Oil Deoxygenation for Higher Temperature Stability

The maximum temperature at which turbine lubricating oils may operate is limited by the process of chemical oxidation, which occurs at temperatures between about 350-400F. One technique that may be used to delay the onset of oxidative breakdown is to deoxygenate the oil before heating occurs. In Phase I we proposed and tested the key components of PODS, Phyre’s Oil Deoxygenation System, that is capable of performing online deoxygenation of turbine oils. This system is capable of reducing the dissolved oxygen content of oils in real time to of order 0.1% of the saturated value, or about .03ppm. In Phase II we will continue development of PODS. We will perform characterization experiments at higher temperatures to determine the benefits of higher temperature operation. We will investigate the possible impact of the small amount of water produced within the catalyst on the lubricating system. Mitigation will be proposed if necessary. In a collaborative effort with a leading aero engine manufacturer, we will investigate the rate of oil re-oxygenation in laboratory testing using a realistic model of a turbine bearing. A complete PODS will be built that is capable of performing oil deoxygenation and laboratory tests will be carried out at UDRI. BENEFIT: advanced thermal management systems for turbine engines