Remote Oil Tank Filling Layout for Inaccessible Engine Cores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil tank filling systems for gas turbine engines are inadequate for locations where the oil tank is inaccessible, such as within the core engine of large turbofan engines, posing safety and efficiency concerns during maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An oil tank filling system with an oil access port on the aft core cowl and a filling pipe that uses gravitational force to fill the oil tank, optionally including a sight viewing glass for oil level indication and temperature/pressure sensors, and an oil pump for efficient filling, allowing remote filling without raising maintenance engineers above the engine core.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the oil tank is located within the core engine for compact design, then the engine packaging is improved, but the accessibility for maintenance engineers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The filling system is divided into separate components: an oil access port on the externally accessible aft core cowl, a filling pipe leading to the oil tank, and a sight viewing glass. This segmentation allows the oil tank to remain within the core engine for compact packaging while providing external access points for maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling pipe acts as an intermediary element, connecting the externally accessible oil access port to the internally located oil tank. This allows oil to be transferred from an accessible external location to the inaccessible internal location without requiring direct access to the tank itself.
2Device complexity
If maintenance engineers manually pour oil into the tank, then the filling process is simple, but the safety hazards increase due to accessing restricted areas
Solution Approach 1:
The filling pipe serves as a safe intermediary that allows oil to be delivered to the oil tank without requiring maintenance engineers to physically access the restricted area where the tank is located. The oil access port on the externally accessible aft core cowl enables filling operations to be performed from a safe external location.
3Volume of moving object
If the oil tank is located below outlet guide vanes for compact arrangement, then the space utilization is improved, but the access restrictions worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the oil storage function (tank below outlet guide vanes) from the oil filling function (access port on aft core cowl). This allows the tank to be optimally positioned for compact arrangement while the filling operation can be performed from an externally accessible location.
Solution Approach 2:
The filling pipe extends through three-dimensional space from the externally accessible aft core cowl to the internally located oil tank below the outlet guide vanes, utilizing the available spatial dimensions to bridge the access gap without compromising compact arrangement.
4Device complexity
If gravity-fed filling is used, then the system complexity is reduced, but the filling speed may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes gravity as the driving force for oil flow through the filling pipe, eliminating the need for active pumping during normal filling operations. This self-service approach reduces system complexity while maintaining adequate filling speed for maintenance requirements.
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 safe and efficient filling of oil tanks in inaccessible locations within the engine core, reducing hazards and improving maintenance efficiency by utilizing gravity-fed or pumped oil flow with visual and sensor-based monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
an oil tank filling pipe that leads from the oil access port to a tank filling port located at or adjacent the oil tank bottom; the system being configured so that oil that is supplied to the oil access port flows to and into the oil tank using gravitational force
Data Source
AI summary
An oil tank filling system for filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine that includes an aft core cowl. The system includes an oil tank that has an oil tank top and an oil tank bottom and is located within a core of the engine, an oil access port located on the aft core cowl, and an oil tank filling pipe that leads from the oil access port to a tank filling port located at or adjacent the oil tank bottom. The system is configured so that oil that is supplied to the oil access port flows to and into the oil tank using gravitational force. A method of filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine that includes the oil tank filling system.