Bearing lubrication system and method of operation thereof

Abstract

Example bearing lubrication systems and methods of operation thereof are disclosed herein. An example closed loop system for providing lubricant to a fluid pump includes: a lubrication flow network disposed within the fluid pump; a sensor fluidly coupled to the fluid pump to measure a condition of fluid to enter the lubrication flow network; a first transmission bus fluidly coupled to the lubrication flow network, the first transmission bus transmitting an inert gas; a controller that actuates a valve fluidly coupled to the first transmission bus, the controller transmitting a signal to the valve to open or close the valve based on a condition of the fluid; and a separator fluidly coupled between the outlet of the fluid pump and the first transfer bus, the separator separating the fluid and the inert gas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to fluid pumps and, more particularly, to bearing lubrication systems and methods of operating the same. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft typically include various accessory systems to support the operation of the aircraft and / or its gas turbine engines. For example, such accessory systems may include a lubrication system that lubricates components of the engine, an engine cooling system that provides cooling air to engine components, an environmental control system that provides cooled air to the cabin of the aircraft, etc. Thus, during operation of these accessory systems, heat is added or removed from the fluid (e.g., oil, air, etc.). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Figure 1 is a side view of an example aircraft.

[0004] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example gas turbine engine for an aircraft.

[0005] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an example thermal management system for transferring heat between fluids.

[0006] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an example heat transfer bus pump.

[0007] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 A flow chart of an example operation of a heat transfer bus pump.

[0008] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example bearing lubrication system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure for providing lubricant to a load bearing component in a pump.

[0009] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another example bearing lubrication system for providing lubricant to a load bearing component in a pump constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 8 An example separator is shown.

[0011] Fig. 9 Another example separator is shown.

[0012] Fig.10 Yet another example separator is shown.

[0013] Fig.11 is Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and / or Figure 7 Block diagram of an example controller system used in an example pump.

[0014] Fig.12 is a representation that can be executed by an example processor circuit to implement Fig.11 Example machine readable instructions and / or flow charts of example operations of an example control system.

[0015] Fig.13 is a block diagram of an example processing platform including a processor circuit structured to perform Fig.12 Example machine readable instructions and / or example operations to implement Fig.11 An example control system.

[0016] Generally, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the accompanying written description to refer to the same or similar parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, the thickness of layers or regions may be exaggerated in the drawings. As used in this patent, a statement that any part (e.g., a layer, film, region, area, or plate) is in any way on (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another part means that the referenced part is either in contact with the other part, or the referenced part is above the other part, with one or more intermediate parts located between them. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, connection references (e.g., attachment, coupling, connection, engagement, removal, disconnection, disconnection, separation, etc.) may include intermediate members between elements referenced by the connection reference and / or relative movement between those elements. Thus, a connection reference does not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and / or have a fixed relationship to each other. As used herein, a statement that any part is "in contact" with another part is defined to mean that there is no intermediate part between the two parts.

[0018] Unless otherwise specifically stated, descriptors used herein (such as "first", "second", "third", etc.) do not confer or otherwise indicate any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or ordering in any manner, but are merely used as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements to facilitate understanding of the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while a different descriptor (e.g., "second" or "third") may be used in the claims to refer to the same element. In this case, it should be understood that such descriptors are only used to clearly identify those elements in the context of the discussion (e.g., in the claims), where the elements may, for example, share the same name in other ways.

[0019] As used herein throughout the specification and claims, approximate language is applied to modify any quantitative representation that can be permitted to vary without causing a change in the basic function to which it is associated. Therefore, a value modified by one or more terms such as "approximately," "approximately," and "substantially" is not limited to the precise value specified. In at least some cases, approximate language may correspond to the precision of an instrument used to measure a value or the precision of a method or machine used to construct or manufacture a component and / or system. For example, approximate language may refer to within a ten percent margin. In some examples, the approximate temperature may be within 10% of the temperature.

[0020] In some examples used herein, the term "substantially" is used to describe a relationship between two parts that is within three degrees of said relationship (e.g., a substantially collinear relationship is within three degrees of linearity, a substantially perpendicular relationship is within three degrees of perpendicularity, a substantially parallel relationship is within three degrees of parallelism, etc.).

[0021] The terms "front" and "rear" refer to relative positions within a gas turbine engine, pump, or vehicle, and refer to the normal operating attitude of the gas turbine engine, pump, or vehicle. For example, with respect to a gas turbine engine, the front refers to a position closer to the engine inlet, while the rear refers to a position closer to the engine nozzle or exhaust. Further, with respect to a pump, the front refers to a position closer to the pump inlet, while the rear refers to a position closer to the end of the pump opposite the inlet.

[0022] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to relative directions relative to the flow of a fluid in a fluid path. For example, "upstream" refers to the direction from which the fluid is flowing, while "downstream" refers to the direction toward which the fluid is flowing.

[0023] As used herein, "radial" is used to refer to one or more points along a radial vector originating from a central axis of a rotating body and pointing perpendicularly outward from the central axis. In some examples, the fluid is said to be accelerated radially outward from the impeller, meaning that the fluid flows outward from the central axis (axis of rotation) of the impeller in a direction substantially orthogonal to the central axis.

[0024] As used herein, in the context of describing the state of a fluid (e.g., fluid carbon dioxide), the terms "supercritical" and "supercritical state" describe a supercritical state in which the fluid is at or above a critical temperature and a critical pressure. In some examples, a fluid in a substantially supercritical state (e.g., a fluid at or within 5% of the critical temperature and at or within 5% of the critical pressure) is considered a supercritical fluid.

[0025] The terms "state" and "phase" are used below to describe the form of a substance (e.g., carbon dioxide). The state of a substance refers to the form of a substance at a given temperature and pressure. The phase of a substance refers to a set of equilibrium states divided according to state variables (such as pressure and temperature). As discussed herein, the terms "state" and "phase" are used interchangeably to describe the form of a given portion of a substance at a given moment. At a given temperature and pressure, a substance can exist primarily in one of four major states / phases of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and supercritical fluid. The term "non-liquid" is used hereinafter to describe a fluid that is not in a liquid state / phase.

[0026] "Include" and "comprising" (and all their forms and tenses) are used herein as open-ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim adopts any form of "include" or "comprising" (e.g., includes, comprises, has, etc.) as a preamble or in any type of claim statement, it should be understood that additional elements, terms, etc. may be present without exceeding the scope of the corresponding claim or statement. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, such as in the preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same manner as the terms "include" and "comprising" are open-ended. The term "and / or" when used, for example, in a form such as A, B, and / or C, refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C, such as (1) A alone, (2) B alone, (3) C alone, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, or (7) A and B and C. As used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and / or things, the phrase "at least one of A or B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, and / or steps, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, and / or steps, the phrase "at least one of A or B" is intended to refer to embodiments that include any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0027] As used herein, singular references (e.g., "a", "a", "first", "second", etc.) do not exclude the plural. As used herein, the term "a" or "an" object refers to one or more of the object. The terms "a" (or "a"), "one or more", and "at least one" are used interchangeably herein. In addition, although listed separately, multiple devices, elements, or actions can be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. In addition, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these may be combined, and the inclusion in different examples or claims does not mean that the combination of features is not feasible and / or disadvantageous.

[0028] As used herein, the phrase "communication," including variations thereof, encompasses direct communication and / or indirect communication through one or more intermediate components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and / or continuous communication, but additionally includes selective communication at periodic intervals, predetermined intervals, non-periodic intervals, and / or one-time events.

[0029] As used herein, "programmable circuit" is defined to include (i) one or more special purpose circuits (e.g., application specific circuits (ASICs)) structured to perform specific operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors), and / or (ii) one or more general-purpose semiconductor-based circuits that can be programmed with instructions to perform specific functions and / or operations and include one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors). Examples of programmable circuits include a programmable microprocessor (such as a central processing unit (CPU)) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that can be programmed with a second instruction so that the configuration and / or structure of the FPGA instantiates one or more operations and / or functions corresponding to the first instruction, a graphics processor unit (GPU) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, a digital signal processor (DSP) that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, an XPU, a network processing unit (NPU), one or more microcontrollers that can execute a first instruction to perform one or more operations and / or functions, and / or an integrated circuit (such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)). For example, the XPU may be implemented by a heterogeneous computing system including multiple types of programmable circuits (e.g., one or more FPGAs, one or more CPUs, one or more GPUs, one or more NPUs, one or more DSPs, etc., and / or any combination thereof) and orchestration technology (application programming interface (API)), which may distribute computing tasks to any programmable circuit among the multiple types of programmable circuits that is suitable and available for performing the computing tasks.

[0030] To add or remove heat from a fluid (e.g., a heat transfer fluid, a working fluid, etc.), an aircraft typically includes a thermal management system having a fluid pump coupled to one or more heat exchangers via a heat transfer bus (e.g., a conduit, a flow path, a flow line, a pipe, etc.). During operation of the heat transfer system, the fluid (e.g., water, air, supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) etc.) can absorb heat from a heat source and / or transfer heat to a radiator, so that the fluid absorbs heat from a system and / or component and / or transfers heat to a system and / or component.

[0031] The fluid pump drives the fluid between the accessory system and / or engine components. For example, a centrifugal fluid pump moves the fluid by converting the rotational kinetic energy of the impeller into the fluid kinetic energy of the flowing fluid. The impeller is provided with a change in rotational kinetic energy by an electric motor, which applies mechanical work to an impeller shaft connected to the rotor (e.g., motor shaft) of the impeller and the motor. The rotor can be axially (e.g., via a magnetic coupling) and / or radially (e.g., via a gear assembly, etc.) coupled to the impeller shaft. The rotor is provided with a change in mechanical work (i.e., mechanical power) over a period of time by a stator in the motor, which applies electromagnetic force to the rotor in the form of torque. In other words, the torque and angular velocity of the rotor are transmitted to the impeller shaft and ultimately to the impeller. The impeller draws the fluid into the inlet of the fluid pump, accelerates the fluid radially through the compressor collector (e.g., volute, etc.), and drives the fluid to the heat transfer bus and / or another component through the outlet. As a result, an axial load (e.g., axial thrust, axial thrust load, etc.) is applied to the impeller toward the rear end of the pump.

[0032] During the operation of the fluid pump, the rotation of the impeller shaft and the impeller can cause the impeller shaft to vibrate radially in the housing of the pump. In order to damp vibration, the fluid pump adopts a radial bearing that supports the radial load (e.g., weight) of the impeller shaft. In some examples, a portion of the working fluid is siphoned from the compressor collector and circulated through the pump to cool certain components (e.g., motors, housings, etc.) and / or support shaft bearings (e.g., axial thrust bearings, radial bearings, etc.). In some such examples, the impeller is a double impeller that includes an ejector vane on the rear side to draw the working fluid forward along the axis of rotation and return it to the compressor collector. The working fluid in the pump housing flows forward along the axis of rotation of the shaft toward the rear side of the impeller. As a result, an axial load is applied to the impeller toward the front end of the pump.

[0033] The axial load acting on the impeller can be unbalanced, meaning that the axial load acting toward the front of the pump (e.g., the front axial load or thrust) and the axial load acting toward the rear of the pump (e.g., the rear axial load or thrust) can be unequal. The front axial thrust or the rear axial thrust can cause the impeller shaft to move along the central axis and cause parts coupled to the impeller shaft (e.g., the impeller, the rotor shaft, the motor armature, etc.) to contact the housing, the motor, and / or other internal parts of the pump. In order to damp vibrations, the fluid pump employs an axial (e.g., thrust) bearing that supports the axial thrust of the impeller shaft to reduce (e.g., suppress, damp, etc.) such axial movement of the shaft, reduce friction, improve the performance of the pump, and reduce wear of the components therein.

[0034] In some examples, the radial bearing and / or the axial thrust bearing are foil bearings (e.g., hydrodynamic bearings) that rely on a relatively thin hydrodynamic fluid film to support the load and reduce friction between the rotating elements in these bearings. The thickness of the hydrodynamic fluid film is affected by fluid density, load, surface roughness, speed, operating temperature, pressure, diameter, etc. In some examples, the thickness varies between about 200 micro-inches and 5000 micro-inches based on the application and operating conditions. As described above, a portion of the fluid pressurized by the fluid pump in the thermal management system can be circulated through the fluid pump. For example, the lubricant transmission bus can deliver the portion of the fluid to a secondary flow network in the fluid pump housing, and the secondary flow network provides a path for the foil bearing to pressurize the lubricating film. Therefore, the lubricant transmission bus and the ejector vane can implement a lubrication circuit from the pump and / or heat transmission bus to the foil bearing and back to the ejector vane to provide a continuous fluid flow to the foil bearing.

[0035] In some examples, the thermal management system uses supercritical carbon dioxide (e.g., sCO 2 ) as a heat exchange fluid due to its low viscosity and high specific heat, which makes sCO 2 More thermally conductive than other heat exchange fluids (e.g., water, air, etc.). Supercritical carbon dioxide refers to carbon dioxide maintained at or above a critical temperature and critical pressure, allowing it to have the properties of both a gas and a liquid, resulting in a low (e.g., gas-like) viscosity and a high (fluid-like) density. Carbon dioxide has a relatively low critical pressure of about 74 bar (7.38 megapascals (MPa), 1073 pounds per square inch (psi)) and a critical temperature of about 304.1K (31°C, 87.8°F). In the supercritical state or near the supercritical state, CO 2 A small change in temperature or pressure can cause a significant change in its density. 2 The high density and volumetric heat capacity of the pump give it a higher energy density, thus enabling a reduction in the size of one or more components in the pump.

[0036] The displacement and vibration of the shaft depends on the condition of the fluid film and the condition of the foil bearing, which can vary as the load acting on the foil bearing varies. The foil bearing includes a spring-loaded foil bushing that provides a compliant, self-acting operating surface. The surface changes shape depending on load, speed, thermal deformation, etc. to allow the bearing to accommodate levels of misalignment and thermal expansion. However, foil bearings require a lubricant that provides a certain stiffness and damping properties to operate effectively (e.g., to prevent vibrations contributed by the bearing).

[0037] In some examples, such as during startup and / or other low speed conditions, CO 2 The temperature and / or pressure of sCO is reduced, so that 2 When the working carbon dioxide is in the liquid phase, the performance of the foil bearing tends to decrease. For example, the presence of liquid carbon dioxide may result in viscous airflow (e.g., fluid dynamic drag, windage losses, etc.) generated by friction between the liquid and the shaft surface. In some examples, the liquid CO 2 Causes film thickness / stiffness issues. For example, film stiffness can decrease as gas film thickness increases. In some cases, foil bearing failure can be caused by a breakdown of the fluid film separating the rotating component from the foil bearing (e.g., a reduction in bearing clearance). In some cases, a small change in film thickness can result in a relatively large reduction in the load-bearing capacity of the foil bearing.

[0038] Additionally, due to various operating conditions of the aircraft and associated accessory systems, the temperature of the fluid in the lubricant transfer bus and / or pump may fluctuate. 2 The operating temperature of CO 2 The corresponding operating pressure has a direct impact on sCO and vice versa. 2 The mechanical properties of sCO (such as viscosity and density) depend on the temperature and / or pressure of the fluid. 2 The temperature of the impeller may fluctuate, and the radial load on the shaft and / or the thrust load on the front and rear sides of the impeller may also fluctuate. At relatively high temperatures and pressures of the fluid (e.g., temperatures above about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and pressures corresponding thereto), the sCO that affects the lubricating film 2 The properties of the foil bearing may degrade (e.g., deteriorate), resulting in vibration. The vibration causes reduced performance of the pump and accelerates wear of components within the pump. Therefore, while in some examples, the foil bearing in the fluid pump may be designed to operate within a first temperature range (e.g., approximately 70°F-500°F), the performance of the foil bearing may degrade when the fluid temperature is still within the first temperature range.

[0039] In other examples, a foil bearing in a fluid pump may be designed to operate within a second temperature range (e.g., approximately 70°F-300°F), while the fluid pump may be designed to operate within a third temperature range (e.g., approximately 150°F-324°F), the third temperature range exceeding the upper and / or lower boundaries of the second temperature range. In this case, the working fluid used to lubricate the foil bearing may be associated with a temperature exceeding an upper temperature limit (e.g., a threshold) of the first temperature range, which may cause the temperature of the foil bearing to increase beyond its upper temperature threshold. Operating the foil bearing beyond its upper temperature limit may affect the vibration characteristics (e.g., mode, etc.) of the fluid pump. In particular, the stiffness and damping of the foil bearing change, and the load capacity is affected. Therefore, it is necessary to cool the working fluid to below a specific temperature associated with the foil bearing to prevent such overheating.

[0040] Based at least on the foregoing, it is desirable to adjust the temperature and / or pressure of the working fluid during operation of the pump without affecting the efficiency of the foil bearing. The condition of the fluid may include a hot condition, a cold condition, and the like. As used herein, a "hot condition" refers to an operating condition in which the temperature of the fluid meets (e.g., exceeds) a predefined upper temperature limit (e.g., a threshold) (e.g., about 325°F). In some examples, the upper temperature threshold corresponds to an upper operating temperature threshold of the foil bearing, the pump, and / or the fluid. As used herein, a "cold condition" refers to an operating condition in which the temperature of the fluid meets (e.g., exceeds) a predefined lower temperature limit (e.g., a threshold) (e.g., about 150°F). In some examples, the lower temperature threshold corresponds to a temperature and corresponding pressure at which the fluid can be converted into a liquid state. As used herein, an operating condition corresponds to at least one of a rotational speed of the shaft, a temperature and / or pressure of the working fluid, and / or a vibration level associated with and / or caused by the shaft and / or the foil bearing.

[0041] Example bearing lubrication systems and methods of operating the same are disclosed herein. The disclosed bearing lubrication systems improve the performance of a load-bearing component contained in a fluid pump. In particular, the disclosed bearing lubrication systems facilitate controlling the lubricant (e.g., fluid, hydrodynamic lubricating film, etc.) provided to the load-bearing component based on the operating conditions of the fluid pump and / or the fluid driven therethrough. Although the examples disclosed herein are described with reference to a foil bearing contained in a fluid pump, the examples disclosed herein may be applied to another load-bearing component contained in a fluid pump, such as another bearing, an impeller, etc.

[0042] The example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein includes a first transmission bus (e.g., a lubricant transmission bus) to transfer a fluid (e.g., a working fluid, a heat transfer fluid, a supercritical fluid (such as sCO)) siphoned from a fluid pump to a first transmission bus (e.g., a lubricant transmission bus) to a second transmission bus (e.g., a lubricant transmission bus) to transfer a fluid (e.g., a working fluid, a heat transfer fluid, a supercritical fluid (such as sCO)) siphoned from a fluid pump to a second transmission bus (e.g., a lubricant transmission bus) to a first transmission bus (e.g., a lubricant transmission bus) to a second ... 2) etc.) to a foil bearing housed in a fluid pump. In particular, the pump drives the siphon fluid through the secondary flow network to provide the fluid to the foil bearing. In addition, the fluid is accelerated through the compressor collector of the pump and directed through the pump outlet. As a result, the fluid can be recirculated through the lubricant transfer bus to form a closed-loop lubrication circuit.

[0043] Example bearing lubrication systems disclosed herein include one or more sensors to determine operating conditions (e.g., characteristics, etc.) of a pump and / or a fluid driven therethrough. In some examples, a bearing lubrication system may include a fluid sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, etc.) positioned along a lubricant transmission bus to determine operating parameters of the fluid. For example, a bearing lubrication system includes a temperature sensor that is fluidically coupled to the lubricant transmission bus to determine the temperature of a fluid about to enter a secondary inlet of a fluid pump. In some examples, a bearing lubrication system includes a vibration sensor (e.g., an accelerometer, etc.) that is operably coupled to the fluid pump and / or components therein to determine vibration measurements. In some examples, a bearing lubrication system includes a rotation sensor to determine the speed of a rotating component (e.g., a shaft, rotor, impeller, etc.) during operation. For example, at relatively high surface speeds, the CO 2 The viscous shear generates heat, pushing the bearing surface material to its operating temperature limit.

[0044] The example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein includes a second transmission bus (e.g., a gas transmission bus) to transmit an inert gas to a foil bearing contained in a fluid pump. During operation of the fluid pump, the gas transmission bus can be used to inject an inert gas (e.g., krypton, argon, helium, xenon, dinitrogen, etc.) into the fluid pump to mix with the pressurized fluid and provide an immiscible fluid (e.g., an immiscible medium, an immiscible mixture, an immiscible lubricant mixture, an immiscible gaseous mixture, an immiscible gaseous lubricant mixture, etc.) to the foil bearing contained in the fluid pump. Adding an inert gas to the fluid causes the immiscible lubricant mixture to have a different temperature, critical pressure, viscosity, and / or density relative to the working fluid. In some examples, the immiscible lubricant mixture provides improved hydrodynamic lubrication.

[0045] The gas delivery bus can provide an inert gas to the foil bearing based on detecting one or more operating conditions (e.g., speed, vibration level, pressure, fluid temperature, etc.). In some examples, when the temperature of the fluid meets an upper temperature threshold, the bearing lubrication system provides an inert gas to reduce the temperature of the lubricant provided to the foil bearing. That is, adding the inert gas to the fluid can reduce the temperature of the fluid. In some examples, when the temperature of the fluid meets a lower temperature threshold, the bearing lubrication system provides an inert gas to prevent or reduce the flow of liquid carbon dioxide through the foil bearing. Adding the inert gas to the fluid can reduce the critical pressure of the fluid so that the carbon dioxide maintains a gaseous state at a lower temperature to ensure that non-liquid particles do not flow through the foil bearing.

[0046] In some examples, when the vibration level associated with the fluid pump and / or the components therein exceeds a predefined vibration threshold (e.g., a limit), the bearing lubrication system provides an inert gas. For example, the vibration level that meets the vibration threshold can indicate that the pump is operating in a hot condition or a cold condition. In some examples, when the speed of a rotating component (e.g., a shaft, an impeller, etc.) meets a predefined upper rotation threshold (e.g., a limit), this can indicate that the pump is operating in a hot condition and the bearing lubrication system provides an inert gas. In some examples, when the speed of a rotating component meets a predefined lower rotation threshold (e.g., a limit), this can indicate that the pump is operating in a cold condition and the bearing lubrication system provides an inert gas.

[0047] The example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein includes a separator (e.g., a separation system) that is fluidly coupled to a lubricant transmission bus and a gas transmission bus at the outlet of a fluid pump to separate the immiscible medium leaving the pump. The separator may be, but is not limited to, a selective membrane separator (e.g., a graphene-based selective membrane, etc.), an oil / gas separator, a gas-liquid mixture separator, a gas-gas mixture separator, etc. The separator may be fluidly coupled to (a) a heat transfer bus and / or a first lubricant transmission bus and (b) a second lubricant transmission bus. In some examples, an inert gas may be transmitted to an example inert gas additive chamber (e.g., a gas cylinder, a pressure vessel, etc.) that is fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus via the gas transmission bus. Thus, the inert gas may be recirculated into the lubrication circuit to form a closed loop. Based on operating conditions, the fluid may be driven through the gas transmission bus and immediately re-injected, or stored in the gas transmission bus and / or the additive chamber.

[0048] In some examples, the bearing lubrication system includes an example valve that is fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus to control the flow of the inert gas leaving the pump. In some examples, the bearing lubrication system includes an example heat exchanger that is fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus. The inert gas leaving the heat exchanger can flow into the additive chamber (e.g., until the additive chamber is full or partially full). In some examples, the valve is an expansion valve that controls the amount of inert gas released into the heat exchanger. For example, the expansion valve can remove pressure from the inert gas to allow expansion and advantageously affect the cooling of the inert gas by the heat exchanger.

[0049] Various configurations or arrangements of bearing lubrication systems are disclosed herein. In some examples, a lubricant transmission bus is fluidly coupled to a primary inlet of a fluid pump and an outlet of the fluid pump. However, the lubricant transmission bus can be fluidly coupled in different ways so that the lubricant transmission bus can siphon a portion of the working fluid to provide to a secondary flow network. That is, the lubricant transmission bus will form a closed loop to continuously provide fluid to the secondary flow network. In some examples, the downstream end of the gas transmission bus is fluidly coupled to the secondary inlet of the fluid pump. In other examples, the downstream end of the gas transmission bus is fluidly coupled to the lubricant transmission bus before the secondary inlet. In still other examples, the downstream end of the gas transmission bus is fluidly coupled to a portion of the pump so that the gas transmission bus can provide an inert gas to the foil bearing and form a closed loop.

[0050] Example bearing lubrication systems disclosed herein enable simple, lightweight, and / or compact service tube designs. Certain examples enable improved foil bearing operation in high temperature / hot environments. Certain examples enable the manufacture and operation of reliable foil bearing systems that reduce vibration during hot conditions and reduce ingress of liquid carbon dioxide into foil bearings during cold conditions. Because bearing performance directly affects pump performance and operation, certain examples help improve the reliability of the components of a fluid pump and the operation of the pump itself. In some examples, an inert gas / sCO 2 The composition enhances the hydrodynamic performance of a foil bearing housed in a pump due to changes in density and viscosity to achieve better foil gas bearing stiffness, thereby improving hydrodynamic lubrication.

[0051] Additionally, example systems disclosed herein may improve pump performance (e.g., centrifugal sCO pumps) by minimizing or otherwise reducing frictional energy losses associated with axial impeller shaft movement. 2The inert gas loop is a closed loop loop that reduces or eliminates the need to replace the inert gas. For example, the inert gas does not degrade like other substances (such as oil) and can be maintained clean for longer durations in a closed loop.

[0052] Examples related to different types of centrifugal fluid pumps are disclosed below. However, in alternative examples, the number and / or type of fluid pumps may vary. For example, the disclosed examples may be applied to applications where a fluid state change may be required during engine startup. Although the examples disclosed herein are applied to fluid pumps having fluid carbon dioxide as a working fluid, in additional or alternative examples, the disclosed examples may be applied to other systems having other types of working fluids, such that the system can achieve a critical temperature of the working fluid, and the working fluid is associated with a critical pressure that is lower than the maximum pressure of the system. For example, the working fluid may be nitrogen and / or other fluids, and the critical point to be reached is reasonable in view of a given application.

[0053] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout, Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of an aircraft 10 in which the examples disclosed herein may be implemented. As shown, in several embodiments, the aircraft 10 includes a fuselage 12 and a pair of wings 14 (one shown) extending outwardly from the fuselage 12. In the illustrated embodiment, a gas turbine engine 100 is supported on each wing 14 to propel the aircraft through the air during flight. In addition, as shown, the aircraft 10 includes a vertical stabilizer 16 and a pair of horizontal stabilizers 18 (one shown). However, in alternative examples, the aircraft 10 may include any other suitable configuration, such as any other suitable number or type of engines, different types of engines, and / or engines in different positions, etc.

[0054] In addition, the aircraft 10 may include a thermal management system 300 for transferring heat between fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10. More specifically, the aircraft 10 may include one or more accessory systems configured to support the operation of the aircraft 10. For example, in some examples, such accessory systems include a lubrication system that lubricates components of the engine 100, a cooling system that provides cooling air to components of the engine 100, an environmental control system that provides cooled air to a cabin of the aircraft 10, and the like. In such examples, the thermal management system 300 is configured to transfer heat from one or more other fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10 (e.g., fuel supplied to the engine 100) to one or more fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10 (e.g., oil of the lubrication system, air of the cooling system and / or environmental control system, and the like), and / or to transfer heat from one or more fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10 (e.g., oil of the lubrication system, air of the cooling system and / or environmental control system, and the like) to one or more other fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10 (e.g., fuel supplied to the engine 100). However, in some other examples, the thermal management system 300 is configured to transfer heat between another fluid or component that supports the operation of the aircraft 10. In some examples, the thermal management system 300 defines or implements a primary flow network.

[0055] Although the examples disclosed herein are reference Figure 1 The aircraft 10 is described in detail, but the examples disclosed herein may be applicable to aircraft 10 used with Figure 1-3 The thermal management system 300 may be substantially similar to the thermal management system of another type or configuration of aircraft. Thus, the present subject matter may be readily adapted for use in another aircraft and / or another heat transfer application associated with another type of vehicle.

[0056] Figure 2 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example gas turbine engine 100 (e.g., “engine”). In the illustrated example, engine 100 is configured as a high bypass turbofan engine. However, in some examples, engine 100 is configured as a propfan engine, a turbojet engine, a turboprop engine, a turboshaft gas turbine engine, etc.

[0057] In general, the engine 100 extends along an axial centerline 102 and includes a fan 104, a low pressure (LP) spool 106, and a high pressure (HP) spool 108 at least partially surrounded by an annular nacelle 110. More specifically, the fan 104 may include a fan rotor 112 and a plurality of fan blades 114 (one shown) coupled to the fan rotor 112. In this regard, the fan blades 114 are circumferentially spaced and extend radially outward from the fan rotor 112. In addition, the LP and HP spools 106, 108 are positioned downstream of the fan 104 along the axial centerline 102. As shown, the LP spool 106 is rotatably coupled to the fan rotor 112, which allows the LP spool 106 to rotate the fan blades 114. In addition, a plurality of outlet guide vanes or struts 116 are circumferentially spaced from each other and extend radially between a casing 118 surrounding the LP and HP spools 106, 108 and the nacelle 110. As such, struts 116 support nacelle 110 relative to outer shell 118 such that outer shell 118 and nacelle 110 define a bypass airflow passage 120 positioned therebetween.

[0058] The casing 118 generally surrounds or encloses a compressor section 122, a combustion section 124, a turbine section 126, and an exhaust section 128 in a serial flow order. In some examples, the compressor section 122 includes a low pressure (LP) compressor 130 of the LP spool 106 and a high pressure (HP) compressor 132 of the HP spool 108 positioned downstream of the LP compressor 130 along the axial centerline 102. Each compressor 130, 132 may in turn include one or more rows of compressor stator vanes 134 interdigitated with one or more rows of compressor rotor blades 136. Thus, the compressors 130, 132 define a compressed air flow path 133 extending therethrough. Further, in some examples, the turbine section 126 includes a high pressure (HP) turbine 138 of the HP spool 108 and a low pressure (LP) turbine 140 of the LP spool 106 positioned downstream of the HP turbine 138 along the axial centerline 102. In turn, each turbine 138 , 140 may include one or more rows of turbine stator vanes 142 interdigitated with one or more rows of turbine rotor blades 144 .

[0059] In addition, the LP spool 106 includes a low pressure (LP) shaft 146, and the HP spool 108 includes a high pressure (HP) shaft 148 positioned concentrically about the LP shaft 146. In such an example, the HP shaft 148 rotatably couples the turbine rotor blades 144 of the HP turbine 138 and the compressor rotor blades 136 of the HP compressor 132, such that rotation of the turbine rotor blades 144 of the HP turbine 138 rotatably drives the compressor rotor blades 136 of the HP compressor 132. As shown, the LP shaft 146 is directly coupled to the turbine rotor blades 144 of the LP turbine 140 and the compressor rotor blades 136 of the LP compressor 130. In addition, the LP shaft 146 is coupled to the fan 104 via a gearbox 150. In this regard, rotation of the turbine rotor blades 144 of the LP turbine 140 rotatably drives the compressor rotor blades 136 of the LP compressor 130 and the fan blades 114.

[0060] In some examples, the engine 100 generates thrust to propel the aircraft. More specifically, during operation, air 152 enters an inlet portion 154 of the engine 100. The fan 104 supplies a first portion 156 of the air 152 to the bypass airflow passage 120 and a second portion 158 of the air 152 to the compressor section 122. The second portion 158 of the air 152 first flows through the LP compressor 130, where the compressor rotor blades 136 gradually compress the second portion 158 of the air 152. Next, the second portion 158 of the air 152 flows through the HP compressor 132, where the compressor rotor blades 136 continue to gradually compress the second portion 158 of the air 152. The compressed second portion 158 of the air 152 is then delivered to the combustion section 124. In the combustion section 124, the second portion 158 of the air 152 is mixed with fuel and combusted to generate high temperature and high pressure combustion gases 160. Thereafter, the combustion gases 160 flow through the HP turbine 138, wherein turbine rotor blades 144 of the HP turbine 138 extract a first portion of kinetic and / or thermal energy from the combustion gases 160. This energy extraction rotates the HP shaft 148, which drives the HP compressor 132. The combustion gases 160 then flow through the LP turbine 140, wherein turbine rotor blades 144 of the LP turbine 140 extract a second portion of kinetic and / or thermal energy from the combustion gases 160. This energy extraction rotates the LP shaft 146, which drives the LP compressor 130 and the fan 104 via the gearbox 150. The combustion gases 160 then exit the engine 100 through the exhaust section 128.

[0061] As described above, the aircraft 10 may include a thermal management system 300 for transferring heat between fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10. In this regard, the thermal management system 300 may be located within the engine 100. For example, Figure 2As shown, the thermal management system 300 is positioned within the housing 118 of the engine 100. However, in alternative examples, the thermal management system 300 may be positioned at any other suitable location within the engine 100.

[0062] In addition, in some examples, the engine 100 defines a third stream flow path 170. Generally, the third stream flow path 170 extends from the compressed air flow path 133 defined by the compressor section 122 to the bypass air flow passage 120. In this regard, the third stream flow path 170 allows a portion of the compressed second portion 158 of the air 152 from the compressor section 122 to bypass the combustion section 124. More specifically, in some examples, the third stream flow path 170 can define a concentric or non-concentric passage with respect to the compressed air flow path 133 downstream of one or more of the compressors 130, 132 or the fan 104. The third stream flow path 170 can be configured to selectively remove a portion of the compressed second portion 158 of the air 152 from the compressed air flow path 133 via one or more variable guide vanes, nozzles, or other actuatable flow control structures. In addition, as will be described below, in some embodiments, the thermal management system 300 can transfer heat to the air flowing through the third stream flow path 170. However, the fluid within the thermal management system 300 (e.g., a heat exchange fluid such as a supercritical fluid (e.g., sCO 2 The pressure and / or flow rate of the heat exchange fluid (e.g., the pump system) limits the rate at which heat energy can be transferred between the air and the heat exchange fluid. Additionally, it may be advantageous for the thermal management system 300 to generate the pressure and / or flow rate using components (e.g., the pump system) that minimize and / or otherwise reduce the physical size of the thermal management system 300 and / or components included therein (e.g., the pump system). Additionally, when thermal energy is to be transferred, the thermal management system 300 may ensure that the heat exchange fluid is free of contaminants. Additionally, it may be advantageous for the thermal management system 300 to generate the pressure and / or flow rate using a pump that supports the axial thrust of a shaft within the pump to increase the life and / or efficiency of the pump and the thermal management system 300.

[0063] Although the examples disclosed herein are described with reference to the above Figure 2 The gas turbine engine 100 shown in FIG. 1 is described, but the examples disclosed herein may be applicable to use with Figure 1-3 The thermal management system 300 may be substantially similar to the thermal management system of another type or configuration of an engine. Thus, the present subject matter may be readily adapted for use with another engine and / or another heat transfer application associated with another type of vehicle.

[0064] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an example implementation of a thermal management system 300 for transferring heat between fluids. In general, the thermal management system 300 will be described above and in Figure 1 and Figure 2 1 and 10. However, the disclosed thermal management system 300 may be implemented within another type of aircraft and / or another gas turbine engine of another configuration.

[0065] As shown, the thermal management system 300 includes a heat transfer bus 302. Specifically, in some examples, the heat transfer bus 302 is configured as one or more fluid conduits through which a fluid (e.g., a heat exchange fluid) flows. As described below, the heat exchange fluid flows through various heat exchangers so that heat is added to the heat exchange fluid and / or removed from the heat exchange fluid. In this regard, the heat exchange fluid can be a working fluid, such as sCO 2 , oil, liquid helium, etc. Furthermore, in such an example, the thermal management system 300 includes a pump 304 configured to pump a heat exchange fluid through the heat transfer bus 302 .

[0066] In addition, the thermal management system 300 includes one or more heat source heat exchangers 306 arranged along the heat transfer bus 302. More specifically, the heat source heat exchangers 306 are fluidly coupled to the heat transfer bus 302 such that a heat exchange fluid flows through the heat source heat exchangers 306. In this regard, the heat source heat exchangers 306 are configured to transfer heat from a fluid supporting the operation of the aircraft 10 to the heat exchange fluid, which cools the fluid supporting the operation of the aircraft 10. Thus, the heat source heat exchangers 306 add heat to the heat exchange fluid. Although Figure 3 Two heat source heat exchangers 306 are shown, but the thermal management system 300 may include a single heat source heat exchanger 306 or three or more heat source heat exchangers 306 .

[0067] The heat source heat exchangers 306 may correspond to heat exchangers of many configurations that cool fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10. In some examples, at least one of the heat source heat exchangers 306 is a heat exchanger of a lubrication system of the engine 100. In such an example, the heat source heat exchangers 306 transfer heat from oil that lubricates the engine 100 to a heat transfer fluid. In some other examples, at least one of the heat source heat exchangers 306 is a heat exchanger of a cooling system of the engine 100. In such an example, the heat source heat exchanger 306 transfers heat from cooling air exhausted from the compressor section 122 (or compressor discharge plenum) of the engine 100 to a heat transfer fluid. However, in some other examples, the heat source heat exchangers 306 correspond to other types of heat exchangers that cool fluids that support the operation of the aircraft 10.

[0068] In addition, the thermal management system 300 includes a plurality of radiator heat exchangers 308 arranged along the heat transfer bus 302. More specifically, the radiator heat exchangers 308 are fluidly coupled to the heat transfer bus 302 such that a heat exchange fluid flows through the radiator heat exchangers 308. In this regard, the radiator heat exchangers 308 are configured to transfer heat from the heat exchange fluid to other fluids supporting the operation of the aircraft 10, which heats the other fluids supporting the operation of the aircraft 10. Thus, the radiator heat exchangers 308 remove heat from the heat exchange fluid. Although Figure 3 Two radiator heat exchangers 308 are shown, but the thermal management system 300 may include three or more radiator heat exchangers 308 .

[0069] Radiator heat exchangers 308 may correspond to many configurations of exchangers that heat fluids that support operation of aircraft 10. For example, at least one of radiator heat exchangers 308 is a heat exchanger of a fuel system of engine 100. In such an example, fuel system radiator heat exchanger 308 transfers heat from a heat transfer fluid to fuel supplied to engine 100. In some other examples, at least one of radiator heat exchangers 308 is a heat exchanger that contacts first portion 156 of air 152 flowing through bypass air flow passage 120 of engine 100. In such an example, radiator heat exchanger 308 transfers heat from a heat transfer fluid to first portion 156 of air 152 flowing through bypass air flow passage 120.

[0070] In some examples, one or more of the radiator heat exchangers 308 are configured to transfer heat to the air flowing through the third flow path 170. In such an example, the radiator heat exchanger 308 is in contact with the air flowing through the third flow path 170. Therefore, the heat from the heat exchange fluid flowing through the heat transfer bus 302 can be transferred to the air flowing through the third flow path 170. Using the third flow path 170 as a radiator of the thermal management system 300 provides one or more technical advantages. For example, the third flow path 170 provides greater cooling than other bleed air sources because a larger volume of air flows through the third flow path 170 compared to other bleed air flow paths. In addition, the air flowing through the third flow path 170 is cooler than the air flowing through other bleed air flow paths and the compressor bleed air. In addition, the air in the third flow path 170 is pressurized, which allows the radiator heat exchanger 308 to be smaller than the heat exchanger that relies on other radiators in the engine. Furthermore, in the example where the engine 100 is non-ducted, rather than using ambient air (eg, a heat exchanger in contact with air flowing around the engine 100), the third flow path 170 ( Figure 2) as a radiator does not increase drag on the engine 100. However, in some other examples, the radiator heat exchanger 308 corresponds to other types of heat exchangers that heat a fluid that supports the operation of the aircraft 10.

[0071] Additionally, in some examples, the thermal management system 300 includes one or more bypass conduits 310. Specifically, as shown, each bypass conduit 310 is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer bus 302 such that the bypass conduit 310 allows at least a portion of the heat exchange fluid to bypass one of the heat exchangers 306, 308. In some examples, the heat exchange fluid bypasses one or more of the heat exchangers 306, 308 to adjust the temperature of the heat exchange fluid within the heat transfer bus 302. The flow of the example heat exchange fluid through the bypass conduits 310 is controlled to adjust the pressure of the heat exchange fluid within the heat transfer bus 302. Figure 3 In the example shown, each heat exchanger 306, 308 has a corresponding bypass conduit 310. However, in some other examples, other numbers of heat exchangers 306, 308 may have corresponding bypass conduits 310 as long as at least one bypass conduit 310 is present.

[0072] Additionally, in some examples, the thermal management system 300 includes one or more heat source valves 312 and one or more radiator valves 314. Generally, each heat source valve 312 is configured to control the flow of a heat exchange fluid through a bypass conduit 310 that bypasses the heat source heat exchanger 306. Similarly, each radiator valve 314 is configured to control the flow of a heat exchange fluid through a bypass conduit 310 that bypasses the radiator heat exchanger 308. In this regard, each valve 312, 314 is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer bus 302 and a corresponding bypass conduit 310. Thus, each valve 312, 314 can be moved between fully and / or partially open and / or closed positions to selectively block heat exchange flow through its corresponding bypass conduit 310.

[0073] The valves 312, 314 are controlled based on the pressure of the heat exchange fluid in the heat transfer bus 302. More specifically, as indicated above, in some cases, the pressure of the heat exchange fluid flowing through the heat transfer bus 302 may fall outside the desired pressure range. When the pressure of the heat exchange fluid is too high, the thermal management system 300 may cause accelerated wear. In this regard, when the pressure of the heat exchange fluid in the heat transfer bus 302 exceeds the maximum or otherwise increased pressure value, one or more heat source valves 312 are opened. In this example, at least a portion of the heat exchange fluid flows through the bypass conduit 310 instead of the heat source heat exchanger 306. Therefore, less heat is added to the heat exchange fluid through the heat source heat exchanger 306, which reduces the temperature of the fluid and thus reduces the pressure of the fluid. In some examples, the maximum pressure value is between 3800psi and 4000psi or less. In some examples, the maximum pressure value is between 2700psi and 2900psi, such as 2800psi. In some other examples, the maximum pressure value is between 1300psi and 1400psi, such as 1400psi. Such maximum pressure values ​​generally prevent the thermal management system 300 from inducing accelerated wear.

[0074] In some examples, the maximum pressure value is set prior to and / or during operation based on parameters associated with the thermal management system 300 (e.g., materials used, pump 304 design, aircraft 10 design, gas turbine engine 100 design, heat exchange fluid, etc.) The example maximum pressure value can be adjusted relative to the pressure capacity of the heat transfer bus 302, the pump 304, the heat exchangers 306, 308, the bypass conduit 310, and / or the valves 312, 314.

[0075] On the contrary, when the pressure of the heat exchange fluid is too low, the pump 304 may experience operability problems and increased wear. In this way, when the pressure of the heat exchange fluid in the heat transfer bus 302 drops to a pressure value lower than the minimum pressure value or otherwise reduced, one or more of the radiator valves 314 are opened. In this example, at least a portion of the heat exchange fluid flows through the bypass conduit 310 instead of the radiator heat exchanger 308. Therefore, the heat removed from the heat exchange fluid by the radiator heat exchanger 308 is less, which increases the temperature of the fluid and thus increases the pressure of the fluid. In some examples, the minimum pressure value is 1070psi or greater. In some examples, the minimum pressure value is between 1150psi and 1350psi, such as 1250psi. In some other examples, the minimum pressure value is between 2400psi and 2600psi, such as 2400psi. This minimum pressure value is usually used when the heat exchange fluid is in a supercritical state (for example, when the heat exchange fluid is carbon dioxide).

[0076] Thus, the thermal management system 300 can be configured to operate such that the pressure of the heat transfer fluid is maintained within a range extending between a minimum pressure value and a maximum pressure value. In some examples, the range extends from 1070 psi to 4000 psi. Specifically, in one example, the range extends from 1250 psi to 1400 psi. In some other examples, the range extends from 2400 psi to 2800 psi.

[0077] Thus, the operation of the pump 304 and valves 312 , 314 allows the disclosed thermal management system 300 to maintain the pressure of the heat exchange fluid within the heat transfer bus 302 within a specified range of values ​​as the thermal load imposed on the thermal management system 300 changes.

[0078] In addition, an example pump 304 drives the heat exchange fluid through the thermal management system 300. In some examples, the thermal management system 300 includes one pump 304 or multiple pumps 304, depending on the desired flow rate, the delta pressure on the pump 304, and / or the kinetic energy loss of the heat exchange fluid in the heat transfer bus 302. For example, the pump 304 can increase the output head to accelerate the flow of the heat exchange fluid to a first flow rate. As the heat exchange fluid passes through the heat transfer bus 302, the example kinetic energy of the heat exchange fluid is dissipated due to friction, temperature changes, etc. Due to the kinetic energy loss, the heat exchange fluid is decelerated to a second flow rate at a point upstream of the pump 304. When the example second flow rate is lower than the desired operating flow rate of the heat exchange fluid, the pump 304 can be a different architecture that outputs a higher first flow rate, or one or more additional pumps 304 can be included in the thermal management system 300.

[0079] Figure 4 is an example heat transfer bus pump 400 (eg, “pump”, Figure 3 Fluid pump 304, advanced Brayton circulation pump, sCO 2 In general, the pump 400 will be described above and in Figure 1-3 4. However, the disclosed pump 400 may be implemented within another type of fluid delivery system in another configuration.

[0080] exist Figure 4 In the illustrated example, a pump 400 drives a heat exchange fluid (eg, “fluid”) (eg, sCO) through one or more fluid conduits 402. 2 ) flow. Specifically, the fluid flows through the primary inlet 404 and encounters an impeller 406 (e.g., a compressor wheel), which rotates to drive the fluid through a compressor collector 408 (e.g., a volute) that is fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit 402. In turn, the fluid conduit 402 can supply the fluid to a first transmission bus (e.g., Figure 3heat transfer bus 302, primary transfer bus, etc.), and ultimately supplied to one or more heat exchangers (e.g., Figure 3 heat exchangers 306, 308) and / or bypass conduits (e.g., Figure 3 Thus, the pump 400 can drive the heat exchange fluid to manage the Figure 1 Aircraft 10, Figure 2 Thermal energy of a working fluid associated with the gas turbine engine 100 and / or another system.

[0081] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the pump 400 includes a motor 410 positioned in a motor housing 412. Figure 4 4, the motor 410 is an induction motor operably coupled to a variable frequency drive (VFD) and control circuitry (not shown), such as a full authority digital engine controller (FADEC), that controls the speed of the motor 410. For example, the controller circuitry may operate the motor 410 based on the pressure and / or temperature of a heat exchange fluid in the fluid conduit 402 and / or the pump 400. In some examples, the controller circuitry may operate the motor 410 based on the pressure and / or temperature of a working fluid affected by the heat exchange fluid. Additionally or alternatively, the controller circuitry may operate the motor 410 based on vibration measurements obtained by an accelerometer operably coupled to the pump 400 and / or the fluid conduit 402.

[0082] exist Figure 4 4, the motor housing 412 is at least partially surrounded by a cooling jacket 414 to prevent the motor 410 from overheating. The rear end of the motor housing 412 is coupled to the rear bearing housing 416 via a first bolt 418. In addition, the end cap 420 is coupled to the rear bearing housing 416 via the first bolt 418. In some examples, a secondary inlet 422 can be defined in the rear bearing housing 416 and / or the end cap 420. The secondary inlet 422 can define an opening through which a lubricant (e.g., a heat exchange fluid, an inert gas, etc.) is provided to a secondary flow network within the pump 400. The front end of the motor housing 412 is coupled to a front bearing housing 424 opposite the rear bearing housing 416 via a second bolt 426. In addition, the front bearing housing 424 is coupled to a back plate 428 and a compressor collector 408 on an opposite side of the back plate 428 via the second bolt 426.

[0083] exist Figure 4In the example shown, the motor 410 of the pump 400 includes a stator 430 to induce an alternating current in a field coil and emit an alternating magnetic field around the central axis of the motor 410. The alternating magnetic field interacts with the permanent magnets of the rotor 432, thereby providing torque to the rotor 432. The rotor 432 is fixedly coupled to an impeller shaft 434 ("shaft"), and the shaft is fixedly coupled to the impeller 406. In this way, the motor 410 drives the rotation of the shaft 434, which in turn drives the rotation of the impeller 406.

[0084] The rear end of the shaft 434 is supported by a first radial bearing 436 (e.g., a shaft radial bearing) coupled to the rear bearing housing 416. In this example, the first radial bearing 436 is a foil bearing (e.g., a hydrodynamic bearing, etc.). The rear bearing housing 416 includes a bearing cup 438 that extends forward into the motor housing 412. In some examples, the first radial bearing 436 is coupled to the bearing cup 438 via an interference fit (e.g., a press fit), a screw, or any other means for coupling that prevents at least a portion of the first radial bearing 436 from rotating in the bearing cup 438. In this way, as the fluid moves toward the front end of the pump 400, a portion of the fluid flowing through the secondary inlet 422 passes between the first radial bearing 436 and the shaft 434, as discussed in further detail below.

[0085] Similarly, the front end of the shaft 434 is supported by the second radial bearing 440, which is coupled to the front bearing housing 424 by an interference fit (e.g., press fit), screws, or any other means for coupling that prevents at least a portion of the first radial bearing 436 from rotating in the front bearing housing 424. In some examples, the first radial bearing 436 and / or the second radial bearing 440 may include a spring-loaded foil journal bushing that supports the radial load of the shaft 434 during relatively low (e.g., starting) speeds (e.g., 0-5000 revolutions per minute (rpm), etc.). When the motor 410 rotates the shaft 434 at relatively high (e.g., operating) speeds (e.g., 4000-20000 rpm, etc.), the pressure of the working medium (e.g., sCO2, etc.) increases and pushes the foil bushing radially outward. Therefore, when the shaft 434 rotates at an operating speed (eg, 3000 rpm, 10000 rpm, 25000 rpm, etc.), the pressurized working medium supports the radial load of the shaft 434 .

[0086] exist Figure 4In the example shown, the pump 400 includes an axial thrust bearing 442 (e.g., a thrust bearing) positioned behind the first radial bearing 436. The axial thrust bearing 442 includes a thrust disk 444 that is clamped to the shaft 434 (e.g., via a wrench nut). In addition, the axial thrust bearing 442 includes a spring-loaded foil bearing 446 positioned around the thrust disk 444 to prevent or otherwise reduce axial movement of the shaft 434. For example, the foil bearing 446 can support axial loads of the shaft 434 via interaction with the thrust disk 444. In some examples, the axial thrust bearing 442 is coupled to the rear bearing housing 416 and / or the end cap 420 via bolts. In some examples, the foil bearing 446 is fixed to the rear bearing housing 416 and / or the end cap 420 via an interference fit or any other means for coupling that prevents rotation of the foil bearing 446. In some examples, axial thrust bearing 442 includes a front thrust pad positioned forward of thrust disk 444 and / or a rear thrust pad positioned rearward of thrust disk 444. For example, the thrust pad may be coupled to rear bearing housing 416 and / or end cap 420 and project radially inward toward impeller shaft 434.

[0087] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, a first labyrinth seal 450 is coupled to the front end of the bearing cup 438 via screws or bolts. Similarly, a second labyrinth seal 452 is coupled to the front bearing housing 424 via screws or bolts. The labyrinth seals 450, 452 are positioned around the shaft 434 to help control the flow of fluid in the motor housing 412. Specifically, a pressure differential on opposite sides of the labyrinth seals 450, 452 prevents fluid from flowing through the respective labyrinth seals 450, 452 toward the rear end of the pump 400. Alternatively, the labyrinth seals 450, 452 enable fluid flowing between the first radial bearing 436 and the shaft 434 to continue to flow toward the front end of the pump 400.

[0088] The impeller 406 of the pump 400 includes an ejector vane 456 (e.g., blade) on the rear portion of the impeller 406. In particular, the ejector vane 456 (e.g., blade) extends radially outward from a body 458 of the impeller 406. In addition, the ejector vane 456 extends between the rear side of the body 458 and the back plate 428. At the operating speed of the motor 410, the ejector vane 456 causes the working fluid (e.g., sCO) to move radially outward from the body 458 of the impeller 406. 2 ) flows forward from the front bearing housing 424, the motor housing 412, etc.

[0089] In some examples, the heat transfer bus 302 branches off from the pump outlet 460 to transfer the sCO 2 As a working medium (e.g., sCO 2 ) is provided to the thermal management system 300 ( Figure 3In some examples, the pump 400 includes an example lubricant delivery bus 462 (e.g., a second delivery bus, a secondary flow line, a lubrication flow line, etc.) that branches from the pump outlet 460 to transfer sCO 2 Provided as lubricant to the first radial bearing 436 and / or the second radial bearing 440, the axial thrust bearing 442, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the lubricant transmission bus 462 may branch from the fluid conduit 402, the heat transfer bus 302, and / or the ejector vane 456. The downstream portion of the lubricant transmission bus 462 may bypass one or more of the motor housing 412, the rear bearing housing 416, the front bearing housing 424, and / or the back plate 428 to access the foil bearings 436, 440, 446.

[0090] Figure 5 Shown with Figure 4 An example fluid flow diagram 500 is associated with an example heat transfer bus pump 400. Figure 5 is Figure 4 Although described in the context of the example heat transfer bus pump 400 of FIG. 5 , it should be understood that aspects of the example fluid flow diagram 500 may be associated with other types of fluid pumps.

[0091] During operation, the impeller 406 rotates to compress and drive the fluid (e.g., sCO) radially outward between the compressor collector 408 and the back plate 428. 2 In response to being driven through the pump outlet 460, the first portion 502 of the heat exchange fluid is driven through the heat transfer bus 302 to one or more heat exchangers 504 (eg, Figure 3 Heat source heat exchanger 306, Figure 3 In some examples, some of the first portion 502 of the heat exchange fluid bypasses the heat exchanger 504 (e.g., via Figure 3 In addition, after flowing through one or more heat exchangers 504 and / or bypassing the heat exchanger 504, the first portion 502 of the heat exchange fluid enters the primary inlet 404 as the primary input fluid 506.

[0092] In response to being driven through the pump outlet 460, the second portion 508 of the heat exchange fluid is driven through the lubricant delivery bus 462, which provides the second portion 508 to a secondary flow network in the pump 400. In some examples, the amount of the second portion 508 of the heat exchange fluid relative to the first portion 502 of the heat exchange fluid depends on the operating conditions of the pump 400. In some examples, for example, the second portion 508 may comprise approximately 0.5% to 50% of the heat exchange fluid flowing through the thermal management system 300.

[0093] Thus, the second portion 508 of the heat exchange fluid may form a secondary input fluid 510 that reenters the pump 400 through the secondary inlet 422. For example, the axial thrust bearing 442 may be positioned in a bearing housing 512 having an opening (e.g., a hole, a slot, a port, etc.) to allow the secondary input fluid 510 to enter the bearing housing 512. Thus, the secondary input fluid 510 flows between the thrust disk 444 and the foil bearing 446 and is pressurized on the front and rear sides of the thrust disk 444 to withstand the axial load of the shaft 434. That is, the thrust bearing 442 works by having a fluid film that separates the sliding surface (e.g., the shaft 434) from the bearing surface (e.g., the foil bearing 446). When the fluid film is squeezed by the sliding surface on the stationary surface in the rotational direction, pressure is generated in the film. The fluid film provides stiffness and damping to the axial thrust bearing 442.

[0094] In some examples, the first portion 516 of the secondary input fluid 510 flows toward the rear end of the pump 400. The pressure in the pump 400 can cause the first portion 516 of the secondary input fluid 510 to flow through the hole 518 of the shaft 434 toward the front end of the pump 400. In addition, the front portion of the shaft 434 can include a conduit that carries the first portion 516 of the secondary input fluid 510 out of the motor housing 412 between the impeller 406 and the back plate 428. During operation, the ejector vanes 456 on the rear of the impeller 406 rotate and cause the secondary input fluid 510 to flow forward. In turn, the ejector vanes 456 can drive the secondary input fluid 510 radially outward between the impeller 406 and the back plate 428.

[0095] exist Figure 5 In the example shown, the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 flows toward the rear end of the pump 400 in response to entering the motor housing 412 through the secondary inlet 422. As such, the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 flows between the first radial bearing 436 and the shaft 434. Additionally, the first labyrinth seal 450 enables the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 to pass through and flow toward the front end of the pump 400.

[0096] Furthermore, the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 may flow between the rotor 432 and the stator 430 of the motor 410. Furthermore, the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 flows between the second radial bearing 440 and the shaft 434. Furthermore, the second labyrinth seal 452 enables the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 to pass toward the front end of the pump 400. In this way, the second portion 520 of the secondary input fluid 510 may mix with the first portion 516 of the secondary input fluid 510 between the back plates 428 at the rear side of the impeller 406.

[0097] In turn, the ejector vanes 456 may drive the secondary input fluid 510 radially outward between the impeller 406 and the back plate 428. Thus, the secondary input fluid 510 may mix with the primary input fluid 506 and be driven through the pump outlet 460. Figure 5 The fluid flow diagram 500 shows an example secondary flow network 522 (e.g., a flow network, an internal flow network, a lubrication flow network, etc.) contained in the pump 400. The secondary flow network 522 is configured to provide a lubricant, such as a heat exchange fluid that is pressurized during operation of the pump 400, to the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446. In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 utilizes fluid carbon dioxide as a heat exchange fluid. Carbon dioxide has a relatively low critical pressure of about 74 bar, a relatively low critical temperature of about 87.8°F, and is non-flammable and non-toxic. Supercritical carbon dioxide has properties of both a gas and a liquid, resulting in a low (e.g., gas-like) viscosity and a high (fluid-like) density, which is beneficial for the hydrodynamic film generated at the foil bearings 436, 440, 446.

[0098] At pressures above its critical pressure, carbon dioxide changes continuously from a liquid state to a supercritical state as the temperature increases. The change in temperature causes sCO 2 The properties (such as density, pressure and viscosity) of the working fluid may change significantly. Due to various operating conditions of the aircraft and associated auxiliary systems, the operating temperature of the pressurized fluid may fluctuate in the lubricant transmission bus and / or the pump. For example, during operation, heat is applied to the fluid from components of the thermal management system 300. In addition, when the pump 400 is powered off, the temperature and / or pressure of the working carbon dioxide decreases. Because changes in temperature or pressure cause significant changes in the operating parameters of the working fluid, such temperature fluctuations of the fluid affect the operating stability and efficiency of the components within the pump 400. As discussed in more detail below, an inert gas can be added to the working fluid to form an immiscible fluid with a reduced critical pressure (e.g., in some examples, reduced by about 25 bar (2.5 MPa, 363 psi)). In other words, the example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein introduces an inert gas into the secondary flow network 522 of the pump 400 to maintain the operational stability of the pump 400.

[0099] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example bearing lubrication system 600 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure to facilitate controlling lubricant provided to a secondary flow network of a heat transfer pump. In general, the bearing lubrication system 600 will be described above and in Figure 4 and Figure 5 400 is discussed in the context of the heat transfer bus pump 400 shown in FIG. In particular, Figure 6The bearing lubrication system 600 is coupled to or otherwise integrated with the heat transfer bus pump 400. However, the disclosed bearing lubrication system 600 may be implemented within another type of pump in another configuration, such as another fluid pump that utilizes a working fluid to lubricate rotating components during operation. Figure 6 In the example of , the working fluid is carbon dioxide. As used hereinafter, a pump system refers to a system including (but not limited to) the pump 400, components therein, the lubricant delivery bus 462, and / or the working fluid.

[0100] Figure 6 Includes arrow lines between various components. Arrow lines represent any type of fluid connection, such as a transmission bus, conduit, fluid line, hose, tube, connector, port, and / or other structure or opening that fluidly connects two components. Therefore, any two components with an arrow between them can be considered to be fluidically connected. Figure 6 Also included are circles representing nodes or joints that connect one or more fluid paths. These nodes or joints can include any type of fluid lines, hoses, connectors, ports, etc. These arrow lines and nodes are similarly used to combine Figure 7 Another example bearing lubrication system 700 is disclosed in further detail.

[0101] Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 includes a lubricant transmission bus 462 (eg, a second transmission bus) that is structured to provide sCO to the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446. 2 As a lubricant. Figure 6 In the example shown, the upstream end 602 (eg, first end, etc.) of the lubricant delivery bus 462 is fluidly coupled to the pump outlet 460. In additional or alternative examples, Figure 3-5 The heat transfer bus 302 and / or another conduit may extend from and be fluidly coupled to the pump outlet 460. In some such examples, the upstream end 602 of the lubricant transfer bus 462 may be fluidly coupled to the heat transfer bus 302 and / or other conduit to obtain a working fluid (e.g., CO 2 、sCO 2 etc.)

[0102] The downstream end 604 (eg, second end, etc.) of the lubricant delivery bus 462 is fluidly coupled to the secondary inlet 422 of the pump 400. In this way, the lubricant delivery bus 462 can provide a secondary flow network 522 (eg, a secondary flow network 522) contained within the pump 400. Figure 5 ) Provide sCO 2 The pump 400 includes a secondary flow network 522 that ... Figure 5The flow path of the pump 400 discussed is to maintain (e.g., retain, hold, etc.) and / or transfer (carry, move, guide, etc.) the working fluid to the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446 for lubrication and fluid dynamic support (e.g., fluid pressure support). Therefore, the working fluid enters the secondary flow network 522 from the lubricant transfer bus 462 and flows into the thrust bearing 442 via the secondary inlet 422 to lubricate and support the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446. That is, the impeller 406 and the ejector vane 456 draw the fluid forward through the first radial bearing 436 and the second radial bearing 440 and drive the fluid through the pump outlet 460.

[0103] In some examples, the pump 400 is associated with an inlet temperature range that includes temperatures between a lower inlet temperature threshold (e.g., about 150°F) and an upper inlet temperature threshold (e.g., about 324°F). However, in some cases, the upper inlet temperature threshold may be higher than an upper bearing temperature threshold (e.g., about 300°F) associated with one or more foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446 housed in the pump 400. Operating the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446 above their respective upper bearing temperature thresholds may degrade the performance of the foil bearings 434, 440, 442, 446 and cause vibration. Additionally, when the working fluid exceeds a certain temperature and corresponding pressure during operation, the properties that contribute to effective bearing lubrication may degrade, which may cause vibration. For example, at some temperatures, the sCO 2 The density of the lubricating film may be reduced, resulting in degraded stiffness of the lubricating film. As a result, the foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446 may experience poor performance, resulting in vibration of the shaft 434, the motor 410, and / or the pump 400.

[0104] The bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example second (e.g., gas, additive, etc.) transfer bus 606 (e.g., conduit, flow line, etc.) ("gas transfer bus") structured to transfer an inert gas to the secondary flow network 522 based on operating conditions of the pump system. The inert gas can include one or more inert gas types such as, but not limited to, krypton, argon, helium, xenon, and / or dinitrogen. In some examples, the type of inert gas used depends on the specific application in which the bearing lubrication system 600 will operate. In particular, the bearing lubrication system 600 injects an inert gas to form an immiscible lubricant mixture based on operating conditions of the fluid, pump 400, and / or motor 410 (as discussed in further detail below). The gas transfer bus 606 is positioned between the pump outlet 460 and the secondary flow network 522. At Figure 6 In the example shown, the downstream end 608 of the gas delivery bus 606 is fluidly coupled to the lubricant delivery bus 462 at or before the secondary inlet 422. Thus, Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 introduces the immiscible fluid mixture into the sCO prior to the secondary inlet 422. 2 In the loop.

[0105] Adding an inert gas to a fluid can cause changes in the fluid's operating properties (e.g., temperature, pressure, viscosity, density, etc.). For example, during hot conditions (e.g., when the fluid meets or exceeds an upper operating threshold (such as about 300°F)), adding an inert gas can reduce the overall temperature of the fluid and the immiscible mixture. In some examples, the inert gas can be associated with a pressure of about 500 psi prior to entering the secondary flow network 522, but can be higher (e.g., between about 500 psi and 5000 psi) in other examples. The critical pressure of the fluid depends on the type of fluid. For example, CO 2 The critical pressure of the fluid is about 74 bar. Therefore, adding an inert gas also reduces the critical pressure of the fluid. The reduction in the critical pressure of the fluid in response to adding an inert gas depends on the type, amount and parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.) of the inert gas. In some examples, adding an inert gas can reduce the critical pressure of the fluid to about 25 bar / reduce it by about 25 bar. Therefore, the fluid can maintain a gaseous state at a lower temperature. During cold conditions (e.g., during startup and / or other low-speed conditions), adding an inert gas can reduce the critical pressure so that the fluid is gaseous at a relatively low temperature to reduce or eliminate liquid particle content. In other words, adding an inert gas enables the bearing lubrication system 600 to maintain the fluid and / or bearing temperature within a desired range. Therefore, the inert gas and sCO 2 The composition may enhance (eg, improve) the fluid dynamic performance of the foil bearings 436 , 440 , 442 , 446 during hot and cold conditions.

[0106] Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system of includes an example additive chamber 610 (eg, a gas cylinder, accumulator, pressure vessel, reservoir, etc.) fluidly coupled to the gas delivery bus 606. The additive chamber 610 is configured to store (eg, hold) at least a portion of the inert gas. Figure 6 The additive chamber 610 is a pressure storage reservoir in which an inert gas is maintained under pressure and at a temperature to maintain its gaseous state. Figure 6 The additive chamber 610 includes a valve 612 fluidly coupled thereto. Fluid exiting the additive chamber 610 flows through the valve 612 to the lubricant transfer bus 462. The inert gas and sCO 2 Mixed to form an immiscible fluid, the immiscible fluid flows through the secondary flow network 522 and is driven through the pump outlet 460 .

[0107] In some examples, valve 612 is a check valve (e.g., a one-way valve, a backflow preventer) that allows gas fluid to flow in one direction (e.g., downstream) and prevents flow from reversing. In some such examples, additive chamber 610 relies on a pressure differential to generate a flow of inert gas stored in additive chamber 610, for example, in response to the opening of an upstream valve. In some examples, valve 612 is a pressure control valve, a flow control valve, etc. that is opened or closed to regulate flow therethrough. Valve 612 can be closed to block the flow of inert gas into gas transfer bus 606, or valve 612 can be opened (e.g., fully opened, partially opened, etc.) to allow inert gas to flow into secondary flow network 522.

[0108] In response to being ejected from the pump outlet 460, the inert gas needs to be mixed with CO 2 The inert gas is separated so that it does not flow through other components of the thermal management system 300. Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example separator 614 (eg, a separation system) positioned adjacent to the pump outlet 460. The separator 614 is structured to separate the inert gas and the sCO 2 The separator 614 is fluidly coupled to the lubricant transfer bus 462 and / or the heat transfer bus 302. In particular, as Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 An upstream end 616 of the gas delivery bus 606 is fluidly coupled to a first outlet 618 (eg, a gas outlet, a retentate outlet, etc.) corresponding to the separator 614 .

[0109] During operation, the immiscible mixture exits the pump outlet 460 and flows into the separator 614 via the separator inlet 620. The separator 614 extracts or removes the inert gas from the immiscible mixture and directs the inert gas to the gas delivery bus 606 via the first outlet 618. In addition, the separator 614 supplies the inert gas to the gas delivery bus 606 via the second outlet 622 (e.g., sCO) corresponding to the separator 614. 2 outlet, permeate outlet, etc.) to remove the remaining sCO 2 The lubricant is directed to the lubricant transfer bus 462 and / or the heat transfer bus 302. In some examples, the separator 614 removes liquid (e.g., liquid CO 2 and / or other liquid particles) and directs the liquid to the lubricant transfer bus 462 and / or the heat transfer bus 302 via the second outlet 622. Figure 8-10Discussed in further detail, the bearing lubrication system 600 may include different types of separators 614. In some examples, the separator 614 is a graphene membrane. In some examples, the separator 614 is a membrane structured to absorb inert gas (e.g., an absorption membrane, a permeable membrane, etc.). In some examples, the separator 614 is a membrane contactor structured to absorb inert gas (e.g., a permeable membrane that promotes contact between two phases). The membrane can be used as a permeable barrier, and different composites pass through the barrier at different rates (e.g., or do not move at all). The membrane can be nanoporous, polymer, etc., and the gas molecules penetrate according to their size, diffusivity, and / or solubility.

[0110] Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 includes another example valve 624 (e.g., an expansion valve, etc.), which is fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus 606 to control the flow of gas therethrough. In particular, valve 624 is an inline thermally actuated valve positioned downstream of separator 614. When valve 624 is opened, at least a portion of the inert gas can flow through the gas transmission bus 606. In addition, the bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example heat exchanger 626 that is fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus 606 downstream of valve 624. In some examples, the pump 400 pressurizes the inert gas as the inert gas flows through the secondary flow network 522 and the compressor collector 408. Therefore, valve 624 reduces the pressure of the inert gas, which is then cooled by the heat exchanger 626.

[0111] In particular, the inert gas leaves the separator 614 and flows to a valve 624 having an adjustable opening through which a desired amount of inert gas is metered to obtain advantageous cooling. The valve 624 may be mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, etc., or a combination thereof. The valve 624 may include a temperature sensor 630 to measure the temperature of the inert gas stream and selectively actuate between discrete positions based on the temperature to adjust the CO 2 The valve 624 may be externally actuated (e.g., by a controller, such as controller 628), or may be self-actuated (e.g., a thermostatic valve with an internal sensor and actuator). For example, the valve 624 may transmit a temperature measurement to the controller 628 (discussed below), which may selectively actuate the valve 624 based on the temperature measurement. In some examples, the temperature sensor 630 may be internally coupled to an actuator that moves the valve 624 between discrete positions based on the temperature of the inert gas flow.

[0112] Valve 624 controls the flow of the inert gas to reduce the pressure of the inert gas. Valve 624 at the inlet of heat exchanger 626 releases the inert gas into heat exchanger 626, and heat exchanger 626 absorbs heat from the inert gas to cool the inert gas. That is, heat exchanger 626 removes heat from the inert gas. The inert gas flows through heat exchanger 626 and enters additive chamber 610. Thus, the inert gas can be cooled and recirculated through secondary flow network 522 ( Figure 5 ).

[0113] exist Figure 6 In the example shown, the bearing lubrication system 600 includes a controller 628 to operate various devices and control the operation of the bearing lubrication system 600. The controller 628 can be an automatic and / or closed-loop controller (e.g., a proportional integral derivative (PLD) controller, a full authority digital electronic controller (FADEC), etc.). The controller 628 is communicatively coupled to the valves 612, 624, the heat exchanger 626, one or more sensors and / or any other device that controls and / or monitors various parameters of the bearing lubrication system 600 via a wired connection (e.g., Ethernet, coaxial cable, universal serial bus (USB), etc.) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth, cellular, Wi-Fi, near field communication (NFC), etc.).

[0114] The bearing lubrication system 600 includes one or more sensors to determine operating conditions of the pump system, such as (but not limited to) the condition of the fluid, the pump 400, and / or the motor 410. For example, Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example fluid sensor 632 to collect measurements of the fluid relative to the pump 400 during operation. In particular, Figure 6 The fluid sensor 632 is a temperature sensor (eg, a thermometer, etc.) that measures the temperature of the fluid.

[0115] In some examples, the bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example vibration sensor 634 to determine the vibration level associated with the pump 400 and / or the components therein during operation. In this example, the vibration sensor 634 is an accelerometer. However, the vibration sensor 634 can be another type of sensor capable of measuring the vibration level associated with the pump 400, such as a gyroscope, a microphone, a strain gauge, a laser displacement detector, etc. The vibration sensor 634 is used to measure the operating vibration level of the pump 400 and / or the components therein during operation. In some examples, the bearing lubrication system 600 includes an example rotation sensor 635 (e.g., a tachometer, a motor speed sensor, a shaft speed sensor, etc.) to measure the speed of the shaft 434 therein during operation. The rotation sensor 635 is used to measure the operating speed of the shaft 434 housed in the pump 400. Although not shown, the bearing lubrication system 600 may include a pressure sensor (e.g., a pressure gauge) that measures the pressure of the fluid and / or another type of sensor that measures the operating conditions of the pump system.

[0116] The controller 628 is structured to monitor the fluid to determine the operating condition of the pump system. The fluid sensor 632 detects the temperature of the working fluid and transmits the temperature reading to the controller 628. In turn, Figure 6 The controller 628 obtains an input signal (e.g., an electronic signal, etc.) indicating the operating temperature of the fluid from the fluid sensor 632. Based on the operating temperature of the fluid, the controller 628 determines whether to add an inert gas to the working fluid. For example, when the controller 628 detects that the operating temperature of the fluid exceeds an upper temperature threshold (e.g., approximately 300°F), the controller 628 determines to add an inert gas. Figure 6 As shown, the fluid sensor 632 is positioned on the lubricant transmission bus 462. However, the disclosed examples are not limited thereto. Instead, the fluid sensor 632 can be positioned at any suitable location so that the temperature of the fluid can be determined before entering the secondary inlet 422 and / or the secondary flow network 522. For example, the fluid sensor 632 can be positioned adjacent to the primary inlet 404 of the pump 400, positioned at another location on the lubricant transmission bus 462, positioned in the fluid conduit 402, etc.

[0117] The controller 628 compares the operating temperature obtained from the fluid sensor 632 to one or more thresholds to determine when to add an inert gas to the working fluid. Figure 6The controller 628 compares the operating temperature of the fluid to an example lower temperature threshold (e.g., limit) to determine whether the operating temperature meets (e.g., exceeds, falls below, etc.) the lower temperature threshold. For example, during startup of the pump 400 and / or the engine 100, the operating temperature typically meets the lower temperature threshold (e.g., approximately 150° F), at which time the fluid temperature may reach approximately -40° F. An operating temperature that meets the lower temperature threshold may indicate a cold condition. Figure 6 The controller 628 also compares the operating temperature of the fluid to an example upper temperature threshold (e.g., limit) to determine whether the operating temperature meets (e.g., exceeds, is higher than, etc.) the upper temperature threshold (e.g., approximately 300° F). For example, during operation of the pump, the fluid temperature may increase, which may cause the temperature of components in communication with the fluid to increase. An operating temperature that meets the upper temperature threshold may indicate a thermal condition.

[0118] Figure 6 The controller 628 controls (e.g., actuates) a core (e.g., a plunger, disk, diaphragm, ball, sphere, gate, etc.) of one or more of the valves 612, 624 to an open position, a closed position, or a partially open position based on sensor data obtained from the fluid sensor 632. In response to detecting a threshold condition, the controller 628 is structured to allow an inert gas to enter the secondary flow network 522. The controller 628 sends an output signal (e.g., a control signal, etc.) to the valves 612, 624, the output signal indicating the position of the core that actuates the valves 612, 624 to open / close. In addition, the controller 628 continues to monitor the operating temperature of the fluid, and in response to determining that the fluid no longer meets the threshold condition, sends an output signal to the valves 612, 624 to block the inert gas.

[0119] Additionally or alternatively, the controller 628 can monitor another parameter of the fluid, pump 400, and / or motor 410 to determine an operating condition of the pump system. For example, the controller 628 can operate the valves 612, 624 based on vibration measurements obtained by the vibration sensor 634. The vibration sensor 634 detects a vibration level (e.g., a value, a measurement, etc.) and transmits a signal indicative of the vibration level to the controller 628. In turn, Figure 6 The controller 628 obtains input from the vibration sensor 634 indicating the vibration level of the shaft 434, etc. Based on the vibration level, the controller 628 determines whether to add an inert gas to the working fluid. In some examples, the vibration level experienced by the shaft 434, etc. depends on the design of the thermal management system 300, the pump 400, and the components therein, operating conditions, etc. Figure 6 As shown, the vibration sensor 634 can be positioned on the motor housing 412. However, the disclosed examples are not limited thereto. Instead, the vibration sensor 634 can be positioned at any suitable location that enables the controller 628 to determine the vibration caused by the shaft 434.

[0120] The controller 628 compares the vibration obtained from the vibration sensor 634 to an example vibration threshold value (e.g., a limit) to determine whether the vibration level meets (e.g., exceeds, etc.) the vibration threshold value. In some examples, the vibration threshold value is based on the design of the thermal management system 300, the pump 400, and the components therein, the expected operating conditions, etc. Vibrations that meet the vibration threshold value may indicate a hot condition or a cold condition. In response to detecting the threshold condition, the controller 628 is structured to allow the inert gas to enter the secondary flow network 522 by sending an output signal indicating the position of the core to the valves 612, 624, as discussed above. In addition, the controller 628 continues to monitor the vibration sensor 634, and in response to determining that the vibration level no longer meets the threshold condition, sends an output signal to the valves 612, 624 to block the inert gas.

[0121] In some examples, controller 628 determines the speed of shaft 434 based on the speed of shaft 434 (e.g., Figure 6 The controller 628 may obtain the speed of the shaft 434 from the rotation sensor 635 and compare the speed to one or more threshold speeds indicating a hot condition or a cold condition. For example, the controller 628 may compare the speed of the shaft 434 to an example lower speed threshold (e.g., a limit) to determine whether the rotation speed of the shaft 434 meets (e.g., exceeds, is lower than, etc.) the lower speed threshold (e.g., indicating a cold state). In some examples, the lower speed threshold is based on the design of the thermal management system 300, the pump 400, and the components therein, expected operating conditions, etc. In addition, the controller 628 may compare the speed of the shaft 434 to an example upper speed threshold (e.g., a limit) to determine whether the rotation speed of the shaft 434 meets (e.g., exceeds, is faster than, etc.) the upper speed threshold (e.g., indicating a hot condition). In some examples, the upper speed threshold is based on the design of the thermal management system 300, the pump 400, and the components therein, expected operating conditions, etc.

[0122] In response to detecting the threshold condition, the controller 628 may allow the inert gas to enter the secondary flow network 522 by sending an output signal indicative of the position of the core to the valves 612, 624, as discussed above. In addition, the controller 628 may continue to monitor the speed sensor, and in response to determining that the rotational speed of the shaft 434 no longer satisfies the threshold condition, may send an output signal to the valves 612, 624 to block the inert gas.

[0123] In some examples, the controller 628 can measure or monitor multiple parameters simultaneously. The controller 628 can use one or more of these parameters to determine when to determine whether to allow the inert gas to flow through the secondary flow network 522 .

[0124] Pump 400 boosts CO2 flows (eg, is driven) via heat transfer bus 302 through a heat transfer system (eg, Figure 3 In other words, the thermal management system 300 and / or its corresponding components (e.g., the first closed-loop system, etc.) may be configured to add / remove heat from the accessory components. Figure 3 The heat transfer bus 302, pump 304, heat source heat exchanger 306, heat sink heat exchanger 308, conduit 310, heat source valve 312 and / or heat sink valve 314 implement the primary flow network. In addition, the pump 400 promotes CO 2 The working fluid flows through a second closed loop circuit 636 (eg, a second closed loop system, etc.) corresponding to a lubricant delivery system via the lubricant delivery bus 462 to provide the working fluid to the rotating components contained in the pump 400. In some examples, the pump 400 facilitates the CO 2 The inert gas flows through a third closed loop circuit 638 (e.g., a third closed loop system, etc.) corresponding to the inert gas delivery system via the gas delivery bus 606 to provide the inert gas to the working fluid driven through the load-bearing components contained in the pump 400. In some examples, the pump 400 facilitates the immiscible fluid to flow through a fourth closed loop circuit 640 corresponding to the second and third closed loop circuits to provide the immiscible fluid to the rotating components contained in the pump 400.

[0125] In some examples, adding an inert gas to the secondary flow network 522 provides advantages over other substances, such as oil, because the inert gas does not degrade like oil and can maintain cleanliness for longer durations in a closed loop.

[0126] Although Figure 6 is Figure 4 Although described in the context of the example heat transfer bus pump 400, it should be understood that aspects of the example bearing lubrication system 600 can be applied to other types of fluid pumps, such as canned electric pumps, magnetic drive pumps, multi-stage pumps, circulating pumps, cantilever pumps, rotor dynamic pumps, etc.

[0127] In some examples, heat transfer bus pump 400 and / or bearing lubrication system 600 includes means for transferring working fluid from compressor collector 408 of pump 400 to secondary inlet 422 of pump 400. For example, means for transferring working fluid may be implemented by lubricant transfer bus 462.

[0128] In some examples, heat transfer bus pump 400 and / or bearing lubrication system 600 include means for delivering an inert gas. For example, the means for delivering an inert gas may be implemented by gas transfer bus 606.

[0129] In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 and / or the bearing lubrication system 600 include a device for separating the immiscible medium. For example, the device for separating the immiscible medium can be implemented by a separator 614.

[0130] In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 includes a device for containing a fluid. For example, the device for containing can be composed of a compressor collector 408, a front bearing housing 424 ( Figure 4 ) and / or backplane 428 ( Figure 4 ) to implement.

[0131] In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 includes a means for compressing the fluid. For example, the means for compressing the fluid can be implemented by an impeller 406.

[0132] In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 includes means for transferring fluid to the primary flow network. For example, the means for transferring fluid to the primary flow network can be implemented by the heat transfer bus 302.

[0133] In some examples, the heat transfer bus pump 400 includes means for transferring fluid to the secondary flow network 522. For example, the means for transferring fluid to the secondary flow network can be implemented by the lubricant transfer bus 462.

[0134] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another example bearing lubrication system 700 that can be implemented in conjunction with the pump 400. Figure 6 and / or Figure 3-6 The components of the bearing lubrication system 600 disclosed in the pump 400 are substantially similar or identical, and those components of the bearing lubrication system 700 having structures and / or functions substantially similar or identical to those of these components will not be described in detail below. Instead, the interested reader is referred to the corresponding description above. To facilitate this process, the same reference numerals are used for similar structures.

[0135] Bearing lubrication system 700 combined with Figure 6 The bearing lubrication system 600 disclosed is substantially the same. Figure 7 In the bearing lubrication system 700 of the pump 400, the gas delivery bus 606 is configured to inject the inert gas directly into the bearing portion of the pump 400. In particular, the downstream end 608 of the gas delivery bus 606 is fluidly coupled to the secondary inlet 422 and / or another inlet leading to a hydrodynamic bearing (e.g., foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446) housed in the pump 400.

[0136] The controller 628 may operate substantially the same as disclosed in connection with the bearing lubrication system 600 to operate the device to inject or block the inert gas based on one or more measured parameters (eg, temperature, vibration, speed, etc.).

[0137] Figure 8 shows that it can be used to implement Figure 6 and Figure 7 An example separator 800 of the separator 614 of the bearing lubrication system 600, 700 of FIG. The separator 800 is a graphene membrane separator including a graphene membrane 802. In general, separation in a membrane occurs due to differences in the transport properties of substances flowing therethrough. The graphene membrane 802 is structured to allow a first substance to pass through the membrane, but blocks a second substance from passing through the membrane.

[0138] Fig. 9 shows that it can be used to implement Figure 6 and Figure 7 Another example separator 900 of the separator 614 of the bearing lubrication system 600, 700 of the present invention. The separator 900 is a membrane including a polymer-based membrane 902. In this example, the polymer-based membrane 902 is a polymer membrane having selectivity and permeability properties. The polymer-based membrane 902 is structured to allow a first substance to pass through the membrane, but block a second substance from passing through the membrane. Typically, an inert gas is associated with a permeability coefficient, which is the product of its diffusion coefficient and its solubility constant. The polymer-based membrane 902 includes pores ( Fig. 9 902, and the separation is based on the particle size of the inert gas and the fluid. The performance of the separator 900 depends at least in part on the permeability of the polymer-based membrane 902. In order to achieve the desired selectivity, the pores 904 on the membrane need to be relatively smaller than the particles in the mixture.

[0139] Fig.10 shows that it can be used to implement Figure 6 and Figure 7 The separator 1000 is another example of a separator 614 of the bearing lubrication system 600, 700 of the embodiment of the present invention. The separator 1000 includes an example housing 1002, which includes an absorbent inlet 1004, an absorbent outlet 1006, a gas inlet 1008, and a gas outlet 1010. Within its housing 1002, the separator 1000 includes an example microporous membrane 1012 (e.g., a nanoporous membrane), which is an annular membrane surrounding a channel 1014. The separator 1000 is a type of immiscible gas separator that can be used to separate an inert gas and a working fluid.

[0140] Although the examples disclosed herein discuss different example separators 614, 800, 900, 1000, the examples disclosed herein are not limited thereto. On the contrary, separator 614 may include other types of separators and / or membranes, such as perovskite membranes, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), silicon dioxide membranes, etc. In addition, separator 614 may include one or more membranes of similar or different structures. In particular, separator 614 may include one or more membranes that allow specific gas species in an immiscible mixture to freely permeate through the membrane while hindering the permeation of other species.

[0141] Fig.11 is Figure 2 A block diagram of an example implementation of a control system for use in an example heat transfer bus pump. Fig.11 The controller 628 may be instantiated (e.g., created as an instance, generated for any length of time, materialized, implemented, etc.) by a programmable circuit, such as a central processing unit (CPU) executing a first instruction. Additionally or alternatively, Fig.11 The controller 628 may be instantiated (e.g., created, generated for any length of time, embodied, implemented, etc.) by (i) an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or (ii) a field programmable gate array (FPGA) structured and / or constructed to perform operations corresponding to the first instruction in response to the execution of the second instruction. It should be understood that Fig.11 Some or all of the circuits may therefore be instantiated at the same or different times. Fig.11 Some or all of the circuits of can be instantiated, for example, in one or more threads that execute concurrently on hardware and / or serially on hardware. Furthermore, in some examples, Fig.11 Some or all of the circuits may be implemented by microprocessor circuits executing instructions and / or FPGA circuits performing operations to implement one or more virtual machines and / or containers.

[0142] Fig.11 The controller 628 shown in FIG. 1 includes an example interface circuit 1102 that is structured to facilitate communication with Figure 6 and Figure 7 As disclosed above, the bearing lubrication system 600 may include one or more sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, vibration sensors, pressure sensors, speed sensors, etc.) to measure and / or monitor one or more parameters of the pump system (e.g., temperature of the fluid, shaft 434 ( Figure 4-7 ) speed, vibration level of components, etc.). For example, the controller 628 can be communicatively coupled to the measuring fluid, pump 400 ( Figure 4-7 ) and / or motor 410 ( Figure 4) of one or more sensors 632, 634 ( Figure 6 and Figure 7 ), the operating parameter indicating the operating condition of the pump system (eg, hot condition or cold condition). The interface circuit 1102 receives sensor data (eg, signals) from one or more sensors 632, 634, enabling the controller 628 to determine the operating condition.

[0143] Fig.11 The controller 628 shown in FIG. 6 includes an example condition determiner circuit 1104 to obtain data (e.g., sensor measurements) from one or more sensors 632, 634 and determine an operating condition of the pump system. In particular, the condition determiner circuit 1104 can compare the data with threshold data to determine whether the measurement meets the corresponding threshold. In some examples, the condition determiner circuit 1104 is instantiated by a processor circuit that executes condition determiner instructions and / or is configured to perform such as Fig.12 The operations are represented by a flowchart.

[0144] The condition determiner circuit 1104 compares the measured values ​​of the parameters obtained from the sensors 632, 634 to one or more thresholds or threshold ranges. For example, if the parameter meets (e.g., exceeds) the threshold, the controller 628 operates the bearing lubrication system 600 to inject an inert gas into the secondary flow network 522 ( Figure 5 When the parameter does not meet the threshold, the controller 628 operates the bearing lubrication system 600 to block the gas transmission bus 606 ( Figure 6 and Figure 7 ) flow. Therefore, the controller 628 uses one or more parameters to determine when to inject the inert gas.

[0145] In some examples, the parameter is a fluid (e.g., CO 2 ). The condition determiner circuit 1104 obtains a temperature measurement and compares the temperature measurement to an upper temperature threshold (e.g., approximately 300°F). When the temperature of the fluid meets the upper temperature threshold (e.g., the temperature of the fluid exceeds the upper temperature threshold), the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines to add an inert gas to the fluid. The condition determiner circuit 1104 also compares the temperature measurement to a lower temperature threshold (e.g., approximately 150°F). When the temperature of the fluid meets the lower temperature threshold (e.g., the temperature of the fluid is below the lower temperature threshold), the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines to add an inert gas to the fluid.

[0146] When the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines that the temperature measurement is within the range defined by the lower temperature threshold and the upper temperature threshold, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines that the inert gas is not added to the fluid. In other words, when the temperature measurement is at or below the upper temperature threshold and at or above the lower temperature threshold, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines that the fluid is at the desired operating temperature. In this case, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines that the inert gas is blocked from flowing through the gas delivery bus 606 and mixing with the fluid.

[0147] In additional or alternative examples, the parameter is a vibration (e.g., a vibration level or value) corresponding to the pump 400 (e.g., a housing, a component therein, etc.). The condition determiner circuit 1104 obtains the vibration value and compares the vibration value to a vibration threshold. When the vibration value satisfies the vibration threshold (e.g., the vibration value indicates that the pump 400 of the fluid exceeds an upper temperature threshold), the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines to add an inert gas to the fluid.

[0148] Fig.11 The controller 628 includes example actuation control circuitry 1106 structured to control one or more components of the bearing lubrication system 600 . Fig.11 The actuation control circuit 1106 is structured to control the position of the valves 612, 624 based on operating conditions. In some examples, the actuation control circuit 1106 can control another component of the pump system, such as the heat exchanger 626, etc.

[0149] When the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines, processes, and / or verifies that the parameter (e.g., temperature, vibration level, speed, etc.) satisfies the corresponding threshold, the condition determiner circuit 1104 may send a signal to the actuation control circuit 1106 to adjust the position of the valves 612, 624 to allow the inert gas to enter the secondary flow network 522. Alternatively, when the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines that the parameter (e.g., temperature, vibration level, speed, etc.) satisfies the corresponding threshold, the condition determiner circuit 1104 may send a signal to the actuation control circuit 1106 to adjust the position of the valves 612, 624 to block the flow of the inert gas, thereby preventing the inert gas from entering the secondary flow network 522.

[0150] More specifically, the actuation control circuit 1106 receives a signal from the condition determiner circuit 1104 indicating a desired valve position and / or a desired output pressure, determines the current state of the valves 612, 624, and causes the position of the valves 612, 624 to change based on the received signal and the current position. In some examples, the actuation control circuit 1106 is instantiated by a processor circuit that executes actuation control instructions and / or is configured to perform such operations as Fig.12In some examples, the actuation control circuit 1106 is configured as a closed-loop controller that receives position feedback and / or output pressure feedback from the valves 612, 624 and continues to send an output signal that causes actuation of an actuator (e.g., a plunger, a gate, a ball, a sphere, etc.) until the actuation control circuit 1106 determines that the output pressure is set to an appropriate value and / or the actuator is in an appropriate position.

[0151] Fig.11 The controller 628 includes an example data storage device 1108 to store data (e.g., sensor measurements, thresholds, current operating conditions, etc.) or any information associated with the interface circuit 1102, the condition determiner circuit 1104, and / or the actuation control circuit 1106. The example data storage device 1108 can be implemented by any memory, storage device, and / or storage disk for storing data (such as flash memory, magnetic media, optical media, etc.). In addition, the data stored in the example data storage device 1108 can be in any data format, such as binary data, comma-delimited data, tab-delimited data, structured query language (SQL) structures, image data, etc.

[0152] Although Fig.11 The implementation is shown in Figure 6-7 628, but Fig.11 One or more of the elements, processes, and / or devices shown in the example 1100 may be combined, divided, rearranged, omitted, eliminated, and / or implemented in any other manner. In addition, the example interface circuit 1102, the example condition determiner circuit 1104, the example actuation control circuit 1106, and / or more generally, Fig.11 The example controller 628 may be implemented by hardware alone or by hardware in combination with software and / or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the example interface circuit 1102, the example condition determiner circuit 1104, the actuation control circuit 1106, and / or more generally, the example controller 628 may be implemented by programmable circuitry in combination with machine-readable instructions (e.g., firmware or software), processor circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, logic circuitry, a programmable processor, a programmable microcontroller, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a programmable logic device (PLD), and / or a field programmable logic device (FPLD) (such as an FPGA). In addition, Fig.11 An example controller 628 may include in addition to Fig.11 In addition to or in place of the components, processes and / or devices shown Fig.11 One or more of the elements, processes and / or devices shown, and / or may include more than one of any or all of the elements, processes and devices shown.

[0153] Fig.12 The flowcharts representing example machine-readable instructions and / or representing example operations are shown in Fig.11 Controller 628, example operations may be performed by programmable circuitry to implement and / or instantiate Fig.11 The machine-readable instructions may be provided by a programmable circuit (such as the following in combination with Fig.13 The machine-readable instructions may be one or more executable programs or portions of one or more executable programs executed by the programmable circuit 1312 shown in the example processor platform 1300 discussed above, and / or may be one or more functions or portions of functions to be performed by the example programmable circuit (e.g., FPGA). In some examples, the machine-readable instructions cause an operation, task, etc. to be performed and / or performed in an automated manner in the real world. As used herein, "automated" refers to a situation where there is no human involvement.

[0154] The program may be embodied in instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable storage media (such as cache memory, magnetic storage devices or disks (e.g., floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical storage devices or disks (e.g., Blu-ray disks, compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.), redundant arrays of independent disks (RAIDs), registers, ROMs, solid-state drives (SSDs), SSD memories, non-volatile memories (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memories, etc.), volatile memories (e.g., any type of random access memories (RAMs), etc.), and / or any other storage devices or storage disks). The instructions of the non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable media may program and / or be executed by programmable circuits located in one or more hardware devices, but the entire program and / or portions thereof may alternatively be executed and / or instantiated by one or more hardware devices other than programmable circuits, and / or embodied in dedicated hardware. The machine-readable instructions may be distributed across multiple hardware devices and / or executed by two or more hardware devices (e.g., a server and a client hardware device). For example, a client hardware device may be implemented by an endpoint client hardware device (e.g., a hardware device associated with a human and / or machine user) or an intermediate client hardware device gateway (e.g., a radio access network (RAN)) that may facilitate communication between a server and an endpoint client hardware device. Similarly, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may include one or more media. In addition, although the example programs are referenced Fig.12, but many other methods of implementing the example controller 628 may be used instead. For example, the execution order of the blocks of the flowchart may be changed, and / or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined. Additionally or alternatively, any or all of the blocks of the flowchart may be implemented by one or more hardware circuits (e.g., processor circuits, discrete and / or integrated analog and / or digital circuits, FPGAs, ASICs, comparators, operational amplifiers (op-amps), logic circuits, etc.) that are structured to perform corresponding operations without executing software or firmware. The programmable circuits may be distributed in different network locations and / or located locally in one or more hardware devices (e.g., single-core processors (e.g., single-core CPUs), multi-core processors (e.g., multi-core CPUs, XPUs, etc.). For example, the programmable circuit may be a CPU and / or FPGA located in the same package (e.g., the same integrated circuit (IC) package or in two or more separate housings), one or more processors in a single machine, multiple processors distributed on multiple servers in a server rack, multiple processors distributed on one or more server racks, etc., and / or any combination thereof.

[0155] The machine-readable instructions described herein may be stored in one or more of a compressed format, an encrypted format, a segmented format, a compiled format, an executable format, a packaged format, etc. The machine-readable instructions described herein may be stored as data (e.g., computer-readable data, machine-readable data, one or more bits (e.g., one or more computer-readable bits, one or more machine-readable bits, etc.), a bit stream (e.g., a computer-readable bit stream, a machine-readable bit stream, etc.), etc.) or a data structure (e.g., as part of an instruction, a code, a representation of a code, etc.) that can be used to create, manufacture, and / or generate machine-executable instructions. For example, the machine-readable instructions may be segmented and stored on one or more storage devices, disks, and / or computing devices (e.g., servers) located in the same or different locations (e.g., in the cloud, an edge device, etc.) of a network or a collection of networks. The machine-readable instructions may need to be installed, modified, adapted, updated, combined, supplemented, constructed, decrypted, decompressed, unpacked, distributed, redistributed, compiled, etc., so that they can be directly read, interpreted, and / or executed by a computing device and / or other machine. For example, machine-readable instructions may be stored in multiple portions that are separately compressed, encrypted, and / or stored on separate computing devices, where the portions, when decrypted, decompressed, and / or combined, form a set of computer-executable and / or machine-executable instructions that implement one or more functions and / or operations that may together form a program such as described herein.

[0156] In another example, machine-readable instructions may be stored in a state where they can be read by programmable circuits, but a library (e.g., a dynamic link library (DLL)), a software development kit (SDK), an application programming interface (API), etc., needs to be added in order to execute the machine-readable instructions on a specific computing device or other device. In another example, it may be necessary to construct machine-readable instructions (e.g., stored settings, data inputs, recorded network addresses, etc.) before the machine-readable instructions and / or corresponding programs can be executed in whole or in part. Therefore, as used herein, machine-readable, computer-readable and / or machine-readable media may include instructions and / or programs, regardless of the specific format or state of the machine-readable instructions and / or programs. The machine-readable instructions described herein may be represented by any past, present or future instruction language, scripting language, programming language, etc. For example, machine-readable instructions may be represented using any of the following languages: C, C++, Java, C#, Perl, Python, JavaScript, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Structured Query Language (SQL), Swift, etc.

[0157] As mentioned above, Fig.12The example operations of can be implemented using executable instructions (e.g., computer-readable and / or machine-readable instructions) stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable and / or machine-readable media. As used herein, the terms non-transitory computer-readable medium, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium are explicitly defined as including any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, and excluding propagation signals and excluding transmission media. Examples of such non-transitory computer-readable media, non-transitory computer-readable storage media, non-transitory machine-readable media, and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage media include optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, HDDs, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), CDs, DVDs, caches, any type of RAM, registers, and / or any other storage device or storage disk that stores information for any duration (e.g., extended time periods, permanent, transient instances, temporary buffering, and / or cached information). As used herein, the terms "non-transitory computer-readable storage device" and "non-transitory machine-readable storage device" are defined to include any physical (mechanical, magnetic and / or electrical) hardware that retains information over a period of time, but excludes propagating signals and excludes transmission media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage devices and / or non-transitory machine-readable storage devices include any type of random access memory, any type of read-only memory, solid-state memory, flash memory, optical disks, magnetic disks, disk drives, and / or redundant array of independent disks (RAID) systems. As used herein, the term "device" refers to a physical structure (such as a mechanical and / or electrical device, hardware, and / or circuit) that may or may not be constructed from computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc., and / or manufactured to perform computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc.

[0158] Fig.12 is a flow diagram representative of example machine readable instructions and / or example operations 1200 that may be executed, instantiated, and / or performed by a programmable circuit to control lubricant provided to a load bearing component in a secondary flow network of a pump. Fig.12 The example machine readable instructions and / or example operations 1200 begin at block 1202 where an example condition determiner circuit (e.g., Fig.11 The condition determiner circuit 1104 detects a bearing lubrication system (e.g., Figure 6 and / or Figure 7 The bearing lubrication system 600, 700) includes a pump system (e.g., Figure 3-7 For example, the condition determiner circuit 1104 may obtain a signal from a speed sensor identifying the rotation of the shaft 434 and / or obtain a signal indicating the rotation of the shaft 434 in another manner.

[0159] At block 1204, the interface circuit 1102 obtains sensor data indicating operating parameters of components of the pump system. For example, the interface circuit 1102 may obtain sensor data from the fluid sensor 632 ( Figure 6 and Figure 7 )、Vibration sensor 634( Figure 6 and Figure 7 ), velocity sensors, pressure sensors, etc., to obtain a signal including a value associated with a parameter. Although the following description describes the parameter as the temperature of the fluid, the examples disclosed herein are not limited thereto. Instead, the parameter may include an indication of the pump system relative to a fluid dynamic bearing (e.g., foil bearings 436, 440, 442, 446) contained in the pump 400 ( Figure 4-7 )’s operating conditions in addition to or in lieu of them.

[0160] At block 1206, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines an operating condition of the pump system based on the sensor data. In particular, the condition determiner circuit 1104 compares the parameter to one or more thresholds. For example, the parameter may be one or more of the temperature of the fluid, the vibration level (e.g., the vibration level of the shaft 434, etc.), the speed of the shaft 434, etc. For example, when the parameter includes the temperature of the fluid, the condition determiner circuit 1104 may compare the temperature value to an upper temperature threshold and / or a lower temperature threshold.

[0161] At block 1206, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines whether the parameter satisfies a lower threshold. For example, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines whether the parameter satisfies a lower temperature threshold. When the parameter satisfies the lower threshold (e.g., block 1206=Yes), control proceeds to block 1210. On the other hand, when the parameter does not satisfy the lower threshold (e.g., block 1206=No), processing proceeds to block 1208.

[0162] At block 1208, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines whether the parameter satisfies an upper threshold. For example, the condition determiner circuit 1104 determines whether the parameter satisfies an upper temperature threshold. When the parameter satisfies the upper threshold (e.g., block 1208=Yes), control proceeds to block 1210. However, when the parameter does not satisfy the upper threshold (e.g., block 1208=No), control proceeds to block 1212.

[0163] At block 1210, an example actuation control circuit (e.g., actuation control circuit 1106) mixes the inert gas with the working fluid to be flowed through the secondary flow network 522 to generate an immiscible fluid. That is, in response to determining that the temperature of the fluid satisfies the upper temperature threshold or the lower temperature threshold, the controller 628 actuates the third closed-loop circuit 638. More specifically, the actuation control circuit 1106 receives a signal indicating a desired valve position from the condition determiner circuit 1104, determines the current state of the valves 612, 624 fluidly coupled to the gas transmission bus 606, and changes the position of the valves 612, 624 based on the received signal and the current position. The process then proceeds to block 1214.

[0164] At block 1212, the actuation control circuit 1106 blocks the inert gas from entering the secondary flow network 522. More specifically, the actuation control circuit 1106 receives a signal from the condition determiner circuit 1104 indicating a desired valve position, determines the current state of the valves 612, 624 fluidly coupled to the gas delivery bus 606, and changes the position of the valves 612, 624 based on the received signal and the current position. The process then proceeds to block 1214.

[0165] At block 1214, the controller 628 determines whether the pump 400 is operating. For example, the pump 400 may determine whether the shaft 434 is rotating, etc. When the pump 400 is operating, the process returns to block 1204, where the interface circuit 1102 obtains sensor data. When the pump 400 is not operating, the process returns to block 1202, where the condition determiner circuit 1104 detects activation of the pump 400.

[0166] Fig.13 is structured to execute and / or instantiate Fig.12 Example machine readable instructions and / or example operations to implement Fig.11 628 of the controller 628. The programmable circuit platform 1300 can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a workstation, a self-learning machine (e.g., a neural network), a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer such as an iPad). TM ), personal digital assistants (PDAs), Internet appliances, DVD players, CD players, digital video recorders, Blu-ray players, game consoles, personal video recorders, set-top boxes, headphones (e.g., augmented reality (AR) headsets, virtual reality (VR) headsets, etc.) or other wearable devices, or any other type of computing and / or electronic device.

[0167] The programmable circuit platform 1300 of the illustrated example includes a programmable circuit 1312. The programmable circuit 1312 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the programmable circuit 1312 can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, FPGAs, microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, and / or microcontrollers from any desired series or manufacturer. The programmable circuit 1312 can be implemented by one or more semiconductor-based (e.g., silicon-based) devices. In this example, the programmable circuit 1312 implements the example interface circuit 1102, the example condition determiner circuit 1104, the example actuation control circuit 1106, and / or more generally, the example controller 628.

[0168] The programmable circuit 1312 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 1313 (e.g., cache, registers, etc.). The programmable circuit 1312 of the illustrated example communicates with a main memory including a volatile memory 1314 and a non-volatile memory 1316 via a bus 1318. The volatile memory 1314 may be composed of a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory The main memory 1313 may be implemented by a memory controller 1317. The main memory 1313 may be implemented by a memory controller 1317 and / or any other type of RAM device. The non-volatile memory 1316 may be implemented by flash memory and / or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memory of the illustrated example is controlled by a memory controller 1317. In some examples, the memory controller 1317 may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microcontrollers, or any other type of circuitry from any desired family or manufacturer to manage the flow of data to and from the main memory 1313.

[0169] The programmable circuit platform 1300 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 1320. The interface circuit 1320 may be configured according to any type of interface standard (such as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, interface, a near field communication (NFC) interface, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface, and / or a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) interface) are implemented by hardware.

[0170] In the example shown, one or more input devices 1322 are connected to the interface circuit 1320. The input devices 1322 allow a user (e.g., a human user, a machine user, etc.) to input data and / or commands into the programmable circuit 1312. The input devices 1322 may be implemented by, for example, a sensor, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, buttons, a mouse, a touch screen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isopoint device, and / or a voice recognition system.

[0171] One or more output devices 1324 are also connected to the interface circuit 1320 of the illustrated example. The output device 1324 may be implemented, for example, by a display device (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, an in-place switching (IPS) display, a touch screen, etc.), a tactile output device, a printer, and / or a speaker. Therefore, the interface circuit 1320 of the illustrated example typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, and / or a graphics processor circuit, such as a GPU.

[0172] The interface circuitry 1320 of the illustrated example also includes a communication device (such as a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, modem, residential gateway, wireless access point, and / or network interface) to facilitate data exchange with an external machine (e.g., any kind of computing device) over a network 1326. Communication may be through, for example, an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection, a telephone line connection, a coaxial cable system, a satellite system, a line-of-sight wireless system, a line-of-sight wireless system, a cellular telephone system, an optical connection, etc.

[0173] The programmable circuit platform 1300 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage disks or devices 1328 for storing firmware, software, and / or data. Examples of such mass storage disks or devices 1328 include magnetic storage devices (e.g., floppy disks, drives, HDDs, etc.), optical storage devices (e.g., Blu-ray disks, CDs, DVDs, etc.), RAID systems, and / or solid-state storage disks or devices, such as flash memory devices and / or SSDs.

[0174] can be Fig.12 The machine-readable instructions 1332 implemented by the machine-readable instructions may be stored in the mass storage device 1328, the volatile memory 1314, the non-volatile memory 1316, and / or on at least one removable non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (such as a CD or DVD).

[0175] From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that example methods, systems, and apparatus have been disclosed that facilitate controlling lubricant provided to load-bearing components in a pump (e.g., a centrifugal pump). 2) can be siphoned (e.g., tapped) from the pump and driven to the load-bearing components in the pump, thereby providing a lubricating film. During operation, the impeller / displacer of the pump can cause the working fluid to flow forward into the fluid conduit and through the outlet to provide a continuous flow of working fluid to the load-bearing components. However, the operating conditions of the working fluid may fluctuate during operation, causing hot conditions and / or cold conditions that lead to vibration, wear, etc. The example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein monitors the temperature of the working fluid and / or another parameter associated with the pump system (e.g., vibration level, speed (e.g., shaft speed, etc.), pressure, etc.) to determine whether to actuate a valve to add an inert gas to the working fluid to produce an immiscible fluid mixture. The example bearing lubrication system disclosed herein mixes an inert gas with the working fluid to form an immiscible fluid mixture (e.g., an inert gas / working fluid mixture) to be driven through the load-bearing components.

[0176] Example bearing lubrication systems disclosed herein can improve foil bearing performance by adjusting the temperature, critical pressure, viscosity, and / or density of the working fluid. Immiscible fluid mixtures maintain the working fluid in a gaseous form by lowering the critical pressure of the working fluid at a given temperature (e.g., avoiding liquid CO during low speed conditions). 2 ). The immiscible fluid mixture maintains the working fluid below a threshold temperature to improve the performance of the load-bearing components. The examples disclosed herein enable foil bearings contained in a fluid pump to reduce (e.g., inhibit, dampen, etc.) axial movement of the shaft, reduce friction, improve pump performance, and reduce wear of components therein.

[0177] The above examples of pumps can be used with heat transfer systems. Although each of the example pumps or pump systems disclosed above has certain features, it should be understood that the specific features of an example pump or pump system do not have to be used exclusively with that example. Instead, any feature described above and / or depicted in the accompanying drawings can be combined with any example in addition to or in place of any other features of the example. Features of one example are not mutually exclusive with features of another example. On the contrary, the scope of the present disclosure includes any combination of any features.

[0178] Disclosed herein are example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for pressurizing fluid in a closed loop system.Further aspects of the disclosure are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses.

[0179] A closed-loop system for providing lubricant to a fluid pump, the system comprising: a lubrication flow network, the lubrication flow network being disposed within the fluid pump; a sensor, the sensor being fluidically coupled to the fluid pump to measure a condition of a fluid flowing through the lubrication flow network; a first transmission bus, the first transmission bus being fluidically coupled to the lubrication flow network, the first transmission bus transmitting an inert gas; a valve, the valve being fluidically coupled to the first transmission bus; a controller, the controller transmitting a signal to the valve based on the condition of the fluid to open or close the valve; and a separator, the separator being fluidically coupled between an outlet of the fluid pump and the first transmission bus, the separator separating the fluid from the inert gas.

[0180] The system of the preceding clause, wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor and the condition is the temperature of the fluid, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operating temperature of the fluid.

[0181] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the controller actuates the valve to allow the inert gas to enter the fluid pump when the temperature of the fluid satisfies a threshold temperature.

[0182] A system as recited in any preceding clause, wherein the threshold temperature is an upper operating temperature of a bearing housed in the fluid pump, the lubrication flow network being in fluid communication with the bearing.

[0183] A system according to any preceding clause, wherein the fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ), and wherein the threshold temperature is approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

[0184] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the fluid is carbon dioxide, and wherein the threshold temperature corresponds to a temperature at which the carbon dioxide comprises liquid carbon dioxide.

[0185] A system as in any preceding clause, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer and the condition is vibration, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operational vibration level of a component housed in the fluid pump.

[0186] A system as in any preceding clause, wherein the sensor is a rotation sensor coupled to a shaft and the condition is speed, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operating speed of a shaft housed in the fluid pump.

[0187] The system of any preceding clause, further comprising a second transfer bus fluidly coupled between the separator and an inlet corresponding to the lubrication flow network, the second transfer bus transferring the fluid.

[0188] The system of any preceding clause, further comprising a heat exchanger coupled to the first transfer bus, the heat exchanger removing heat from the inert gas exiting the separator.

[0189] The system of any preceding clause, wherein the inert gas comprises at least one of helium, krypton, argon, xenon, or dinitrogen.

[0190] A fluid pump for pressurizing a fluid in a closed loop circuit, the fluid pump comprising: a primary inlet, the primary inlet fluid is connected to a primary flow network; a secondary inlet, the secondary inlet fluid is connected to a secondary flow network; a first flow line, the first flow line fluid is connected to the secondary inlet, the first flow line transmits a portion of the fluid to the secondary flow network; a second flow line, the second flow line fluid is connected to the secondary flow network to transmit an inert gas to the secondary flow network; a valve, the valve fluid is connected to the second flow line; a controller, the controller is communicatively connected to the valve to direct the inert gas to the secondary flow network based on sensor data from a sensor, the sensor data indicating a condition of the fluid; and a separator, the separator fluid is connected to the first flow line and the second flow line, the separator separates the inert gas from the fluid and re-enters the second flow line, the separator is positioned adjacent to the pump outlet.

[0191] A fluid pump according to any preceding clause, wherein the first flow line is fluidly coupled between at least one of the secondary inlet and the pump outlet of the fluid pump, the primary inlet of the fluid pump, or a third flow line, the third flow line being fluidly coupled between the primary inlet and the pump outlet of the fluid pump.

[0192] A fluid pump as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the second flow line is fluidly coupled between the pump outlet and the secondary inlet of the fluid pump.

[0193] A fluid pump according to any preceding clause, wherein the second flow line is fluidly coupled between the pump outlet and a third inlet of the fluid pump, the third inlet opening into the secondary flow network.

[0194] A fluid pump according to any preceding clause, wherein the secondary flow network defines a flow path through the fluid pump to provide lubricant to a foil bearing contained in the fluid pump, the lubricant comprising one of: (a) the portion of the fluid, or (b) the portion of the fluid and the inert gas.

[0195] A fluid pump as described in any preceding clause, wherein the separator comprises at least one of a graphene membrane, a polymer membrane or a nanoporous membrane.

[0196] A fluid pump according to any preceding clause, further comprising a chamber fluidly coupled to the second flow line, the chamber storing at least a portion of the inert gas.

[0197] A device comprising: an interface circuit; machine-readable instructions; and a programmable circuit that instantiates the machine-readable instructions or executes at least one of the machine-readable instructions to: monitor sensor data from a sensor, the sensor data indicating a condition of a fluid to enter a secondary flow network contained in a pump, the pump driving at least some of the fluid through a primary flow network; based on the sensor data, determine whether to inject an inert gas into the secondary flow network; and in response to determining that the inert gas is to be injected into the secondary flow network, actuate a valve that couples the fluid to a flow line containing the inert gas.

[0198] Apparatus according to any preceding clause, wherein the sensor data comprises a temperature of the fluid, and wherein when the temperature indicates a cold condition, the programmable circuit determines to inject the inert gas into the secondary flow network.

[0199] Apparatus according to any preceding clause, wherein said cold condition is indicative of the presence of liquid in said fluid.

[0200] Apparatus according to any preceding clause, wherein the sensor data comprises a temperature of the fluid, and wherein when the temperature indicates a thermal condition, the programmable circuit determines to inject the inert gas into the secondary flow network.

[0201] Apparatus according to any preceding clause, wherein the thermal condition indicates that the temperature of the fluid exceeds an upper operating temperature limit of a component to which the secondary flow network provides the fluid.

[0202] Apparatus according to any preceding clause, wherein the valve is an expansion valve and the programmable circuit actuates the expansion valve to open by transmitting a signal to the expansion valve.

[0203] A pump system for pressurizing a fluid in a closed-loop system, comprising: a device for compressing the fluid, the device for compressing the fluid drives the fluid through the pump system; a device for transmitting the fluid, the device for transmitting the fluid being fluidically connected to the device for compressing the fluid; a device for transmitting an inert gas, the device for transmitting the inert gas being fluidically connected to the device for compressing the fluid; a device for controlling the flow of the inert gas; and a device for separating, the device for separating separating the fluid and the inert gas, the device for separating being positioned adjacent to an outlet of the device for compressing the fluid.

[0204] The following claims are incorporated into this detailed description by reference, with each claim independently serving as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure. Although certain example methods, systems, and devices have been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, systems, and devices that fully fall within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. A closed loop system for providing lubricant to a fluid pump, characterized in that: The system comprises: a lubrication flow network disposed within the fluid pump; a sensor fluidly coupled to the fluid pump to measure a condition of a fluid flowing through the lubrication flow network; a first transmission bus fluidly coupled to the lubrication flow network, the first transmission bus transmitting an inert gas; a valve fluidly coupled to the first transmission bus; a controller that transmits a signal to the valve to cause the valve to open or close based on the condition of the fluid; and A separator is fluidly coupled between an outlet of the fluid pump and the first transmission bus, the separator separating the fluid and the inert gas.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The sensor is a temperature sensor and the condition is the temperature of the fluid, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operating temperature of the fluid.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that in, When the temperature of the fluid satisfies a threshold temperature, the controller actuates the valve to allow the inert gas to enter the fluid pump.

4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that in, The threshold temperature is an upper operating temperature of a bearing housed in the fluid pump, the lubrication flow network being in fluid communication with the bearing.

5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that in, The fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2), and wherein the threshold temperature is approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that in, The fluid is carbon dioxide, and wherein the threshold temperature corresponds to a temperature at which the carbon dioxide comprises liquid carbon dioxide.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The sensor is an accelerometer and the condition is vibration, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operational vibration level of a component housed in the fluid pump.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The sensor is a rotation sensor coupled to a shaft, and the condition is speed, the sensor transmitting a signal to the controller indicative of an operating speed of a shaft housed in the fluid pump.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that Further included is a second transfer bus fluidly coupled between the separator and an inlet corresponding to the lubrication flow network, the second transfer bus transferring the fluid.

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that Further included is a heat exchanger coupled to the first transfer bus, the heat exchanger removing heat from the inert gas exiting the separator.

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