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EP-4735746-A1 - LUBRICATION/COOLING SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT, AND HYDRAULIC ENCLOSURE

EP4735746A1EP 4735746 A1EP4735746 A1EP 4735746A1EP-4735746-A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a lubrication/cooling system (100) for an aircraft, comprising: a first circuit (20), a second circuit (30), a third circuit (40) for circulating a lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13), a first pump (50) and a second pump (60) for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13), a first tank (70) and a second tank (80), and a first heat exchanger (90), wherein the first tank (70) and the second tank (80) are fluidically connected. Also disclosed are a hydraulic enclosure for such a system (100) as well as a turbine engine and an aircraft comprising such a system and/or such an enclosure.

Inventors

  • DEBAT, Alexandre Paul Raimond
  • ROBERT, OLIVIER
  • VIVE, Loïs Pierre Denis
  • APOSTIN, Lucie Stéphanie

Assignees

  • Safran Helicopter Engines

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (7)

  1. 1. Lubrication/cooling system (100) for an aircraft turbomachine comprising a gas turbine (9), a mechanical reducer (10) and an electric machine (12), the lubrication/cooling system (100) comprising: a first circuit (20) for circulating a lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) intended to be connected to a first inlet (14) and to a first outlet (15) for lubricating and/or cooling a gas turbine (9); a second circuit (30) for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) intended to be connected to a second inlet (16) and to a second outlet (17) for lubricating and/or cooling a mechanical reducer (10); a third circuit (40) for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) intended to be connected to a third inlet (18) and to a third outlet (19) for lubricating and/or cooling an electric machine (12); a first pump (50) for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) comprising a first suction port (51) for the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) and a first discharge port (52) for the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13); a second pump (60) for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) comprising a second suction port (61) for the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) and a second discharge port (62) for the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13); a first reservoir (70), called hot reservoir, of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) comprising a first deaeration volume (71) supplied by a fourth inlet (72) of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) as well as a first supply volume (73) connected to a fourth outlet (74) of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13); a second reservoir (80), called cold reservoir, of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) comprising a second deaeration volume (81) supplied by a fifth inlet (82) of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) as well as a second supply volume (83) connected to a fifth outlet (84) of lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13); a first heat exchanger (90) comprising a sixth inlet (91) and a sixth outlet (92) for lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13), wherein: the first circuit (20) connects the first discharge port (52) and the fourth inlet (72); the second circuit (30) connects the first discharge port (52) and the fourth inlet (72); the third circuit (40) connects the sixth outlet (92) and the fifth inlet (18); the fourth outlet (74) is fluidically connected to the second suction port (61); the fifth outlet (84) is fluidically connected to the first suction port (51); the sixth inlet (91) is fluidically connected to the second discharge port (62), the first supply volume (73) and the second supply volume (83) are fluidically connected.
  2. 2. A lubrication/cooling system (100) according to claim 1, comprising a third forcing pump (95) fluidically connecting the first supply volume (73) and the second supply volume (83).
  3. 3. Lubrication/cooling system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the first reservoir (70) and the second reservoir (80) are combined in the same interior volume (111) of a hydraulic enclosure (110) and are separated by a partition (112) extending into the interior volume (111).
  4. 4. Lubrication/cooling system (100) according to claim 3, in which the partition (112) and the hydraulic enclosure (110) are arranged to limit heat exchanges between the first reservoir (70) and the second reservoir (80), for example using a thermal insulator (115).
  5. 5. A lubrication/cooling method implementing a lubrication system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the following steps: transferring, using the second pump (60), the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) from the first reservoir (70) to the first heat exchanger (90); cooling and/or lubricating the electric machine (12) using the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) taken from the outlet of the first heat exchanger (90); collecting the oil at the outlet of the electric machine (12) in the second reservoir (80); transferring by means of the first pump (50) the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) from the second reservoir (80) to the gas turbine (9) and the mechanical reducer (10) for lubricating and/or cooling the gas turbine (9) and the mechanical reducer (10); transferring the lubricating and/or cooling fluid (13) from the first lubrication and/or cooling outlet of the gas turbine (9) and from the second lubrication and/or cooling outlet (17) of the mechanical reducer (10) to the first reservoir (70).
  6. 6. Turbomachine (1) comprising a lubrication/cooling system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
  7. 7. Aircraft comprising a turbomachine (1) according to claim 6.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE OF THE INVENTION Aircraft lubrication/cooling system and hydraulic enclosure TECHNICAL AREA The invention relates to lubrication/cooling devices for aircraft and more particularly to lubrication/cooling systems intended for the lubrication and cooling of turbomachines provided with an electric generator. STATE OF THE PRIOR ART Climate change is a major concern for many legislative and regulatory bodies around the world. Indeed, various restrictions on carbon emissions have been, are being or will be adopted by various states. In particular, an ambitious standard applies both to new types of aircraft but also to those in circulation requiring the implementation of technological solutions in order to make them compliant with current regulations. Civil aviation has been mobilizing for several years now to make a contribution to the fight against climate change. Technological research efforts have already made it possible to significantly improve the environmental performance of aircraft. The Applicant takes into consideration the impact factors in all phases of design and development to obtain less energy-intensive, more environmentally friendly aeronautical components and products whose integration and use in civil aviation have moderate environmental consequences with the aim of improving the energy efficiency of aircraft. Consequently, the Applicant is constantly working to reduce its negative climate impact by using methods and operating virtuous development and manufacturing processes that minimize emissions. greenhouse gases to the minimum possible to reduce the environmental footprint of its activity. This sustained research and development work covers new generations of aircraft engines, the weight reduction of aircraft, particularly through the materials used and the lighter on-board equipment, the development of the use of electrical technologies to provide propulsion, and, as an essential complement to technological progress, aeronautical biofuels. To this end, the invention is the result of technological research aimed at significantly improving the performance of aircraft and, in this sense, contributes to reducing the environmental impact of aircraft. In this respect, it should be recalled that conventional propulsion architectures of the turboshaft or turboprop type typically include two mechanical systems, namely the gas turbine and the power reducer. These two systems have technically different limitations concerning the operating temperatures of their respective lubrication circuits. The gas turbine alone contains only bearings and a chain of pinions driving the accessories necessary for its operation (typically: oil pump, fuel pump, FADEC alternator, starter generator, centrifugal oil separator): this assembly can operate with a first lubrication circuit whose oil temperatures are of the order of one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty degrees Celsius at the inlet and up to one hundred and eighty degrees Celsius at the outlet. The power reducer operates with a second lubrication circuit whose oil temperatures are around one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty degrees Celsius at the inlet and around one hundred and sixty degrees Celsius at the outlet. The oil pumped out of the two lubrication circuits is directed to an oil/air heat exchanger to be cooled before being discharged into a tank where it will be pumped again to supply the lubrication circuits. Although the two lubrication circuits have different supply and outlet temperatures, it is generally accepted to have only one oil-air type exchanger, because the oversizing generated remains acceptable. This is typically the case on helicopter turboshaft engines. For higher power machines and/or with a power reducer offering a higher reduction ratio, as is generally the case on turboprops, a second cooling system of the oil-fuel heat exchanger type can be added in order to ensure supercooling of part of the reducer lubrication circuit. In the case of a hybrid engine, a third subsystem appears which is an electric machine composed of power electronics and an electric motor/generator. This third system requires a third lubrication circuit whose oil temperatures are of the order of sixty to ninety degrees Celsius at the inlet and which then requires a dedicated heat exchanger due to the inlet and outlet temperatures being much lower than those of the other two circuits. Such an exchanger represents an additional cost and excess weight which negatively impacts the aircraft's performance in terms of fuel consumption. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION For this purpose, a lubrication/cooling system for an aircraft turbomachine is provided, comprising a first circuit for circulating a lubricating and/or cooling fluid intended to be connected to a first lubrication and/or cooling inlet and outlet of a gas turbine; a second circuit for circulating the lubricating and/or cooling fluid intended to be connected to a second lubr