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive is selectively injectable into a housing which encloses the moving components.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes an anti-wear (AW) composition.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes an extreme-pressure (EP) composition.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes an anti-wear (AW) and an extreme-pressure (EP) composition.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive remains inactive under a normal operational condition.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive forms a protective film on the moving components.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes a non-polar substance miscible with the collected lubricating oil.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes a polar substance non-miscible with the collected lubricating oil.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes a phosphate.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive is injected under pressure by a delivery system during the oil-out operational condition.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes a substance with a boiling point to increase cooling capability as said substance changes phase.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said additive includes at least one substance with a specific heat greater than that of said coolant oil.

16. A secondary lubrication system to lubricate moving components within a housing comprising:

an additive stored during normal operational conditions; and

a delivery system in communication with said additive for selective release of said additive into the housing in response to an oil-out condition to enhance a lubricating oil characteristic.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising an oil reservoir for storage of a quantity of collected lubricating oil for selective release into the housing to lubricate the moving components in response to the oil-out condition wherein said delivery system selectively injects said additive into said quantity of collected lubricating oil prior to release of the collected lubricating oil into the housing.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said delivery system includes a misting system.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said delivery system pressurizes said additive.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said delivery system includes a drip system.

21. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said delivery system selective releases said additive in response to a manual initiator.

22. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said delivery system selective releases said additive in response to a sensor system which identifies said oil-out condition.

23. A method to prolong operation of moving components within a housing during an oil-out condition comprising the steps of:

(A) storing an additive during normal operational conditions; and

(B) selectively injecting the additive into the housing to enhance a lubricating oil characteristic.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(a) collecting a quantity of collected lubricating oil from a primary lubricating oil reservoir during a normal operational condition;

(b) selectively communicating the quantity of collected lubrication oil into the housing in response to an oil-out condition; and

(c) selectively injecting the additive into the housing separate from the collected lubricating oil in response to the oil-out condition.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein said step (B) further comprises:

(a) collecting a quantity of collected lubricating oil from a primary lubricating oil reservoir during a normal operational condition;

(b) selectively injecting the additive into the quantity of collected lubricating oil in response to an oil-out condition; and

(c) selectively communicating the quantity of collected lubricating oil injected with the additive into the housing after said step (b).