Sensor, gas turbine engine, method for measuring lubricating oil

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor, a gas turbine engine and a method for measuring the state of lubricating oil. The sensor comprises an upper-layer shell, a lower-layer shell and an upper-layer shell, the lower layer shell is internally provided with the other electrode of the capacitor; wherein the electrode is connected with the standard electric connector through a connecting wire and outputs capacitance signals, and when the sensor is installed in place, the oil inlet of the sensor is connected with the lower one-way valve of the lubricating oil tank, and the oil outlet of the sensor is connected with the upper one-way valve of the lubricating oil tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a sensor, a gas turbine engine and a measurement method for lubricating oil. Background Art

[0002] When an aircraft engine is running, it is necessary to measure the oil capacity of the engine oil tank in real time to monitor the oil consumption during engine operation. When an abnormal event such as oil leakage occurs and the oil capacity is lower than the warning value, an alarm signal needs to be issued to notify the driver. Therefore, it is necessary to use an oil level sensor to accurately and reliably measure the oil capacity in the oil tank.

[0003] Traditional lubricating oil level sensors generally use capacitive or resistive principles. The sensors are generally straight-tube structures. It is necessary to open a hole in the lubricating oil tank and insert the sensor from top to bottom into the bottom of the lubricating oil tank. If the lubricating oil tank is high and the lubricating oil level sensor is long, it is also necessary to consider reserving a fixed bracket inside the lubricating oil tank. The lubricating oil tank is generally a casting, and it is difficult to reserve a fixed bracket inside, and the reserved visual window is very small. If the sensor has an inaccurate measurement problem, it is difficult to know the real situation inside the lubricating oil tank, so as to evaluate whether the sensor's measurement value is accurate.

[0004] The inventors found that the problems faced by traditional lubricating oil level sensors include:

[0005] 1) The sensor is inserted directly into the bottom of the oil tank from top to bottom using an internal insertion installation method. The oil tank has many openings and it is difficult to reserve a fixing bracket inside.

[0006] 2) The sensor can only be calibrated and the sensor's measurement value can be corrected through a small observation window on the oil tank, which makes it difficult to improve the sensor's measurement accuracy;

[0007] 3) Since the small observation window on the oil tank is only located at the upper part of the oil tank, when there is a problem with the measurement value of the oil level sensor, it is impossible to know the amount of oil inside the oil tank.

[0008] Therefore, the art needs a new sensor, a gas turbine engine, and a method for measuring lubricating oil status to solve any one or a combination of the above problems. Summary of the invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a gas turbine engine.

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring the state of lubricating oil.

[0012] A sensor according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an upper shell having an electrode of a capacitor built in; and a lower shell having another electrode of a capacitor built in; wherein the electrode is connected to a standard electrical connector via a connecting wire to output a capacitance signal, and when the sensor is installed in place, the oil inlet of the sensor is connected to a one-way valve at the bottom of the oil tank, and the oil outlet of the sensor is connected to a one-way valve at the top of the oil tank.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, the sensor has a full-range observation window, and the length of the observation window is at least greater than the specified range of the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank.

[0014] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, the sensor is mounted externally on the oil tank.

[0015] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, a mounting surface of the sensor is a curved surface.

[0016] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, after the sensor is installed in place, the one-way valve is pushed open, and the lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil level sensor, forming a U-shaped tube structure with the lubricating oil tank.

[0017] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, an insulating material layer is provided between the upper shell and the lower shell to separate them.

[0018] In one or more embodiments of the sensor, the oil tank where the sensor is installed has no corresponding opening and no fixed bracket reserved inside.

[0019] A gas turbine engine according to one aspect of the present invention comprises the sensor described above.

[0020] In one or more embodiments of the gas turbine engine, the sensor is disposed in a lubricating oil tank of the gas turbine engine.

[0021] According to a method for measuring the state of lubricating oil in a lubricating oil tank according to one aspect of the present invention, the sensor introduced above is installed and fixed outside the lubricating oil tank, and the capacitance signal of the sensor is used to sense the liquid level of the lubricating oil inside the lubricating oil tank.

[0022] In one or more embodiments of the measuring method, any liquid level of the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank within a measuring range is obtained through the observation window.

[0023] The improved effects of the present invention include but are not limited to one or a combination of the following:

[0024] 1) The sensor is installed externally, and there is no need to open a mounting hole in the oil tank or reserve an internal fixing bracket, which simplifies the difficulty of casting the oil tank;

[0025] 2) The sensor has a full-scale observation window, which can observe the height of the lubricating oil level in real time while measuring the change in lubricating oil level capacitance. The sensor can be calibrated over the full range to correct the sensor's measurement value, thereby greatly improving the sensor's measurement accuracy;

[0026] 3) The sensor has a full-scale observation window. When there is a problem with the measurement value of the lubricating oil level sensor, the amount of lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank can still be accurately known;

[0027] 4) The sensor is installed externally and can fit the curved surface of the oil tank. It is easy to install and simplifies the subsequent inspection and maintenance of the sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The above and other features, properties and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are only examples and are not drawn to scale, and should not be used as a limitation on the actual scope of protection required by the present invention, wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor according to an embodiment.

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a sensor from another perspective of an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor and a lubricating oil tank combination according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following discloses various different implementations or embodiments of the subject technical solution. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of various elements and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] In addition, the use of "one embodiment", "an embodiment", and / or "some embodiments" means a certain feature, structure or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "one embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "one or more embodiments" mentioned twice or more in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present application can be appropriately combined.

[0034] The sensor introduced in the following embodiments is applied to a gas turbine engine. Taking a turbofan engine as an example, the sensor is applied to measure the state of lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank of the gas turbine engine, that is, it can measure the liquid level and temperature at the same time, but it is not limited to this. For example, it can also be a marine gas turbine engine, a ground gas turbine, etc. As long as the scenario needs to measure the state of lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank, the sensor in this case can be applied.

[0035] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the external lubricating oil level sensor 10 may include: an upper shell 110, with an electrode 111 of a capacitor built in; a lower shell 120, with another electrode 121 of a capacitor built in; wherein the electrodes 111, 121 are respectively connected to the electrical connector 140 through connecting wires 130a, 130b to output capacitance signals; when the sensor 10 is installed in the lubricating oil tank 20, the oil inlet 160 of the sensor is connected to the lower one-way valve 11 of the lubricating oil tank 20, and the oil outlet 170 of the sensor is connected to the upper one-way valve 12 of the lubricating oil tank 20.

[0036] When the upper check valve 12 and the lower check valve 11 are pushed open and the lubricating oil enters between the upper shell 110 and the lower shell 120, the capacitance of the sensor 10 changes due to the difference between the dielectric constant of the lubricating oil and the dielectric constant of the air. Thus, the lubricating oil level in the sensor can be measured, and according to the U-tube principle, the liquid level in the lubricating oil tank 20 is the same.

[0037] Specifically, a hole is opened at the bottom of the oil tank and a lower non-return valve 11 is installed, and the oil tank is kept sealed when the oil level sensor is not installed. A hole is opened at the top of the oil tank and an upper non-return valve 12 is installed, and the oil tank is kept sealed when the oil level sensor is not installed.

[0038] The lower one-way valve 11 of the lubricating oil tank is connected to the oil inlet 160 of the sensor, and the upper one-way valve 12 of the lubricating oil tank is connected to the oil outlet 170 of the sensor. After the lubricating oil level sensor is installed in place, the one-way valve is pushed open, and the lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil level sensor, forming a U-shaped tube structure with the lubricating oil tank.

[0039] In this way, the sensor can be installed externally on the oil tank 20 without opening a mounting hole in the oil tank, reserving an internal fixing bracket in the oil tank 20, or reserving a liquid level observation window in the oil tank, thereby simplifying the casting process of the oil tank 20.

[0040] It should be noted that the "no need to open a mounting hole in the oil tank" here refers to the mounting hole for installing the built-in sensor, whose hole diameter is between 50mm and 100mm. The holes for installing the lower check valve 11 and the upper check valve 12 described in the embodiment are both holes less than 10mm, which is of a different order of magnitude from the size of the mounting hole for installing the built-in sensor.

[0041] Preferably, an insulating material layer may be provided between the upper shell 110 and the lower shell 120 to separate them so as to reduce the volume.

[0042] In addition, preferably, the installation contact surface between the sensor 10 and the oil tank 20 may be a curved surface, so that it can fit the curved surface of the oil tank 20, further improving the stability of the installation structure.

[0043] Preferably, the sensor 10 may have a full-scale observation window 150, the length of which is at least greater than the specified oil range of the oil tank 20. The observation window 150 is located in the middle of the width direction of the sensor 10 and is generally made of transparent material.

[0044] like Figure 1 The lubricating oil shown in the figure enters the lubricating oil level sensor and forms a U-shaped tube structure with the lubricating oil tank. The lubricating oil level change can be observed through the lubricating oil observation window of the sensor. With the full-scale observation window, the height of the lubricating oil level can be manually observed in real time while measuring the change of the lubricating oil level capacitance. The sensor can be calibrated in full scale to correct the measured value of the sensor, thereby greatly improving the measurement accuracy of the sensor. That is, the height of the lubricating oil level can be directly observed through the transparent observation window on the sensor, which is convenient for observing the lubricating oil to determine the lubricating oil consumption before and after the engine is running. In addition, the height of the lubricating oil level can be simultaneously observed when adding lubricating oil and compared with the measured value of the sensor. The measurement accuracy of the sensor is improved by calibrating the liquid level measurement value.

[0045] As described above, the present invention also provides a method for measuring the state of lubricating oil in an oil tank, which adopts the sensor 10 introduced in the above embodiment, which is externally mounted and fixed on the lubricating oil tank 20, and the electronic controller obtains the liquid level of the lubricating oil inside the lubricating oil tank 20 through the capacitance signal of the sensor 10.

[0046] In some embodiments, while measuring by the electronic controller, any liquid level of the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank 20 within the measuring range can also be obtained through the observation window 150 .

[0047] As described above, the present invention further provides a gas turbine engine, including the sensor 10 described in the above embodiment. The sensor 10 is externally mounted on the lubricating oil tank 20 of the gas turbine engine, which can simplify the structure and processing of the lubricating oil tank and improve the measurement accuracy and reliability.

[0048] In summary, the beneficial effects of the sensor, gas turbine engine, and method for measuring the lubricating oil state in the oil tank described in the above embodiments include but are not limited to one or a combination of the following:

[0049] 1) The sensor is installed externally, and there is no need to open a mounting hole in the oil tank or reserve an internal fixing bracket, which simplifies the difficulty of casting the oil tank;

[0050] 2) The sensor has a full-scale observation window, which can observe the height of the lubricating oil level in real time while measuring the change in lubricating oil level capacitance. The sensor can be calibrated over the full range to correct the sensor's measurement value, thereby greatly improving the sensor's measurement accuracy;

[0051] 3) The sensor has a full-scale observation window. When there is a problem with the measurement value of the lubricating oil level sensor, the amount of lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank can still be accurately known;

[0052] 4) The sensor is installed externally and can fit the curved surface of the oil tank. It is easy to install and simplifies the subsequent inspection and maintenance of the sensor.

[0053] Although the present invention is disclosed as above with the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make possible changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiments according to the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sensor (10), It is characterized in that include: An upper shell (110) having an electrode (111) of a capacitor built therein; A lower shell (120) having another electrode (121) of a capacitor built therein; The electrodes (111, 121) are connected to an electrical connector (140) via connecting wires (130a, 130b) to output capacitance signals; when the sensor (10) is installed on an oil tank (20), an oil inlet (160) of the sensor is connected to a lower one-way valve (11) of the oil tank (20), and an oil outlet (170) of the sensor is connected to an upper one-way valve (12) of the oil tank (20).

2. The sensor (10) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The sensor (10) has a full-range observation window (150), and the length of the observation window (150) is at least greater than the specified range of the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil tank (20).

3. The sensor (10) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The sensor (10) is externally mounted on the lubricating oil tank (20).

4. The sensor (10) according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The installation contact surface of the sensor (10) is a curved surface, which is used to fit the curved surface of the lubricating oil box (20).

5. The sensor (10) according to claim 3, It is characterized in that After the sensor (10) is installed in place, the lower non-return valve (11) is pushed open, and the lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil level sensor (10), forming a U-shaped pipe structure with the lubricating oil tank.

6. The sensor (10) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that An insulating material layer is provided between the upper shell (110) and the lower shell (120) to separate them.

7. The sensor (10) according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The lubricating oil box where the sensor is installed has no fixed bracket reserved inside.

8. A gas turbine engine, It is characterized in that The method comprises a sensor (10) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The gas turbine engine according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The sensor (10) is externally arranged on the lubricating oil tank (20) of the gas turbine engine.

10. A method for measuring lubricating oil. It is characterized in that The sensor (10) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 is installed and fixed outside the lubricating oil tank (20), and the electronic controller obtains the liquid level of the lubricating oil inside the lubricating oil tank (20) through the capacitance signal of the sensor (10).

11. The measuring method according to claim 10, It is characterized in that By using the sensor (10) as claimed in claim 2, any liquid level of the lubricating oil inside the lubricating oil tank (20) within a measuring range can be obtained through the observation window (150).

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