US3797561A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oil tanks and coolers
Assignee: UK Secretary of State for Defence
•
Filing: 1971-09-20
•
Granted: 1974-03-19
•
Expires: 1991-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A ducted fan gas turbine engine has a flow splitter in the fan duct which is hollow to define an oil tank, and is double-walled to define a passage between the external wall of the oil tank and an outer wall. Hot oil is directed along the passage and the external surface of the flow splitter acts as a surface cooler in the relatively cool fan air flow. Direct communication is provided between the oil cooler passage and the interior of the tank thus minimising exterior pipework.
Inventors
- 👤 K Clark
- 👤 C Woodward
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:07
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D1/00; F28D1/02; F28D1/03; F28D1/0308; F01; F01D; F01D25/00; F01D25/18; F02; F02C; F02C7/00; F02C7/12; F02C7/14; F28F; F28F3/00; F28F3/12; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A gas turbine engine comprising a gas generator driving a compressor, a duct in which said compressor is disposed and along which air passing through the compressor flows, and an oil tank and cooler assembly, said assembly including an oil tank having an external wall, an outer wall which is spaced apart from said external wall to provide an oil cooling passage for the flow therethrough of oil in contact with said outer wall, and means defining passageways communicating between the oil cooling passage and the tank for returning cooled oil to the tank, said outer wall having an outer surface which is exposed to air flowing along the duct, ducting being provided for supplying oil from the tank to a location of use in the engine and for returning said oil from the location of use to the oil cooling passage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A gas turbine engine comprising a gas generator driving a compressor, a duct in which said compressor is disposed and along which air passing through the compressor flows, and an oil tank and cooler assembly, said assembly including an oil tank having an external wall, an outer wall which is spaced apart from said external wall to provide an oil cooling passage for the flow therethrough of oil in contact with said outer wall, and means defining passageways communicating between the oil cooling passage and the tank for returning cooled oil to the tank, said outer wall having an outer surface which is exposed to air flowing along the duct, ducting being provided for supplying oil from the tank to a location of use in the engine and for returning said oil from the location of use to the oil cooling passage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the engine is a ducted fan gas turbine engine, and the compressor is the fan of said engine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 2 and wherein a gear box is provided between the gas generator and the fan, means being provided for drivingly interconnecting the gas generator, the gear box and the fan.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said means defining passageways communicating between the oil cooling passage and the tank includes means for separating air from the oil in said oil cooling passage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
A gas turbine engine according to claim 1 and wherein the engine is a ducted fan gas turbine engine including a fan disposed in a duct, and an annular flow splitter disposed in the duct and dividing the duct into radially inner and outer flow paths, an annular oil tank being formed in the interior of the splitter and being surrounded on both the radially inner and radially outer sides by outer walls which define with the external walls of the oil tank annular oil cooling passages having outer surfaces exposed respectively to air flowing along the radially inner and outer flow paths.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the external wall of the oil tank is of corrugated form and the outer wall is connected to said external wall at the top portions of the corrugations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a by-pass system is provided whereby the hot oil returning from the location of use is fed directly into the tank.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 2 and wherein the duct contains a flow splitter , the oil tank is formed in the interior of the splitter and said outer wall of the oil tank and cooler assembly is exposed to the relatively cool air flowing down the duct.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 5 and wherein the oil tank and cooler assembly is disposed at the downstream end of the flow splitter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2428280A
Cited
US2830798A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |