Aeronautical Gear Assembly with Collector for Oil Interruption Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gear assemblies in gas turbine engines face lubrication interruptions, leading to potential gear and bearing failure, requiring additional auxiliary systems that need dedicated hardware and pre-flight preparations.
Innovation Solution
A gear assembly with a collector and recirculation channel that collects and recirculates lubricant during working conditions, allowing continuous lubrication during interruptions without external connections or additional parts, using a valve to manage lubricant flow between working and interruption conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If auxiliary lubrication systems are added to provide lubricant during interruption events, then gear and bearing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collector accumulates lubricant in advance during normal operation (when the primary lubrication system is functioning) so that lubricant is available during interruption events. This preliminary accumulation eliminates the need for complex auxiliary lubrication systems while ensuring gear and bearing protection during oil interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear assembly uses its own primary lubrication system to serve dual purposes: both lubricating during normal operation and providing lubricant during interruptions through the collector. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate auxiliary lubrication systems, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If auxiliary lubrication systems with dedicated hardware are implemented, then lubrication continuity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The collector is pre-filled with lubricant during normal operation, eliminating the need for pre-flight filling operations required by traditional auxiliary systems. This preliminary action ensures lubrication continuity during interruptions without adding operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages lubricant accumulation and distribution without requiring external connections or manual intervention. The gear assembly serves itself by using its primary lubrication system to both supply and store lubricant, eliminating the operational burden of managing separate auxiliary systems.
3Reliability
If pre-flight filling and discharging operations are required, then lubrication reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collector continuously accumulates lubricant during normal operation, eliminating the need for separate pre-flight filling operations. This ongoing preliminary action ensures lubricant availability during interruptions without requiring dedicated pre-flight time investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages its own lubricant supply without requiring external filling or discharging operations. The primary lubrication system serves dual purposes, eliminating the time-consuming pre-flight preparations associated with traditional auxiliary lubrication systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous lubrication of gears and meshes during lubrication system interruptions without additional parts or systems, ensuring reliability and reducing operational complexities.
Implementation Method 1
the flow of lubricant collected within the collector is continuously recirculated through the recirculation channel and out the second supply opening of the lubricant input portion via a relative velocity between the third gear and the carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A gear assembly for an aeronautical engine that includes a first gear disposed at a centerline axis of the gear assembly; a second gear coupled to the first gear in adjacent radial arrangement to form a first mesh between the first gear and the second gear; a third gear coupled to the second gear in adjacent radial arrangement to form a second mesh between the second gear and the third gear; a collector rotatably coupled with the third gear; and a lubricant input portion disposed between a portion of the first gear and the second gear such that a first supply opening of the lubricant input portion is directed at the first mesh between the first gear and the second gear. The first supply opening provides a flow of lubricant to the first mesh with a portion of the flow of lubricant is collected by the collector.