ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN LUBE AND SCAVENGE PUMP SYSTEM

CURRENTLY, THE SCAVENGE AND LUBRICATING OIL PUMPS FOR HELICOPTER GAS TURBINE ENGINES ARE MECHANICALLY DRIVEN BY AN ACCESSORY GEARBOX. THIS IMPOSES UNDESIRABLE CONSTRAINTS ON THE DESIGN, LOCATION, AND OPERATION OF THE PUMP ASSEMBLY, AND RESULTS IN GREATER OVERALL ENGINE WEIGHT. IN THE PROPOSED PROGRAM, THE DESIGN OF AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN LUBE PUMP SYSTEM WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO DEVELOP A HIGH SPEED, LIGHTWEIGHT ALTERNATIVE TO THE GEARBOX DRIVEN SYSTEM. WITH SUPPORT FROM GENERAL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT ENGINES, A NUMBER OF PUMP TYPES WILL BE EXAMINED FOR THE SCAVENGING AND PRESSURE PUMPING FUNCTIONS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LITTLE RECOGNIZED LIMITATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE APPLICATION. A LIKELY CANDIDATE FOR THE DIFFICULT SCAVENGE PUMP FUNCTION IS A MIXED FLOW INDUCER PUMP, DEBRIS AND INGESTED GAS. PROTOTYPE HARDWARE WILL BE FABRICATED AND TESTED TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE RESULTING PUMP SYSTEM DESIGN APPROACH. THIS WILL RESULT IN A DEMONSTRATED DESIGN CONCEPT TO BE PURSUED IN PHASE II TO DEVELOP AND PROVE A MIL-QUALIFIABLE LUBE PUMP SYSTEM FEATURING THE RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED FOR THIS CRITICAL APPLICATION IN AN EFFICIENT, COMPACT, AND LIGHTWEIGHT PACKAGE.