Lubricant delivery apparatus

Abstract

A lubricant delivery apparatus includes a first input port; a first cavity having a first diameter and a first length; a first piston within the first cavity, separating the first cavity into a first chamber coupled to the first input port and configured to receive a first fluid and a second chamber storing a lubricant; first and second output ports coupled to the second chamber and supplying one or more venturis and check valves; a second cavity having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the first and second cavities being contiguous; and a second piston within the second cavity, separating the second cavity into a third chamber and a fourth chamber configured to receive a second fluid, the third chamber holding the lubricant and being contiguous with the second chamber.

Description

Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTLUBRICANT DELIVERY APPARATUSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

[0001] This application for patent claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 63 / 749,487, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on January 24, 2025, entitled “Lubricant Delivery Apparatus,” the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth below in its entirety and for all applicable purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Aspects described herein are generally related to lubrication systems associated with engines and are more particularly related to lubricant delivery apparatus associated with gas turbine engines.BACKGROUND

[0003] Engines, including gas turbine engines, include bearings that must be lubricated while in use. Many engines incorporate a lubrication delivery system that may include a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant sump, a lubricant circulating / recirculating pump to deliver lubricant from the reservoir to the bearings, one or more scavenging pumps that collect lubricant from the lubricant sump after the lubricant has passed over / around the bearings and drained to the lubricant sump, and may also include in-line filters and other devices that may remove air, water, fuel, and / or solid contaminants from the lubricant before depositing the scavenged lubricant from the lubricant sump back into the reservoir. The lubricant circulating / recirculating pump may be used to pressurize the lubricant system and force the lubricant from the reservoir to the bearings or to physically pump the lubricant from the reservoir to the bearings. Such lubrication pumps include those that are powered via an electric motor and those that are powered via a mechanical power transfer system, such as a belt or gear train coupled to a rotating engine shaft (e.g., a shaft in a gas turbine engine, a main shaft of the gas turbine engine).

[0004] Engine compartments of many engine powered vehicles have sufficient space for a dedicated lubrication system with its attendant one or more lubricant circulating / recirculating pump, one or more scavenging pumps, reservoir, sump, etc. However, not all engine powered vehicles or apparatus have sufficient space for all of the components of such a generic lubrication system. Examples of engine powered vehicles with limited space include but are not limited to missiles and drone vehicles (Including butAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTnot limited to aircraft ground vehicles). In some examples, a savings in weight, size, and / or cost achieved by eliminating the lubricant circulating / recirculating pump, scavenging pump(s), reservoir, sump, etc. may outweigh any benefit offered by use of such a dedicated lubricating system. In some examples, the allocated weight, size, and / or cost of a dedicated lubricating system may preclude the use of the dedicated lubricating system.

[0005] Engineers and scientists are continuing to conduct ongoing research in the use and development of different lubricants and lubricant delivery apparatus that may be optimized for use with engines such as but not limited to gas turbine engines. Optimization related to, among other things, size, weight, and cost is often sought.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the embodiments disclosed and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

[0007] According to one example, a lubricant delivery apparatus is described. The lubricant delivery apparatus includes a first input port; a first cylindrical cavity, defined by first sidewalls within a body of the lubricant delivery apparatus, the first cylindrical cavity having a first diameter and a first length; a slidable fluid-tight first piston slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity, separating the first cylindrical cavity into a first chamber coupled to the first input port and configured to receive a first fluid and a second chamber configured to store a lubricant; a first output port coupled to the second chamber and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices; a second output port coupled to the second chamber and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves; a second cylindrical cavity, defined by second sidewalls within the bodyof the lubricant delivery apparatus, having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity; and a slidable fluid-tight second piston slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity, separating the second cylindrical cavity into a third chamber and a fourth chamber configured to receive a second fluid, the third chamber holding the lubricant and being contiguous with the second chamber.

[0008] According to one example a lubricant delivery apparatus is described. The lubricant delivery apparatus includes a cylindrical cavity, defined by sidewalls within aAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTbody of the lubricant delivery apparatus, and having a first diameter and a first length; an end cap sealing the cylindrical cavity at a first end; a wall of the body sealing the cylindrical cavity at a second end; an input port; an output port; and a slidable fluid-tight plate slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity between the end cap and the wall, and separating the cylindrical cavity into a first chamber configured to receive a fluid via the input port and a second chamber configured to store a lubricant, the first chamber configured to be coupled to a source of pressure via the input port and configured to receive a fluid, the second chamber configured to store the lubricant and discharge the lubricant via the output port.

[0009] According to another example, a method of lubricant delivery is described. The method includes obtaining a command to start a gas turbine engine; activating a source of pressure in response to the obtaining the command; providing a fluid, under a pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a first chamber of a lubricant delivery apparatus, the first chamber separated from a second chamber by a slidable fluid-tight first piston, the first chamber receiving the fluid and the second chamber storing a lubricant; providing the fluid, under the pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a fourth chamber of the lubricant delivery apparatus, the fourth chamber separated from a third chamber by a slidable fluid-tight second piston, the fourth chamber receiving the fluid and the third chamber storing the lubricant; opening one or more check valves in response to a pressure exerted on the lubricant in the second chamber and the third chamber exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves and discharging the lubricant onto a plurality of bearings of a shaft of the gas turbine engine via the one or more check valves; closing the one or more check valves in response to completing a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston of the third chamber before the slidable fluid-tight first piston fully traverses the second chamber; rotating the shaft of the gas turbine engine, which rotates a compressor of the gas turbine engine; and dispensing a lubricant mist to the plurality of bearings via one or more venturi devices fed with the lubricant from the second chamber, in response to the source of pressure or a different source of pressure building volume, speed, or pressure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form an object of the specification, further illustrate the examples and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the aspects disclosed herein.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing representing a gas turbine engine 100 according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process of distributing a lubricant using a lubricant distributing apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process of distributing a lubricant using a lubricant distributing apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The particular values and configurations discussed in the following non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate one or more examples and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

[0021] Examples will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples disclosed herein can be modified within the scope of this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting; instead, these examples are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and fully convey the scope of the disclosure to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale. The relative size of the various components illustrated in each drawing are presented for ease of illustration and not intended to represent actual relative sizes of such components.

[0022] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing aAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTthorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some examples, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.

[0023] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0024] Throughout the specification and claims, terms may have nuanced meanings suggested or implied in context beyond an explicitly stated meaning. Likewise, the phrase “in one example” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same example and the phrase “in another example” as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different example. It is intended that the scope of disclosure may encompass subject matter of one or more examples in whole or in part.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0026] It will be understood that particular examples described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations. Aspects described herein can be employed in various examples without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific aspects and procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure and are covered by the claims.

[0027] The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and / or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and / or” (e.g., A and / or BAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTcontemplates A and B, or A, or B) unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and / or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the device, the method being employed to determine the value, or the variation that exists among the study subjects.

[0028] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

[0029] The term “or combinations thereof” as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof” is intended to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

[0030] All of the aspects disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the aspects have been described in terms of preferred examples, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the aspects described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the disclosure and claims. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0031] The rotational force delivered by a shaft of a gas turbine engine may be used in many applications including but not limited to electrical power generation and / or propulsion for manned and unmanned fixed wing and rotary wing aerial vehicles, hovercrafts, naval ships such as destroyers and cruisers, land and amphibious vehicles such as tanks and assault / transportation vehicles, and standalone electric generating equipment. However, in each of the preceding examples, most gas turbine engines usedAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTand designed for repeated uses, lengthy stretches of operation, and expectations of long life.

[0032] However, gas turbine engines may be used in association with expendable or attritable vehicles. As used herein, the words expendable and attritable may be interchangeably used to mean disposable; or may be used to describe something that may be lost or sacrificed without significant impact or used to describe something that is subject to attrition (e.g., the action or process of gradually wearing something down). These expendable or attritable vehicles include, but are not limited to, unmanned fixed and / or rotary winged aircraft that may be configured, for example, to deliver a weapon (i.e., an exploding device) or loiter for an extended period for purposes of surveillance and / or weapon or other delivery. Such vehicles are not necessarily large (like a helicopter, tank, or cruiser). Such vehicles may also have short lives. For example, a gas turbine engine utilized with a missile may be operated for a first time at the factory where it was manufactured to verify its performance, and then one more time when the missile is launched for practice or launched against a target.

[0033] The gas turbine engines used in applications related to such apparatus (e.g., missiles, one-time-use drones) may be referred to as small and low cycle. Here, the word “small” is to be understood in comparison to the word “large.” As one example, a small gas turbine engine used in an attritable vehicle has a physical size that is less than a large gas turbine engine used in a manned aircraft. The combination of the words “low cycle” is to be understood in comparison to “high cycle” and understood in terms of number of uses. For example, a low cycle gas turbine may be used once to test its performance and then one more time in support of the delivery of a warhead or other object to a target. In comparison, a high cycle gas turbine engine may be used dozens or hundreds of times and in some examples may be used in a total accumulation of 1,800 hours of operation before being inspected and again used dozens or hundreds of additional times in a total accumulation of 3,600 hours of operation before it is overhauled. To be clear, the examples of small low cycle gas turbine engines and large high cycle gas turbine engines are only examples. Other combinations of size and repetitions of use related to engines, including gas turbine engines (e.g., a small high cycle gas turbine engine may be used in a model aircraft) are within the scope of the disclosure.

[0034] All gas turbine engines, regardless of size and / or anticipated numbers of repetitions of use, require lubrication of their bearings. The bearings may support radial and longitudinal loads. The bearings may be used in assemblies, such as but not limited to, radial bearing assemblies, thrust bearing assemblies, or hybrid radial and thrustAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTcombination bearing assemblies. The lubrication of the bearings may facilitate a high speed rotation of, for example, and not limitation, a shaft of a gas turbine engine. The lubrication may also be needed to reduce (e.g., by reducing friction) or carry away heat generated by the high speed rotations of the bearings.

[0035] The lubrication should be present to ensure nominal operation of the bearings at least over a duration of a given mission. In examples of vehicles that utilize large gas turbine engines (such as, but not limited to, those found on turboprop passenger or military aircraft), the size of the compartment housing the engine, the overall weight that the vehicle can accommodate, and even the cost of the gas turbine engine may allow for a dedicated lubrication system. The dedicated lubrication system may include a lubricant reservoir, lubricant sump, lubricate circulating / recirculating pump, lubricant scavenger pumps, filters, separators, etc. However, as alluded to above, restrictions on weight, size, and cost imposed on, for example, small low cycle (sometimes attritable) gas turbine engines may prohibit the inclusion of such a dedicated lubrication system (e.g., ones that include a pump dedicated to circulating / recirculating the lubricant from a reservoir to the bearings, plus scavenger pumps in a sump, filters, and / or separators, etc.)

[0036] Nevertheless, a volume of lubricant must be carried (by any engine) that is large enough to supply lubricant throughout a given mission yet not so large as to limit mission range or altitude due to excessive weight of the lubricant and / or size of the container or containers (e.g., reservoir and sump) associated with the lubricant. In other words, a sufficient volume of lubricant should be carried to supply lubricant to the bearings throughout the mission while minimizing that volume of lubricant to save on weight, size, and / or cost.

[0037] Cold-start conditions of an engine may also present issues. For example, a given engine may require a lubricant stored at -40 degrees F or C to be supplied to the bearings at engine start-up (possibly with a preference to supply the lubricant before rotation of the shaft of the engine begins). Such cold-start and possibly pre-rotation aspects may be difficult to accommodate with unheated lubricant due to the high viscosity of the lubricant at cold temperatures. Furthermore, such cold-start and possibly prerotation aspects may be difficult to achieve without a dedicated lubricating system with its own circulating / recirculating pump, scavenger pumps, sump, etc.

[0038] An additional challenge may be that these small, low cycle gas turbine engines often have long storage requirements which may result in little or no lubricant film being present at some or all surfaces of the bearings at start-up. Such long storage requirements may mean that lubricant should be supplied to the bearings early in the startAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTsequence (e.g., as soon as possible, before or within the first few rotations of the shaft of the gas turbine engine) to prevent friction and heat generation that could cause premature bearing failure.

[0039] Described herein are exemplary lubricant delivery apparatus that may produce a maximal lubricant flow rate relative to a minimal overall system size, weight, and cost. Through additive manufacturing, a lubricant reservoir may be integrated into a compressor frame (e.g., into an axial and / or a centrifugal compressor frame). Such integration may minimize the cost and part count of a system utilizing the compressor with integrated lubricant reservoir. In some examples, a lubricant mist may be supplied to bearings at engine-representative DN values. In such examples, the lubricant mist, in cooperation with the bearings that met the engine-representative DN values, proved to provide an effective lubrication scheme. In the context of engine bearings and lubrication, "DN" refers to the DN factor or DN value, which is a parameter used to determine the appropriate lubricant viscosity for a specific bearing application. The DN value represents the product of the bearing's bore diameter (D) and the bearing's rotational speed (N).

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing representing a gas turbine engine 100 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The gas turbine engine 100 of FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of a complex apparatus. Representations of some components are presented for purposes of discussion and not limitation. Other components are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing. For example, while a single-sided single-stage centrifugal compressor (hereinafter referred to generically as the compressor 110) is graphically illustrated to save space in the drawing, double-sided and / or multi-stage centrifugal compressors, or other compressors including but not limited to axial compressors, are within the scope of the disclosure. Similarly, a two-stage turbine (referred to hereinafter as the turbine 124) is represented by two rotors, while the representations of their associated stators are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing. Any number of stages of turbine are within the scope of the disclosure. In FIG. 1 , the Z-axis extends from the right to the left and is parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the gas turbine engine 100. The Y-axis extends upward. The X-axis (not shown) extends out of the page.

[0041] The gas turbine engine 100 includes an outer casing 102. At a first side of the outer casing 102 is an inlet 104. At a second side of the outer casing 102, distal from the inlet 104, is an outlet 106. The outlet may be referred to as a nozzle. Inlet air 108 at ambient pressure is drawn into the inlet 104 and compressed by the compressor 110, represented generically as a centrifugal compressor for ease of illustration and not limitation. The compressed air exiting the compressor 110 is directed to a combustor 112,Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTwhich in the illustration of FIG. 1 is an annular combustor. The combustor 112 includes an outer liner 114 of an annulus and an inner liner 116 of the annulus.

[0042] Fuel from a fuel tank 118 is pumped by a fuel pump 120 to the combustor 112, where it is mixed with the compressed air from the compressor 110 and ignited by an ignitor 122. As used herein, the fuel pump 120 may be referred to as a source of pressure 120. Combustion of a fuel-air mixture occurs within a space defined by facing surfaces of the outer liner 114 and the inner liner 116 of the combustor 112. The combustion product, hot exhaust gasses (e.g., air, expanding gas, combustion product), may be applied to a plurality of turbine blades in one or more stages of the turbine 124. The blades of each stage of the turbine 124 are coupled to a shaft 126 of the gas turbine engine 100. The stators of the turbine 124 are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing. The hot expanding gas passes through the blades of the turbine 124, which are fixed to and therefore rotate with the shaft 126 in response to the force of the hot expanding gas. The hot expanding gas exits the outlet 106 of the gas turbine engine 100 as exhaust 128. The exhaust 128 produces thrust that may be used to move the gas turbine engine 100 forward (e.g., causes a translation of the gas turbine engine 100 along its longitudinal axis, parallel to the Z-axis, in a positive Z direction, from right to left). Additionally, or alternatively, the rotation of the shaft 126 may cause a propeller (not shown) to rotate. The propeller (not shown) may also produce thrust that may be used to move the gas turbine engine 100 forward.

[0043] The shaft 126 of the gas turbine engine 100 is also coupled to the compressor 110. The hot expanding air passing through the blades of the turbine 124 causes the blades to rotate the shaft 126. Rotating the shaft 126, which is coupled to the compressor 110, causes the compressor 110 to rotate. The rotation of the compressor 110 compresses more inlet air 108. The compressed inlet air 108 is directed to the combustor 112 where the compressed air is mixed with fuel pumped from the fuel tank 118 by the fuel pump 120 and ignited by the ignitor 122 (or the already burning fuel-air mixture in the combustor 112) causing hot expanding gas to pass through the blades of the turbine 124, which in turn rotates the shaft 126, which rotates the compressor 110, eventually in a continuous and self-sustaining manner (so long as fuel is supplied to the combustor 112 and the fuel-air mixture in the combustor 112 continues to bum).

[0044] The shaft 126 may rotate within rings of bearings, represented in FIG. 1 by a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132. The rings of bearings may be thrust bearings, radial bearings, or combinations of thrust and radial bearings. The first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 may beAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTdesigned to support high axial loads (e.g., along the Z-axis) and radial loads to facilitate the rotation of the shaft 126 within the rings of the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132. Details, such as bearing raceways or other bearing carrier structures and mechanical interfaces between the bearings and the gas turbine engine 100 are omitted to avoid cluttering the drawing. The first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 are represented as spheres (e.g., balls) for ease of illustration and not limitation. Any type of bearing, known to those persons having ordinary skill in the art, such as but not limited to ball bearings, roller bearings, needle bearings, tapered roller bearings, which may withstand the temperatures, axial loads, and radial loads of a given application in which the gas turbine engine 100 is used is within the scope of the disclosure.

[0045] In the example of FIG. 1, fuel 201 may be stored in the fuel tank 118 and pumped, under pressure, to the combustor 112 via the fuel lines 130 (represented by one fuel line for ease of illustration. Additionally, or alternatively, the fuel pump 120 may be used to pressurize the fuel tank 118, and force fuel stored in the fuel tank 118 out of the fuel tank 118 toward the combustor 112, or more particularly toward a fuel nozzle (not shown) in the combustor 112.

[0046] The fuel pump 120 may be controlled via signals received from a processing system 140. The processing system 140 may include one or more processors, represented by the processor 142, one or more memories, represented by the memory 144 (including but not limited to computer readable memory, working memory, and memory for storage of data and programs), and a user interface 146. The one or more processors 142, one or more memories 144, and user interface 146 may all be coupled to a bus 148. The fuel pump 120 may be controlled by signals carried by the bus 148. The one or more processors 142 may execute instructions stored on the one or more memories 144 to preform processes (e.g., methods) described herein.

[0047] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG.1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 200 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 requires no sump, no lubricant pump, and no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0048] The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 includes a body 202 having an exterior surface 204 of any shape (including any compound shape(s)) and a hollow interior that may be divided into a plurality of chambers, defined below, for ease of reference. At aAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTfirst end 251 of the body 202 is a first end cap 206. At a second end 252 of the body 202, distal from the first end of the body 202, is a second end cap 208.

[0049] In the drawings of FIG. 2 (and FIGs. 3-6 and 8), various channels 207, which are represented as rectangular or square features in cross-section, are configured to receive seals. The rectangular or square features are provided for the sake of discussion and not limitation. Other shaped features are within the scope of the disclosure. The seals received in the various channels 207 are not shown to prevent cluttering the drawings. Although the various channels 207 are present in FIGs. 2-6 and 8, they are only identified with a reference number in FIG. 2. The seals may be of any type known to persons having ordinary skill in the art. For example, the seals may have the shape of an O-ring with circular, square, rectangular, C, E, or U cross sections. For example, the seals may be manufactured from metal, rubber, polyurethane, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), with the specific material and shape chosen based on operating factors such as pressure, temperature, and fluid types (e.g., air, fuel, lubricant, etc.) involved in the realization of a hydraulic advantage and lubricant delivery to be achieved by the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 (300, 400, 600, 800) in any given application.

[0050] The first end cap 206 includes a first input port 210 (a first port, a first fitting). The first input port 210 may be configured to pass fuel 201 (or any fluid in liquid or gaseous form) from the fuel tank 118, through the first end cap 206 into a first chamber 212. The first chamber 212 may be bounded by an interior surface of the first end cap 206, the interior sidewalls (interior surface) of the body 202, and a first side / surface of a slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 (e.g., a cylindrical component that moves inside a cylinder, an object configured to slidably seal, close, or block an interior space of a cylinder, tube, or syringe, a plug). The fuel 201 may be forced into the first chamber 212 by the fuel pump 120.

[0051] On the opposing side of the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 (e.g., a second side / surface of the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214), there is a second chamber 224. The second chamber 224 leads to a third chamber 225. The third chamber 225 opens to the second chamber 224 on a first side and is terminated by the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 on a second side. The second chamber 224 comprises a lubricant reservoir 226. The third chamber 225 comprises a lubricant slug reservoir 228 (also referred to as an auxiliary lubricant region). A total volume of lubricant 203 stored in the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 includes a first volume of lubricant 203 within the lubricant reservoir 226 and a second volume of lubricant within the lubricant slug reservoir 228.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTThe first volume of lubricant 203 within the lubricant reservoir 226 is greater than the second volume of the lubricant 203 within the lubricant slug reservoir 228.

[0052] Using liquid fuel as an example, where the fuel 201 is incompressible, as more fuel 201 is forced into the first chamber 212 and pressed against the first side / surface of the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214, the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 slides (is pushed) to the right (i.e. , translates along the Z-axis in a negative Z-axis direction).

[0053] The second end cap 208 includes a second input port 216 (e.g., a second port, a second fitting). The second input port 216 may be configured to pass the same fuel 201 (or a different fluid) through the second end cap 208 into a fourth chamber 218. The fourth chamber 218 may be bounded by an interior surface (an interior side / surface) of the second end cap 208, the interior surface (e.g., the interior sidewalls) of the body 202, and a slidable fluid-tight plate 220, coupled to a piston rod 222 (e.g., a plunger shaft, a rod, a movable rod inside a cylinder 223) and a slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 (e.g., a cylindrical component that moves inside a cylinder, an object configured to slidably seal, close, or block an interior space of a cylinder, tube, or syringe, a plug).

[0054] In the example of FIG. 2, the fuel 201 flowing into the fourth chamber 218 is the same fuel 201 that is flowing into the first chamber 212. As more fuel 201 is forced into the fourth chamber 218 and pressed against the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, that slidable fluid-tight plate 220 and the piston rod 222 and the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 are forced to slide to the left (i.e., translates along the Z-axis in a positive Z-axis direction).

[0055] In the example of FIG. 2, the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 is adjacent to the fourth chamber 218 and has a first diameter that is substantially equal to that of the cylinder 223. The piston rod 222 has a second diameter that is substantially equal to the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 255. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter. A shoulder 221 (e.g., a discontinuity, a step, a shelf, a stop) exists at the margin between the larger first diameter of the cylinder 223 and the smaller second diameter of the cylinder 223 causing the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 to bottom on the shoulder 221 and preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 ( coupled to the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 via the piston rod 222) into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 225.

[0056] Given an equal pressure of the fuel 201 on both the first chamber 212 and the fourth chamber 218, and given a combined length of the piston rod 222 and the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 positions the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 in line with a common wall 253 between the second chamber 224 and the third chamber 225 as the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 contacts the shoulder 221, The slidable fluid-tight plate 220Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTwill reach the shoulder 221 before the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 reaches the common wall 253. This result occurs because the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 255 is less than the diameter of the first cylindrical cavity 254 (and at least in part because the length of the second cylindrical cavity 255 is less than the length of the first cylindrical cavity 254).

[0057] In the example of FIG. 2, the fluid provided to the first input port 210 and the second input port 216 is fuel 201 (represented by arrow-headed lines having black rounded arrowheads). The fuel 201 may be stored in the fuel tank 118 and pumped, under pressure, to the first input port 210 and the second input port 216 via the fuel pump 120 and the fuel lines 130. The fuel pump 120 may be controlled via signals received from a processing system 140. The processing system 140 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1. The description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0058] According to one aspect, the processing system 140 may be configured to execute a certain process upon receipt of a command to start the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG. 2. In response to receiving the command, among other things, the processing system 140 may output a signal causing the fuel pump 120 to turn on. By its operation, the fuel pump 120 pumps fuel 201 under pressure to the combustor 112, the first input port 210, and the second input port 216 via fuel lines 130.

[0059] The cylinder formed by the first chamber 212, bounded by the interior face of the first end cap 206, the first side / face of the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, and the sidewalls defined by the interior surfaces of the body 202 (adjacent to the first chamber 212) may be configured as a first hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder formed by the fourth chamber 218, bounded by the interior face of the second end cap 208, the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, and the sidewalls defined by the interior surfaces of the body 202 (adjacent to the fourth chamber 218) may be configured as a second hydraulic cylinder. Generally, a larger diameter hydraulic cylinder will extend slower than a smaller diameter hydraulic cylinder in response to both being charged with the same flow rate of hydraulic fluid. This result may be achieved because the larger hydraulic cylinder requires more fluid volume to move a piston a given distance compared to the smaller diameter hydraulic cylinder.

[0060] The hydraulic advantage obtained via use of the apparatus as described and illustrated herein (e.g., lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800 of FIGs. 2, 4, 6, and 8, and lubricant delivery apparatus 300 of FIGs. 3 and 5) or similar thereto may be leveraged by varying piston areas, allowing a specific pressure (e.g., a desired lubrication pressure) to be specified and obtained from a fixed source of pressure (e.g., pressureAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTexerted by fuel discharged from a fuel pump, by air discharged from a compressor, by compressed gas (stored in a gaseous or liquified form) discharged from a storage cylinder or cartridge, or by some other source of pressurized fluid / liquid / gas).

[0061] For example, if a lubricant drive pressure of 100 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) was desired, and a maximum source of pressure (e.g., compressor bleed air allowed) was 50 psia at aero design point (ADP), a 2:1 area ratio could be implemented to obtain the desired lubricant mist quality and flowrate. Similarly, if a lubricant drive pressure of 100 psia was again desired, and a maximum source of pressure (e.g., fuel pressure applied from a fuel pump) was 500 psia (e.g., a fixed 500 psia at ADP), a 1:5 area ratio could be implemented. Use of such a ratio could prevent rapid depletion of the lubricant supply (in view of the 500 psia source of pressure). Of course, the preceding examples are for illustration and not limitation. Furthermore, the preceding examples are simplified for ease of presentation and do not include various design parameters that may affect the realized drive pressure on the lubricant, such as drag force of seals, etc.

[0062] Furthermore, an ability to vary the drive pressure and orifice size allows for the lubricant mist quality and flow rate to be optimized. For example, a higher drive pressure with a smaller orifice may produce finer mist at a lower flow rate.

[0063] In the example of FIG. 2, the fourth chamber 218 will expand to a point where the bottom surface of the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 meets the shoulder 221 of the cylinder 223 that slidingly receives the slidable fluid-tight plate 220. At that point, the piston rod 222 will be fully received in the second cylindrical cavity 255 formed by the sidewalls of the lubricant slug reservoir 228. Because the volume of the lubricant reservoir 226 will not be reduced as quickly as the volume of the lubricant slug reservoir 228, a volume of lubricant equal to, or substantially equal to, the volume of lubricant within the lubricant slug reservoir 228 will be forced out of the second chamber 224 by the hydraulic forces exerted by the fuel 201 entering the second input port 216.

[0064] While some lubricant 203 may seep through an opening of the one or more venturi devices 231 via the first output port 230, a majority of the lubricant 203 exiting the second chamber 224 during a time when the piston rod 222 is plunging toward its stopping point within the lubricant slug reservoir 228 will be exiting the second chamber 224 via the second output port 232 and the one or more check valves 233.

[0065] The form of the lubricant 203 passing through the one or more check valves 233 and into the plurality of lubrication tubes, represented by the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242, will be a liquid form (e.g., in comparison to a mist form). A substantial amount of the liquid “slug” of lubricant will be forced throughAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTand out of the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242 by the pressure of fuel 201 applied to the first chamber 212 and the fourth chamber 218. The liquid lubricant will be applied to the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 as it is forced from the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242, respectively. Some liquid lubricant may remain in the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242. This “slug” of liquid lubricant is distributed among the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 at the beginning of the start sequence of the gas turbine engine 100. In some aspects, the lubricant may be distributed among the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 before the shaft 126 of the gas turbine engine 100 begins to rotate. In some aspects, the lubricant may be distributed among the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 while the shaft 126 of the gas turbine engine 100 begins to rotate from a non-rotating state.

[0066] In the example of FIG. 2, once the fourth chamber 218 has expanded to the point where the bottom surface of the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 meets the shoulder 221 of the cylinder 223 that slidingly receives the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, the pressure being exerted by the fuel 201 entering the first chamber 212 will not be great enough to actuate the one or more check valves 233. At that point, the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 may provide sufficient force to the lubricant 203 remining in the lubricant reservoir 226 such that the lubricant 203 may be drawn into the plurality of lubrication tubes by the venturi action of the mid-stage bleed air 205 passing over an opening (not shown) of the one or more venturi devices 231. The lubricant 203 drawn into the plurality of lubrication tubes via the one or more venturi devices 231 will be in a mist form. The mist of lubricant 203 will be applied to the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 as it is forced from the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242, respectively, by the pressure of the mid-stage bleed air 205. This mist of lubricant is distributed among the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 subsequent to the liquid lubricant. The mist of lubricant may be continuously applied to t the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 until the lubricant supply in the lubricant reservoir 226 (and the tubes leading to the one or more venturi devices 231 ) has been depleted.

[0067] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG.1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 300 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 requires no sump, no lubricant pump,Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTand no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0068] The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include a cylindrical cavity 354, defined by sidewalls within a body 302 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 300, having a first diameter and a first length. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include an end cap 306 sealing the cylindrical cavity 354 at a first end 351 , the second end 352 being sealed by a wall 305 of the body 302. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include an input port 310 and an output port 332. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include a slidable fluid-tight plate 304 (e.g., a cylindrical component that moves inside a cylinder, an object configured to slidably seal, close, or block an interior space of a cylinder, tube, or syringe, a plug) slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity 354 between the end cap 306 and the wall 305, and separating the cylindrical cavity 354 into a first chamber 312 and a second chamber 324, the first chamber 312 configured to be coupled to a fuel pump 120 via the input port 310 and configured to receive fuel 201, the second chamber 324 configured to store a lubricant 203, and discharge the lubricant 203 via the output port 332 to the one or more check valves 233. According to some aspects, the lubricant 203 may be a mixture of fuel 201 and oil. The mixture may be given in a ratio expressed (by way of example) as A / B, where A is a percentage of a total volume of fuel and B is a percentage of the total volume of oil (and / or other lubricant). For example, A=75 and B=25 could correspond to a 75 / 25 percent mixture of fuel (at 75% of the total volume) and oil and / or other lubricant (at 25% of the total volume). Of course, the preceding example is non-limiting. A broad range of mixtures of fuel / oil (fuel / lubricant) is within the scope of the disclosure.

[0069] According to some aspects, a fuel 201 supplied to the first chamber 312 via the input port 310 at a pressure exceeding a threshold pressure (e.g., 50 psia) of the one or more check valves 233 causes the discharge of the lubricant 203 from the second chamber 324 to a plurality of bearings (e.g., the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132) via the one or more check valves 233.

[0070] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG.1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 400 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 400 requires no sump, no lubricant pump, and no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0071] The lubricant delivery apparatus 400 is the same as or similar to the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2, the descriptionAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTof like referenced parts (each identified with a unique reference number) will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0072] In FIG. 4, the second input port 216 is no longer coupled to the fuel pump 120 (e.g., a first source of pressure) via fuel lines 130. Instead, the second input port 216 is coupled to a fluid storage cylinder 420(e.g., a second source of pressure). With the exception being that fuel 201 from the fuel tank 118 is replaced with a gas from the fluid storage cylinder 420, all aspects of FIG. 4 are present as described in FIG. 3.

[0073] The fluid storage cylinder 420may be, for example and without limitation, a cartridge, a cylinder, a hose supplying pressurized gas from a compressor (not shown) that is part of the infrastructure in which the gas turbine engine 100 including the lubricant delivery apparatus 400 is being prepared for use. The pressurized gas may be, for example and without limitation, compressed air, compressed carbon dioxide, or compressed nitrogen. The compressed gas may be in gaseous form or may be in a liquid form (e.g., turning into the gaseous form when released from a fuel storage cylinder).

[0074] The fluid storage cylinder 420 may be coupled to the second input port 216 via an appropriate gas tube 430 via a valve 406. The valve 406 may be opened (or closed) manually or electronically. If manually, the valve 406 may be coupled to a flag (not shown), which may remind a user to remove the flag and open the valve 406 before final preparation of the gas turbine engine 100 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 400 for a mission. If opened (or closed) electronically, a signal to open (or close) the valve 406 may be provided by the processing system 140. The signal may actuate a valve actuator device (not shown) (e.g., a solenoid) that would open (or close) the valve 406.

[0075] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG.1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 300 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 requires no sump, no lubricant pump, and no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 3, the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0076] In FIG. 5, the input port 310 is no longer coupled to the fuel pump 120 (e.g., a first source of pressure) via fuel lines 130. Instead, the input port 310 is coupled to a fluid storage cylinder 420 (e.g., a second source of pressure). With the exception being that fuel 201 from the fuel tank 118 is replaced with a gas from the compressed gas source, such as the fluid storage cylinder 420, all aspects of FIG. 5 are present as described in FIG. 3.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0077] The compressed gas source, such as the fluid storage cylinder 420, may be, for example and without limitation, a cartridge, a cylinder, a hose supplying pressurized gas from a compressor (not shown) that is part of the infrastructure in which the gas turbine engine 100 including the lubricant delivery apparatus 300 is being prepared for use. The pressurized gas may be, for example and without limitation, compressed air, compressed carbon dioxide, or compressed nitrogen. The compressed gas may be in gaseous form or may be in a liquid form (e.g., turning into the gaseous form when released from its cartridge or cylinder).

[0078] The compressed gas source, such as the fluid storage cylinder 420, may be coupled to the input port 310 via an appropriate gas tube 530 via a valve 506. The valve 506 may be opened (or closed) manually or electronically. If manually, the valve 506 may be coupled to a flag (not shown), which may remind a user to remove the flag and open the valve 506 before final preparation of the gas turbine engine 100 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 300 for a mission. If operated electronically, a signal to open (or close) the valve 506 may be provided by the processing system 140. the signal may actuate a valve actuator device (not shown) (e.g., a solenoid) that would open (or close) the valve 506.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG.1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 600 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 requires no sump, no lubricant pump, and no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0080] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 is the same as or similar to the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2, the description of like referenced parts (each identified with a unique reference number) will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0081] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may include a first cylindrical cavity 254, defined by first sidewalls within a body 602 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 600, having a first diameter and a first length. The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may include a slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity 254 separating the first cylindrical cavity 254 into a first chamber 212 and a second chamber 224, the first chamber 212 may be configured to be coupled to a fuel pump 120 and be pressurized by a fuel 201 associated with the fuel pump 120. The second chamber 224 may be configured to store a lubricant 203.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0082] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may include a first output port 230 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices 231 and a second output port 232 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to the one or more check valves 233.

[0083] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may include a second cylindrical cavity 655, defined by second sidewalls within the body 602 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 600, having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity 655 may be contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity 254.

[0084] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may include a slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 (e.g., a cylindrical component that moves inside a cylinder, an object configured to slidably seal, close, or block an interior space of a cylinder, tube, or syringe, a plug) slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity 655 separating the second cylindrical cavity 655 into a third chamber 625 and a fourth chamber 218, the third chamber 625 holding the lubricant 203 and being contiguous with the second chamber 224, the fourth chamber 218 configured to be coupled to the fuel pump 120 via a second input port 216 and be pressurized by the fuel 201.

[0085] Instead of the shoulder 221 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2, the lubricant delivery apparatus 600 includes a slidable fluid-tight second piston 619. The slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 incorporates at least part of a structure of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2. However, for reliability and alignment, the slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 includes two O-rings.

[0086] The lubricant delivery apparatus 600 may also include a shoulder 604 at a location internal to the body 602 where a step change between the first diameter and the second diameter is present, the shoulder 604 may be configured to preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 625.

[0087] According to some aspects, the shoulder 604 may include at least one of: a ledge protruding inward from and around a circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the interrupted ledge reducing the diameter of the second cylindrical cavityAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTbetween fingers of the interrupted ledge, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the interrupted ledge reducing the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity between fingers of the interrupted ledge adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0088] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process 700 (e.g., a method) of distributing a lubricant using a lubricant distributing apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure. The process 700 may be carried out using any of the lubricant apparatus of FIGs. 2-6 and 8 according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0089] At block 702 a command to start a gas turbine engine is obtained. The gas turbine engine may be similar to the gas turbine engine 100 as shown and described in connection with FIGs. 1-6 and 8. The command to start the gas turbine engine may be obtained from a processing system similar to the processing system 140 as shown and described in connection with any of FIGs. 1 -6 and 8. The command to start the gas turbine engine may be obtained from a user interface 146 of the processing system similar to the user interface 146 of the processing system 140 as shown and described in connection with any of FIGs. 1-6 and 8.

[0090] At block 704, in response to obtaining the command to start a gas turbine engine, a source of pressure may be activated. According to some examples, the source of pressure may be a fuel pump, such as the fuel pump 120 and / or the fluid storage cylinder 420 as shown and described in connection with FIGs. 4 and 5, of the gas turbine engine that discharges pressurized fuel, a compressor of the gas turbine engine that discharges compressed air, a cylinder or cartridge associated with of the gas turbine engine that discharges a pressurized gas (stored in gas or liquid form)) in response to obtaining the command. The compressor may be the same as or similar to the compressor 110 as shown and described in connection with any of FIG. 1-6 and 8. The cylinder or cartridge may be the same as or similar to the fluid storage cylinder 420 as shown and described in connection with any of FIGs. 4 and 5.

[0091] At block 706, a fluid (in gas or liquid state), under a pressure provided by the source of pressure, may be provided to a first chamber of a lubricant delivery apparatus. In one example, the fluid may be a fuel, and the fuel and fuel pump may be the same as or similar to the fuel 201 and fuel pump 120, respectively, as shown and described in connection with any of FIG. 1 -6 and 8. The first chamber may be separated from a secondAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTchamber by a slidable fluid-tight first piston, such as the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2. The first chamber may receive the fluid, and the second chamber may store the lubricant. The second chamber may be coupled to a first output port and a second output port, such as the first output port 230 and the second output port 232 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2. The first output port may be coupled to one or more venturi devices, such as the one or more venturi devices 231 (represented by one venturi device to avoid cluttering the drawing). The second output port may be coupled to one or more check valves, such as the one or more check valves 233 (represented by one check valve to avoid cluttering the drawing). The first chamber, second chamber, slidable fluid-tight first piston, first output port, second output port, one or more venturi devices and one or more check valves may be the same as or similar to any of the first chamber 212, the second chamber 224, the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214, the first output port 230, the second output port 232, the one or more venturi devices 231, and the one or more check valves 233 as shown and described in connection with any of FIGs. 1-6 and 8.

[0092] At block 708, the fluid, under the pressure provided by the source of pressure (e.g., the fuel pump, the compressor, the cylinder, or cartridge), may be provided to a fourth chamber of the lubricant delivery apparatus. In the one example, the fluid may be the fuel, and the fuel and fuel pump may be the same as or similar to the fuel 201 and fuel pump 120, respectively, as shown and described in connection with any of FIG. 1-6 and 8. The fourth chamber may be separated from a third chamber by a slidable fluid-tight second piston. The fourth chamber may receive the fluid, and the third chamber may store lubricant. The third chamber may be contiguous with the second chamber and be in fluid communication with the second chamber. The second chamber and slidable fluid-tight first piston may be larger in all aspects of diameter, length, and volume to the third chamber and slidable fluid-tight second piston and slidable fluid-tight plate. The third chamber, fourth chamber, and slidable fluid-tight second piston may be the same as or similar to any of the third chamber 225, 625, fourth chamber 218, and slidable fluid-tight second piston 619, respectively, as shown and described in connection with any of FIGs.1-6 and 8.

[0093] At block 710, opening one or more check valves in response to a pressure exerted on the lubricant in the second and third chambers exceeding a threshold pressure of a check valve and discharging the lubricant onto bearings of a shaft of the gas turbine engine via the open check valve. A first volume of lubricant discharged from the one or more check valves will be equivalent to the volume of lubricant in the third chamberAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTbecause the smaller diameter slidable fluid-tight second piston or slidable fluid-tight plate will complete their respective traversals of the third chamber prior to the relatively larger slidable fluid-tight first piston completes its traversal of the second chamber.

[0094] At block 712, closing the one or more check valves in response to completing the traversal by the slidable fluid-tight second piston of the third chamber before the slidable fluid-tight first piston fully traverses the second chamber. Under this condition, the pressure exerted against the lubricant in the second chamber will no longer exceed the threshold pressure of the one or more check valves.

[0095] At block 714, the shaft of the gas turbine engine may rotate, which rotates a compressor of the gas turbine engine.

[0096] At block 716, dispensing a lubricant mist to the plurality of bearings via one or more venturi devices fed with lubricant from the second chamber, in response to the source of pressure or a different source of pressure (e.g., a mid-stage bleed air from the compressor) building volume, speed, or pressure. The dispensing of the lubricant mist continues as long as there is adequate drive pressure applied to the lubricant in the second chamber and as long as lubricant remains in the second chamber. Thereafter, the process may end.

[0097] FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing representing the gas turbine engine 100 of FIG. 1 including a lubricant delivery apparatus 800 according to some aspects of the disclosure. The lubricant delivery apparatus 800 requires no sump, no lubricant pump, and no scavenger pumps. The gas turbine engine 100 was shown and described in connection with FIG. 1 , the description will not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0098] The lubricant delivery apparatus 800 is the same as or similar to the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 2, the description of like referenced parts (each identified with a unique reference number) will not be repeated for the sake of brevity. In general, like reference numbers in FIGs. 1-6 and 8 refer to the same or similar features, the descriptions of which may not be repeated for the sake of brevity.

[0099] The gas turbine engine 100 includes one or more venturi devices 231, one or more check valves 233, and a mid-stage bleed air coupling 802 that couples the midstage bleed air tube 244 to the first input port 210 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 800 via a first pressure line 804 (e.g., the mid-stage bleed air tube 244).

[0100] According to some aspects, a source of pressure, namely the compressor 110 and more specifically the mid-stage bleed air 205 from the compressor 110, provides a fluid to the first input port 210. In this example, the fluid is the mid-stage bleed air 205.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0101] Accordingly, upon being turned on, the fuel pump 120 provides fuel 201 to the second input port 216 via the fuel lines 130. The fuel pump 120 also provides fuel 201 to the ignitor 122. The pressure applied to the fuel 201 by the fuel pump 120 forces the lubricant 203 stored in the lubricant slug reservoir 228 of the third chamber 225 (or a volume of lubricant equivalent to the volume of lubricant in the third chamber 225) to exit the second output port 232 and open a check valve of the one or more check valves 233 in response to a pressure exerted on the lubricant in the second chamber 224 and the third chamber 225 exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves 233 and discharge the lubricant 203 onto at least the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 that rotatably support the shaft 126 of the gas turbine engine 100 via the open check valve of the one or more check valves 233.

[0102] As the shaft 126 rotates the compressor 110, the pressure of the mid-stage bleed air 205 grows, and begins to force the slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 toward the common wall 253. Once the third chamber 225 is emptied of lubricant 203, the pressure on the one or more check valves 233 is reduced below the predetermined threshold pressure and the one or more check valves 233 closes. Thereafter, the lubricant 203 flows from the first output port 230 to and through the one or more venturi devices 231 , creating a mist of lubricant 203 that is supplied to at least the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132. the lubricant mist is supplied to at least the first plurality of bearings 131 and the second plurality of bearings 132 as long as there is adequate pressure provided by the mid-stage bleed air 205 and lubricant remains in the lubricant reservoir 226 of the second chamber 224.

[0103] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process 900 (e.g., a method) of distributing a lubricant using a lubricant distributing apparatus according to some aspects of the disclosure. The process 900 may be carried out using any of the lubricant distributing apparatus of FIGs. 2-6 and 8 according to some aspects of the disclosure.

[0104] At block 902, a command for pressure to be released from a source of pressure, such as, but not limited to a fuel pump, a compressor providing mid-stage bleed air, or another source.

[0105] At block 904, a predetermined amount of lubrication is sent to a plurality of bearings, in response to obtaining the command for pressure to be released. The predetermined amount of lubrication sent to the plurality of bearings allows a start sequence of an engine (e.g., a gas turbine engine) to begin or continue without risk of damaging the plurality of bearings.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0106] At block 906, in association with the start sequence of the engine beginning or continuing, a drive pressure (e.g., exhibited by a pressurized fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid)) begins to build. The pressure may be provided by a source of pressure such as, but not limited to a fuel pump, a compressor providing mid-stage bleed air, or another source.

[0107] At block 908, a check valve may be opened once a certain drive pressure is reached.

[0108] At block 910, a lubricant mist is produced, as a result of the drive pressure being applied to a reservoir of the lubricant coupled to an orifice and sent to the plurality of bearings for continued operation. Operation continues as long as there is adequate drive pressure applied to the reservoir of the lubricant and as long as lubricant remains in the lubricant reservoir. Thereafter, the process may end.

[0109] In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, an element, any portion of an element, or any combination of elements may be implemented with a processing system (e.g., 140, FIGs. 2-6 and 8) that includes one or more processors (e.g., 142, FIGs.2-6 and 8) and one or more memories (e.g., 144, FIGs. 2-6 and 8). The one or more processors may be configured to, individually or collectively, based at least in part on information stored in one or more memories, and additionally or alternatively stored in one or more computer readable media, may implement any one or more of the methods or processes described herein and illustrated, for example, in FIGs. 1-9.

[0110] Now, in more detail, a lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800, such as those described above and shown in FIGs. 2, 4, 6, and 8, may include: a first input port 210; a first cylindrical cavity 254, defined by first sidewalls within a body 202, 602 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800, the first cylindrical cavity 254 having a first diameter and a first length; a slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity 254, separating the first cylindrical cavity 254 into a first chamber 212 coupled to the first input port and configured to receive a first fluid and a second chamber 224 configured to store a lubricant 203; a first output port 230 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices 231 ; a second output port 232 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves 233; a second cylindrical cavity 255, defined by second sidewalls within the body 202, 602 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800, having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity 255 being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity 254; and a slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, 619 slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavityAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT255, separating the second cylindrical cavity 255 into a third chamber 225 and a fourth chamber 218 configured to receive a second fluid, the third chamber 225 holding the lubricant 203 and being contiguous with the second chamber 224.

[0111] In the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800 of FIGs. 2, 4, 6, and 8, the second diameter and the first diameter may be: selected to provide a predetermined hydraulic advantage, or selected in accordance with a predetermined ratio, and selected to drive the lubricant toward a plurality of bearings in proportion to a pressure applied to at least one of: the first chamber 212 or the fourth chamber 218.

[0112] In some examples, the first fluid and the second fluid are one fluid (e.g., fuel 201 or liquified or pressurized gas 209). The first chamber 212 may be configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure 120 via the first input port 210 and may be pressurized by the one fluid, and the fourth chamber 218 may be configured to be coupled to the first source of pressure 120 via a second input port 216 and be pressurized by the one fluid.

[0113] In some examples, the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, 619 may have a first end proximate to the second chamber 224 and a second end including a slidable fluid-tight plate 220 proximate to the third chamber 225. In these examples, either the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, 619 has: a stepped outer diameter wherein the first end has a first outer diameter that is substantially equal to the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 655 and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 has a second outer diameter that is greater than the first outer diameter, or a nonstepped outer diameter wherein first end has the first outer diameter and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 has first outer diameter.

[0114] According to some aspects, the lubricant delivery apparatus 400 may also include a fluid storage cylinder 420 configured to store the second fluid 209 and a valve 406 coupled to and between the fluid storage cylinder 420 and the second input port 216. In these examples, the first chamber 212 may be configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure 120 via the first input port 210 and may be pressurized by the first fluid 201 associated with the first source of pressure 120, and the fourth chamber 218 may be configured to be coupled to the fluid storage cylinder 420 via the valve 406 and the second input port 216 and be pressurized by a second fluid 209 stored in the fluid storage cylinder 420. The second fluid may initially (e.g., before a start of the gas turbine engine or at the start of the gas turbine engine) be a gas in a liquid state or a gaseous state.

[0115] With respect to the lubricant delivery apparatus 800 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 8, the lubricant delivery apparatus 800 may also include a mid-stageAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTbleed air coupling 802 configured to couple to mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the mid-stage bleed air coupling 802 corresponding to the first source of pressure and the mid-stage bleed air corresponding to the first fluid. According to some aspects, the first chamber 212 may be configured to be coupled to the mid-stage bleed air coupling 802 via the first input port 210 and may be pressurized by the midstage bleed air, and the fourth chamber 218 may be configured to be coupled to a second source of pressure 120 via the second input port 216 and may be pressurized by a second fluid 201 associated with the second source of pressure 120.

[0116] In some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 800 as shown and described in connection with FIGs. 2, 4, and 8, may also include a step change increase in diameter forming a shoulder 221 within the second cylindrical cavity 255, a first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 proximate to the second chamber 224, a slidable fluid-tight plate 220, and a piston rod 222 coupled between the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 and the slidable fluid-tight plate 220. The slidable fluid-tight plate 220 may be adjacent to the fourth chamber 218 and may have a diameter causing the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 to bottom on the shoulder 221 and preclude a traversal of the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 225.

[0117] In some examples, the shoulder 604 may include at least one of: a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity 255 and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity 255, the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 255 adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity 255, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity 255, the interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 255 between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity 255 adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0118] In some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 600 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 6, may include a shoulder 604 at a location internal to the body 602, the shoulder 604 may be configured to preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 625. The shoulder 604 may be formed of at least one of: a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity 655 and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity 655, the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindricalAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTcavity 655 adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity 655, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity 655, the interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity 655 between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity 655 adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0119] In some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800 of FIGs.2, 4, 6, and 8 may include one or more check valves 233 and one or more venturi devices 231. The one or more check valves 233 and one or more venturi devices 231 may be included with a gas turbine engine, but may still be considered as being included with, or component parts of, the lubricant delivery apparatus.

[0120] In some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800 of FIGs.2, 4, 6, and 8 may be configured to: supply the lubricant from the second chamber 224 and the third chamber 225, 625 to a plurality of bearings (e.g., a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1) via the one or more check valves 233 in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the third chamber 225, 625 following an activating of the source of pressure 120 (where the source of pressure may alternatively be the fluid storage cylinder 420) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, and supply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices 231 as the shaft reaches an operating speed and mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices 231.

[0121] According to some aspects, lubricant from the one or more check valves 233 and the one or more venturi devices 231 may both be delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

[0122] According to some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 300 of FIG. 3 and 5 may include a cylindrical cavity 354, defined by sidewalls within a body 302 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 300. The cylindrical cavity 354 may have a first diameter and a first length. The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include an end cap 306 sealing the cylindrical cavity 354 at a first end 351 , may include a wall 305 of the body 302 sealing the cylindrical cavity 354 at a second end 352, may include an input port 310 and an output port 332. According to some aspects, the lubricant delivery apparatus 300 may include a slidable fluid-tight plate 304 slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity 354Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTbetween the end cap 306 and the wall 305, and separating the cylindrical cavity 354 into a first chamber 312 configured to receive a fluid via the input port 310 and a second chamber 324 configured to store a lubricant 303, the first chamber 312 configured to be coupled to a source of pressure via the input port 310 and configured to receive a fluid, the second chamber 324 configured to store the lubricant 303 and discharge the lubricant 303 via the output port 332.

[0123] In some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 300 as shown and described in connection with FIGs. 3 and 5 may also include one or more check valves 233, where the fluid received at the first chamber 312 via the input port 310 at a pressure exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves 233 causes the discharge of the lubricant 203 from the second chamber 324 via the one or more check valves 233. The lubricant 303 may be discharged to a plurality of bearings (e.g., a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1). In some examples, the lubricant 303 may be a mixture of fuel 201 and oil.

[0124] In general, the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, 400, 600, 800 as shown and described in connection with FIGs. 2, 4, 6, and 8 may be configured to: supply the lubricant from the second chamber 224 and the third chamber 225, 625 to a plurality of bearings (e.g., a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1) via the one or more check valves 233 in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the third chamber 225, 625 following an activating of the source of pressure 120 (where the source of pressure may alternatively be the fluid storage cylinder 420) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, and supply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices 231 as the shaft reaches an operating speed and mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices 231. The lubricant from the one or more check valves 233 and the one or more venturi devices 231 may both be delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

[0125] According to some examples, the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 includes a first cylindrical cavity 254, defined by first sidewalls within a body 202 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, the first cylindrical cavity 254 having a first diameter and a first length. A slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 is slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity 254, separating the first cylindrical cavity 254 into a first chamber 212 and a second chamber 224, the first chamber 212 is configured to be coupled to a source of pressure (e.g., a fuel pump 120, a compressor 110, a fluid storage cylinder 420) and be pressurizedAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTby a fluid (e.g., fuel 201, mid-stage bleed air 205, compressed air, compressed gas, liquified or pressurized gas) associated with the source of pressure, and the second chamber 224 is configured to store a lubricant 203. A first output port 230 is coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices 231. A second output port 232 is coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves 233. A second cylindrical cavity 255, defined by second sidewalls within the body 202 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, has a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity 255 being contiguous with (touching along a boundary) the first cylindrical cavity 254. A slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 is slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity 255 separating the second cylindrical cavity 255 into a third chamber 225 and a fourth chamber 218, the third chamber 225 holding the lubricant 203 and being contiguous with the second chamber 224, the fourth chamber 218 configured to be coupled to the source of pressure (e.g., the fuel pump 120, the compressor 110, the fluid storage cylinder 420) via a second input port 216 and be pressurized by the fluid (e.g., fuel 201, mid-stage bleed air 205, compressed air, compressed gas, liquified or pressurized gas).

[0126] The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 may also include a shoulder 221 (FIGs. 2, 4, 8), 604 (FIG. 6) (e.g., a discontinuity, a step, a shelf, a stop) at a location internal to the body 202, the shoulder 221 , 604 may be configured to preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 225, 625. In the example of FIGs. 2, 4, 8, the shoulder 221 may be where a step change between the first diameter and the second diameter is present. In the example of FIG. 6, the shoulder 604 may be between the second chamber 224 and the third chamber 625.

[0127] In some examples, the shoulder 604 may include at least one of: a ledge protruding inward from and around a circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the interrupted ledge reducing the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0128] In some examples, the second cylindrical cavity 255 may have a step change increase in diameter forming a shoulder 221 within the second cylindrical cavity 255, and the lubricant delivery apparatus 200 may also include the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, and a piston rod 222 coupled between the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 and the slidable fluid-tight plate 220. The slidable fluid-tight plate 220 may be adjacent to the fourth chamber 218 and may have a diameter causing the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 to bottom on the shoulder 221 and preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, coupled to the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 via the piston rod 222, into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 225.

[0129] The second chamber 224 has two output ports; a first output port 230 and a second output port 232. Both the one or more venturi devices 231 and the one or more check valves 233 are configured to pass a lubricant 203 from the second chamber 224 to a plurality of lubricant delivery tubes, represented by a first lubricant delivery tube 240 and a second lubricant delivery tube 242. Lubricant, in liquid form and in mist form is delivered to the first plurality of bearings 131 via the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and delivered to the second plurality of bearings 132 via the second lubricant delivery tube 242. According to some aspects, the first lubricant delivery tube 240 and the second lubricant delivery tube 242 may be hypodermic lines. The plurality of lubricant delivery tubes may be pressurized with mid-stage bleed air 205 (represented by arrow-headed lines with white arrow heads) produced by the compressor 110 and distributed via one or more mid-stage bleed air tubes represented by a mid-stage bleed air tube 244.

[0130] Of course, in the above examples, the circuitry included in the one or more processors is merely provided as an example. Other means for carrying out the described processes or functions may be included within various aspects of the present disclosure, including but not limited to the instructions stored in the one or more memories, or any other suitable apparatus or means described in any one of the FIGs. 1-6 and 8, utilizing, for example, the processes described herein in relation to FIGs. 7 and / or 9.

[0131] The following provides an overview of aspects of the present disclosure:

[0132] Aspect 1 : A lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), comprising: a first input port (210); a first cylindrical cavity (254), defined by first sidewalls within a body (202, 602) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), the first cylindrical cavity (254) having a first diameter and a first length; a slidable fluid-tight first piston (214) slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity (254), separating the first cylindrical cavity (254) into a first chamber (212) coupled to the first input port and configured to receive a first fluid and a second chamber (224) configured to store a lubricant (203); aAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTfirst output port (230) coupled to the second chamber (224) and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices (231); a second output port (232) coupled to the second chamber (224) and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves (233); a second cylindrical cavity (255), defined by second sidewalls within the body (202, 602) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity (255) being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity (254); and a slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity (255), separating the second cylindrical cavity (255) into a third chamber (225) and a fourth chamber (218) configured to receive a second fluid, the third chamber (225) holding the lubricant (203) and being contiguous with the second chamber (224).

[0133] Aspect 2: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of aspect 1 , wherein the second diameter and the first diameter are: selected to provide a predetermined hydraulic advantage, or selected in accordance with a predetermined ratio, and selected to drive the lubricant toward a plurality of bearings in proportion to a pressure applied to at least one of: the first chamber (212) or the fourth chamber (218).

[0134] Aspect 3: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 600) of aspect 1 or aspect 2, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are one fluid; the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure (120) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the one fluid, and the fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to the first source of pressure (120) via a second input port (216) and be pressurized by the one fluid.

[0135] Aspect 4: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 600) of any of aspects 1 through 3 wherein the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) has a first end proximate to the second chamber (224) and a second end including a slidable fluid-tight plate (220) proximate to the third chamber (225), and either the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) has: a stepped outer diameter wherein the first end has a first outer diameter that is substantially equal to the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) has a second outer diameter that is greater than the first outer diameter, or a non-stepped outer diameter wherein the first end has the first outer diameter and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) has the first outer diameter.

[0136] Aspect 5: The lubricant delivery apparatus (400) of any of aspects 1 through 4, further comprising: a fluid storage cylinder (420) configured to store the second fluidAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT(209); a valve (406) coupled to and between the fluid storage cylinder (420) and a second input port (216), wherein: the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure (120) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the first fluid (201) associated with the first source of pressure (120), and the fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to the fluid storage cylinder (420) via the valve (406) and the second input port (216) and be pressurized by a second fluid (209) stored in the fluid storage cylinder (420).

[0137] Aspect 6: The lubricant delivery apparatus (400) of aspect 5, wherein the second fluid is initially a gas in a liquid state or a gaseous state.

[0138] Aspect 7: The lubricant delivery apparatus (800) of any of aspects 1 through 6, further comprising: a mid-stage bleed air coupling (802) configured to couple to mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the mid-stage bleed air coupling (802) corresponding to a first source of pressure and the mid-stage bleed air corresponding to the first fluid, wherein: the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to the mid-stage bleed air coupling (802) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the mid-stage bleed air, and the fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to a second source of pressure (120) via a second input port (216) and be pressurized by the second fluid (201) associated with the second source of pressure (120).

[0139] Aspect 8: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 800) of any of aspects 1 through 7, further comprising: a step change increase in diameter forming a shoulder 221 within the second cylindrical cavity 255; a first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 proximate to the second chamber (224); a slidable fluid-tight plate (220); and a piston rod (222) coupled between the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219) and the slidable fluid-tight plate (220), the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) being adjacent to the fourth chamber (218) and having a diameter causing the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) to bottom on the shoulder (221 ) and preclude a traversal of the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219) into the second chamber (224) from the third chamber (225).

[0140] Aspect 9: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 800) of aspect 8, wherein the shoulder (604) comprises at least one of: a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (255) and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity (255), the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (255) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity (255), from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (255),Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTthe interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (255) between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity (255) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0141] Aspect 10: The lubricant delivery apparatus (600) of any of aspects 1 through 9, further comprising a shoulder (604) at a location internal to the body (602), the shoulder (604) configured to preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (619) into the second chamber (224) from the third chamber (625).

[0142] Aspect 11: The lubricant delivery apparatus (600) of aspect 10, wherein the shoulder (604) comprises at least one of: a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (655) and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity (655), the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) adjacent to a step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity (655), from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (655), the interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity (655) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0143] Aspect 12: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of any of aspects 1 through 11, further comprising: one or more check valves (233); and one or more venturi devices (231 ), wherein the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) is configured to: supply the lubricant from the second chamber (224) and the third chamber (225, 625) to a plurality of bearings via the one or more check valves (233) in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the third chamber (225, 625) following an activating of a source of pressure (120, 420) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, and supply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices (231) as the shaft reaches an operating speed and mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices (231 ).

[0144] Aspect 13: The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of aspect 12, wherein the lubricant from the one or more check valves (233) and the one or more venturi devices (231) are both delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0145] Aspect 14: A lubricant delivery apparatus (300), comprising: a cylindrical cavity (354), defined by sidewalls within a body (302) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (300), and having a first diameter and a first length; an end cap (306) sealing the cylindrical cavity (354) at a first end (351 ); a wall (305) of the body (302) sealing the cylindrical cavity (354) at a second end (352); an input port (310); an output port (332); and a slidable fluid-tight plate (304) slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity (354) between the end cap (306) and the wall (305), and separating the cylindrical cavity (354) into a first chamber (312) configured to receive a fluid via the input port (310) and a second chamber (324) configured to store a lubricant (303), the first chamber (312) configured to be coupled to a source of pressure (120) via the input port (310) and configured to receive a fluid, the second chamber (324) configured to store the lubricant (303) and discharge the lubricant (303) via the output port (332).

[0146] Aspect 15: The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of aspect 14, further comprising one or more check valves (233), wherein the fluid received at the first chamber (312) via the input port (310) at a pressure exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves (233) causes the discharge of the lubricant (203) from the second chamber (324) via the one or more check valves (233).

[0147] Aspect 16: The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of aspect 14 or aspect 15, wherein the lubricant (303) is discharged to a plurality of bearings (e.g., a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1).

[0148] Aspect 17: The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of any of aspect 14 through aspect 16, wherein the lubricant (303) is a mixture of fuel (201) and oil.

[0149] Aspect 18: The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of any of aspects 14 through 17, further comprising: one or more check valves (233); and one or more venturi devices (231), wherein the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) is configured to: supply the lubricant from the second chamber (224) to a plurality of bearings (e.g., a first plurality of bearings 131 and a second plurality of bearings 132 as shown and described in connection with FIG. 1) via the one or more check valves (233) in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the second chamber (224) following an activating of the source of pressure (120) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, and supply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices (231 ) as the shaft reaches an operating speed and mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices (231 ).Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0150] Aspect 19: The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of aspect 18, wherein the lubricant from the one or more check valves (233) and the one or more venturi devices (231) are both delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

[0151] Aspect 20: A method of lubricant delivery, comprising: obtaining a command to start a gas turbine engine; activating a source of pressure in response to the obtaining the command; providing a fluid, under a pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a first chamber of a lubricant delivery apparatus, the first chamber separated from a second chamber by a slidable fluid-tight first piston, the first chamber receiving the fluid and the second chamber storing a lubricant; providing the fluid, under the pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a fourth chamber of the lubricant delivery apparatus, the fourth chamber separated from a third chamber by a slidable fluid-tight second piston, the fourth chamber receiving the fluid and the third chamber storing the lubricant; opening one or more check valves in response to a pressure exerted on the lubricant in the second chamber and the third chamber exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves and discharging the lubricant onto a plurality of bearings of a shaft of the gas turbine engine via the one or more check valves; closing the one or more check valves in response to completing a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston of the third chamber before the slidable fluid-tight first piston fully traverses the second chamber; rotating the shaft of the gas turbine engine, which rotates a compressor of the gas turbine engine; and dispensing a lubricant mist to the plurality of bearings via one or more venturi devices fed with the lubricant from the second chamber, in response to the source of pressure or a different source of pressure building volume, speed, or pressure.

[0152] Aspect 21: A lubricant delivery apparatus 200, comprising: a first cylindrical cavity 254, defined by first sidewalls within a body 202 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, having a first diameter and a first length; a slidable fluid-tight first piston 214 slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity 254 separating the first cylindrical cavity 254 into a first chamber 212 and a second chamber 224, the first chamber 212 configured to be coupled to a source of pressure (e.g., a fuel pump 120, a compressor 110, a fluid storage cylinder 420) and be pressurized by a fluid (e.g., fuel 201, mid-stage bleed air 205, compressed air, compressed gas, liquified or pressurized gas) associated with the source of pressure, the second chamber 224 configured to store a lubricant 203; a first output port 230 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices 231; a second output port 232 coupled to the second chamber 224 and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves 233; a second cylindrical cavityAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT255, defined by second sidewalls within the body 202 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 200, having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity 255 being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity 254; and a slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity 255 separating the second cylindrical cavity 255 into a third chamber 225 and a fourth chamber 218, the third chamber 225 holding the lubricant 203 and being contiguous with the second chamber 224, the fourth chamber 218 configured to be coupled to the source of pressure (e.g., the fuel pump 120, the compressor 110, the fluid storage cylinder 420) via a second input port 216 and be pressurized by the fuel 201.

[0153] Aspect 22: The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 of aspect 21 , further comprising a shoulder 604 at a location internal to the body 202 where a step change between the first diameter and the second diameter is present, the shoulder 604 configured to preclude a traversal of a slidable fluid-tight second piston 619 into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 625.

[0154] Aspect 23: The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 of aspect 22, wherein the shoulder 604 comprises at least one of: a ledge protruding inward from and around a circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter, an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity, from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity, the interrupted ledge reducing the diameter of the second cylindrical cavity between fingers of the interrupted ledge, or one or more bar joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

[0155] Aspect 24: The lubricant delivery apparatus 200 of any of aspects 21 through 23, wherein the second cylindrical cavity 255 has a step change increase in diameter forming a shoulder 221 within the second cylindrical cavity, and the lubricant delivery apparatus further comprises: the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, a slidable fluid-tight plate 220, and a piston rod 222 coupled between the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 and the slidable fluid-tight plate 220, the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 being adjacent to the fourth chamber 218 and having a diameter causing the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 to bottom on the shoulder 221 and preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219, coupled to the slidable fluid-tight plate 220 via the piston rod 222, into the second chamber 224 from the third chamber 225.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0156] Aspect 25: The lubricant delivery apparatus of any of aspects 21 through 24, further comprising: a first source of pressure (e.g., the fuel pump 120) coupled to the first chamber and a second source of pressure (e.g., the fluid storage cylinder 420) coupled to the fourth chamber, the fourth chamber configured to be pressurized by a gas in the compressed gas source.

[0157] Aspect 26: The lubricant delivery apparatus of aspect 25, further comprising: a valve 406 between the fluid storage cylinder 420 and the fourth chamber 218, wherein the valve 406 is operated manually or electronically.

[0158] Aspect 27: A lubricant delivery apparatus 300, comprising: a cylindrical cavity 354, defined by sidewalls within a body 302 of the lubricant delivery apparatus 300, having a first diameter and a first length; an end cap 306 sealing the cylindrical cavity 354 at a first end 351 , a second end 352 being sealed by a wall 305 of the body 302; an input port 310; an output port 332; and a slidable fluid-tight plate 304 slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity 354 between the end cap 306 and the wall 305, and separating the cylindrical cavity 354 into a first chamber 312 and a second chamber 324, the first chamber 312 configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure (e.g., a fuel pump 120) or a second source of pressure (e.g., fluid storage cylinder 420) via the input port 310 and configured to receive a fluid (e.g., fuel 201, mid-stage bleed air 205, compressed air, compressed gas, liquified or pressurized gas), the second chamber 324 configured to store a lubricant 203, and discharge the lubricant 203 via the output port 332 to one or more check valves 233, wherein the fluid received at the first chamber 312 via the input port 310 at a pressure exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves 233 causes the discharge of the lubricant 203 from the second chamber 324 to a plurality of bearings via the one or more check valves 233.

[0159] Aspect 28: The lubricant delivery apparatus 300 of aspect 27, wherein the lubricant 203 is a mixture of fuel 201 and oil.

[0160] Aspect 29: A system, comprising: a lubricant delivery apparatus, comprising: a first cylindrical cavity, defined by first sidewalls within a body of the lubricant delivery apparatus, having a first diameter and a first length, a slidable fluid-tight first piston within the first cylindrical cavity separating the first cylindrical cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber configured to be coupled to a source of pressure and be pressurized by a fluid associated with the source of pressure, the second chamber configured to store a lubricant, first output port coupled to the second chamber and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices, a second output port coupled to the second chamber and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves, and aAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTsecond cylindrical cavity, defined by second sidewalls within the body of the lubricant delivery apparatus, having a second diameter and a second length, the second cylindrical cavity being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity, the second cylindrical cavity having a slidable fluid-tight second piston within the second cylindrical cavity separating the second cylindrical cavity into a third chamber and a fourth chamber, the third chamber holding the lubricant and being contiguous with the second chamber, the fourth chamber configured to be coupled to the source of pressure or a different source of pressure and be pressurized by the fluid or a different fluid, respectively; and a gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor (such as an axial compressor and / or a centrifugal compressor) coupled to a shaft, the shaft rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings, wherein the lubricant delivery apparatus is configured to: supply the lubricant from the second chamber and the third chamber to the plurality of bearings via the one or more check valves in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the third chamber following an activating of the source of pressure and prior to a rotation of the shaft, and supply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices as the shaft reaches an operating speed and mid-stage bleed air from the compressor is passed over the one or more venturi devices.

[0161] Aspect 30: The system of aspect 29, wherein the lubricant from the one or more check valves and the one or more venturi devices are both delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

[0162] Aspect 31 : The system of aspect 29 or 30, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter and the second length is less than the first length.

[0163] Aspect 32: The system of any of aspects 29 through 31 , wherein the second diameter and the first diameter are selected to provide a predetermined hydraulic advantage, or selected in accordance with a predetermined ratio, and selected to drive the lubricant toward the plurality of bearings in proportion to a pressure applied to at least one of the first chamber or the fourth chamber.

[0164] Aspect 33: The system of any of aspects 29 through 32, wherein the second length is less than the first length.

[0165] Aspect 34: A lubricant delivery apparatus, comprising: a body divided into a plurality of internal chambers, the body having a first bore at a first end, a second bore at a second end distal from the first end and an intermediate bore between and contiguous with the first bore and the second bore, the first bore having a first diameter, the second bore having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and the intermediate bore having a third diameter smaller than the first diameter and the second diameter, each ofAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTthe first bore, the second bore, and the intermediate bore defined by sidewalls of respective interior surfaces of the body; a wall lying in a first plane corresponding to a first step change between the first diameter of the first bore and the third diameter of the intermediate bore; a shoulder lying in a second plane corresponding to a second step change between the third diameter of the intermediate bore and the second diameter of the second bore; a first end cap sealing the first bore at the first end; a slidable fluid-tight first piston within the first bore between the first end cap and the wall, the slidable fluid-tight first piston dividing the first bore into a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber configured to store a first volume of a lubricant; a slidable fluid-tight second piston within the intermediate bore; a slidable fluid-tight plate within the second bore; a piston rod coupled between the slidable fluid-tight second piston and the slidable fluid-tight plate, wherein a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight plate causes a same traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston; a third chamber configured to store a second volume of the lubricant between the wall and the slidable fluid-tight second piston, the second chamber in fluid communication with the third chamber; a second end cap sealing the second bore at the second end; and a fourth chamber defined between the slidable fluid-tight plate and the second end cap, wherein an equal pressure applied to a first fluid in the first chamber and the first fluid in the fourth chamber causes a discharge of a preoperational volume of the lubricant stored in the second chamber and the third chamber, the preoperational volume of the lubricant substantially similar to the second volume.

[0166] Aspect 35: A double-barreled lubrication delivery device, comprising: a first hollow barrel defined within first internal sidewalls of the first hollow barrel and between a first inlet wall and a common wall distal from the first inlet wall, the first hollow barrel having a first diameter; a slidable fluid-tight first piston slidingly received within the first hollow barrel and separating the first hollow barrel into a first chamber configured to receive a hydraulic fluid and a second chamber configured to store a lubricant; a slidable fluid-tight second piston having a second diameter, a slidable fluid-tight plate having a third diameter larger than the second diameter, and a piston rod coupled to and between the slidable fluid-tight piston and the slidable fluid-tight plate; a second hollow barrel defined within second internal sidewalls of the second hollow barrel and between the common wall and a shoulder wall distal from the common wall, the second hollow barrel being contiguous with the first hollow barrel, the second hollow barrel having the second diameter that is less than the first diameter of the first hollow barrel and a length that is less than that of the first hollow barrel, the slidable fluid-tight second piston slidinglyAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTreceived within the second hollow barrel and separating the second hollow barrel into a third chamber and a piston rod chamber; a third hollow barrel being contiguous with the second hollow barrel, the third hollow barrel having the third diameter less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter, the slidable fluid-tight plate slidingly received within the third hollow barrel and separating the third hollow barrel into the piston rod chamber and a fourth chamber configured to receive the hydraulic fluid; one or more venturi devices coupled to the second chamber; and one or more check valves coupled to the second chamber, wherein an application of an equal pressure to the hydraulic fluid in the first chamber and the fourth chamber, greater than a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves, discharges an amount of the lubricant corresponding to substantially a volume of the third chamber from the one or more check valves before the lubricant begins to be atomized by the one or more venturi devices.

[0167] Aspect 36: A method of lubricant delivery, comprising: obtaining a command to start a gas turbine engine; activating a source of pressure in response to the obtaining the command; providing a fluid under a pressure from the source of pressure to a first chamber of a lubricant delivery apparatus, the first chamber separated from a second chamber by a slidable fluid-tight first piston, the first chamber receiving the fluid and the second chamber storing a lubricant; providing the fluid under the pressure from the source of pressure to a fourth chamber of the lubricant delivery apparatus, the fourth chamber separated from a third chamber by a slidable fluid-tight second piston, the fourth chamber receiving the fluid and a third chamber storing the lubricant; opening one or more check valves in response to the slidable fluid-tight first piston and the slidable fluid-tight second piston or the slidable fluid-tight plate being forced to traverse under equal pressure applied to the first chamber and the fourth chamber, wherein the pressure of the lubricant in the second chamber and the third chamber exceeds a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves and the lubricant is discharged from the one or more check valves onto a plurality of bearings supporting a shaft of the gas turbine engine; closing the one or more check valves in response to completing the traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston or the slidable fluid-tight plate of the third chamber before the slidable fluid-tight first piston fully traverses the second chamber; rotating the shaft of the gas turbine engine, which rotates a compressor of the gas turbine engine; and dispensing a lubricant mist to the plurality of bearings via one or more venturi devices fed with the lubricant from the second chamber, in response to the source of pressure (e.g., a fuel pump) or a second source of pressure (e.g., a mid-stage bleed air from the compressor) building volume, speed, pressure.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT

[0168] Aspect 37: A lubricant delivery apparatus as described above and shown in the drawings appended hereto.

Claims

Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTCLAIMSWhat is Claimed Is:

1. A lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), comprising:a first input port (210);a first cylindrical cavity (254), defined by first sidewalls within a body (202, 602) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), the first cylindrical cavity (254) having a first diameter and a first length;a slidable fluid-tight first piston (214) slidingly received within the first cylindrical cavity (254), separating the first cylindrical cavity (254) into a first chamber (212) coupled to the first input port and configured to receive a first fluid and a second chamber (224) configured to store a lubricant (203);a first output port (230) coupled to the second chamber (224) and configured to be coupled to one or more venturi devices (231 );a second output port (232) coupled to the second chamber (224) and configured to be coupled to one or more check valves (233);a second cylindrical cavity (255), defined by second sidewalls within the body (202, 602) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800), having a second diameter and a second length, the second diameter being less than the first diameter and the second length being less than the first length, the second cylindrical cavity (255) being contiguous with the first cylindrical cavity (254); anda slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) slidingly received within the second cylindrical cavity (255), separating the second cylindrical cavity (255) into a third chamber (225) and a fourth chamber (218) configured to receive a second fluid, the third chamber (225) holding the lubricant (203) and being contiguous with the second chamber (224).

2. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of claim 1 , wherein the second diameter and the first diameter are:selected to provide a predetermined hydraulic advantage, orselected in accordance with a predetermined ratio, andselected to drive the lubricant toward a plurality of bearings in proportion to a pressure applied to at least one of: the first chamber (212) or the fourth chamber (218).

3. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 600) of claim 1 , whereinAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTthe first fluid and the second fluid are one fluid;the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure (120) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the one fluid, andthe fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to the first source of pressure (120) via a second input port (216) and be pressurized by the one fluid.

4. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 600) of claim 1 wherein the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) has a first end proximate to the second chamber (224) and a second end including a slidable fluid-tight plate (220) proximate to the third chamber (225), and either the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219, 619) has:a stepped outer diameter wherein the first end has a first outer diameter that is substantially equal to the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) has a second outer diameter that is greater than the first outer diameter, ora non-stepped outer diameter wherein the first end has the first outer diameter and the second end including the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) has the first outer diameter.

5. The lubricant delivery apparatus (400) of claim 1 , further comprising:a fluid storage cylinder (420) configured to store the second fluid (209); a valve (406) coupled to and between the fluid storage cylinder (420) and a second input port (216), wherein:the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to a first source of pressure (120) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the first fluid (201) associated with the first source of pressure (120), andthe fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to the fluid storage cylinder (420) via the valve (406) and the second input port (216) and be pressurized by a second fluid (209) stored in the fluid storage cylinder (420).

6. The lubricant delivery apparatus (400) of claim 5, wherein the second fluid is initially a gas in a liquid state or a gaseous state.

7. The lubricant delivery apparatus (800) of claim 1 , further comprising:a mid-stage bleed air coupling (802) configured to couple to mid-stage bleed air from a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the mid-stage bleed air coupling (802)Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTcorresponding to a first source of pressure and the mid-stage bleed air corresponding to the first fluid, wherein:the first chamber (212) is configured to be coupled to the mid-stage bleed air coupling (802) via the first input port (210) and be pressurized by the mid-stage bleed air, andthe fourth chamber (218) is configured to be coupled to a second source of pressure (120) via a second input port (216) and be pressurized by the second fluid (201 ) associated with the second source of pressure (120).

8. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 800) of claim 1 , further comprising:a step change increase in diameter forming a shoulder 221 within the second cylindrical cavity 255;a first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston 219 proximate to the second chamber (224);a slidable fluid-tight plate (220); anda piston rod (222) coupled between the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219) and the slidable fluid-tight plate (220), the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) being adjacent to the fourth chamber (218) and having a diameter causing the slidable fluid-tight plate (220) to bottom on the shoulder (221) and preclude a traversal of the first end of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (219) into the second chamber (224) from the third chamber (225).

9. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 800) of claim 8, wherein the shoulder (604) comprises at least one of:a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (255) and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity (255), the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (255) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter,an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity (255), from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (255), the interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (255) between fingers of the interrupted ledge, orone or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity (255) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT10. The lubricant delivery apparatus (600) of claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder (604) at a location internal to the body (602), the shoulder (604) configured to preclude a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston (619) into the second chamber (224) from the third chamber (625).

11. The lubricant delivery apparatus (600) of claim 10, wherein the shoulder (604) comprises at least one of:a ledge, protruding inward from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (655) and around a circumference of the second cylindrical cavity (655), the ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) adjacent to a step change between the first diameter and the second diameter,an interrupted ledge protruding inward from and staggered around the circumference the second cylindrical cavity (655), from interior walls of the second cylindrical cavity (655), the interrupted ledge reducing the second diameter of the second cylindrical cavity (655) between fingers of the interrupted ledge, orone or more bars joining opposing edges of the second cylindrical cavity (655) adjacent to the step change between the first diameter and the second diameter.

12. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of claim 1, further comprising:one or more check valves (233); andone or more venturi devices (231), wherein the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) is configured to:supply the lubricant from the second chamber (224) and the third chamber (225, 625) to a plurality of bearings via the one or more check valves (233) in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the third chamber (225, 625) following an activating of a source of pressure (120, 420) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, andsupply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices (231) as the shaft reaches an operating speed and midstage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices (231).Attorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCT13. The lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) of claim 12, wherein the lubricant from the one or more check valves (233) and the one or more venturi devices (231) are both delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

14. A lubricant delivery apparatus (300), comprising: a cylindrical cavity (354), defined by sidewalls within a body (302) of the lubricant delivery apparatus (300), and having a first diameter and a first length;an end cap (306) sealing the cylindrical cavity (354) at a first end (351); a wall (305) of the body (302) sealing the cylindrical cavity (354) at a second end (352);an input port (310);an output port (332); anda slidable fluid-tight plate (304) slidingly received within the cylindrical cavity (354) between the end cap (306) and the wall (305), and separating the cylindrical cavity (354) into a first chamber (312) configured to receive a fluid via the input port (310) and a second chamber (324) configured to store a lubricant (303), the first chamber (312) configured to be coupled to a source of pressure (120) via the input port (310) and configured to receive a fluid, the second chamber (324) configured to store the lubricant (303) and discharge the lubricant (303) via the output port (332).

15. The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of claim 14, further comprising one or more check valves (233), wherein the fluid received at the first chamber (312) via the input port (310) at a pressure exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves (233) causes the discharge of the lubricant (203) from the second chamber (324) via the one or more check valves (233).

16. The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of claim 14, wherein the lubricant (303) is discharged to a plurality of bearings.

17. The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of claim 14, wherein the lubricant (303) is a mixture of fuel (201) and oil.

18. The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of claim 14, further comprising:one or more check valves (233); andAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTone or more venturi devices (231), wherein the lubricant delivery apparatus (200, 400, 600, 800) is configured to:supply the lubricant from the second chamber (224) to a plurality of bearings via the one or more check valves (233) in an amount substantially corresponding to a volume of the lubricant in the second chamber (224) following an activating of the source of pressure (120) and prior to a rotation of a shaft of a gas turbine engine, andsupply the lubricant to the plurality of bearings as a lubricant mist produced by the one or more venturi devices (231) as the shaft reaches an operating speed and midstage bleed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine is passed over the one or more venturi devices (231).

19. The lubricant delivery apparatus (300) of claim 18, wherein the lubricant from the one or more check valves (233) and the one or more venturi devices (231) are both delivered to the plurality of bearings via a common hypodermic line.

20. A method of lubricant delivery, comprising:obtaining a command to start a gas turbine engine;activating a source of pressure in response to the obtaining the command; providing a fluid, under a pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a first chamber of a lubricant delivery apparatus, the first chamber separated from a second chamber by a slidable fluid-tight first piston, the first chamber receiving the fluid and the second chamber storing a lubricant;providing the fluid, under the pressure provided by the source of pressure, to a fourth chamber of the lubricant delivery apparatus, the fourth chamber separated from a third chamber by a slidable fluid-tight second piston, the fourth chamber receiving the fluid and the third chamber storing the lubricant;opening one or more check valves in response to a pressure exerted on the lubricant in the second chamber and the third chamber exceeding a threshold pressure of the one or more check valves and discharging the lubricant onto a plurality of bearings of a shaft of the gas turbine engine via the one or more check valves;closing the one or more check valves in response to completing a traversal of the slidable fluid-tight second piston of the third chamber before the slidable fluid-tight first piston fully traverses the second chamber;rotating the shaft of the gas turbine engine, which rotates a compressor of the gas turbine engine; andAttorney Docket No. BEEHI-1042PCTdispensing a lubricant mist to the plurality of bearings via one or more venturi devices fed with the lubricant from the second chamber, in response to the source of pressure or a different source of pressure building volume, speed, or pressure.

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