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Engine LUBrication SYStem technologies

PROJECTS
Funding
European
European Union
Duration
-
Status
Complete with results
Geo-spatial type
Other
Total project cost
€6 682 318
EU Contribution
€4 499 895
Project website
Project Acronym
ELUBSYS
STRIA Roadmaps
Vehicle design and manufacturing (VDM)
Transport mode
Airborne icon
Transport policies
Societal/Economic issues,
Environmental/Emissions aspects
Transport sectors
Passenger transport,
Freight transport

Overview

Call for proposal
FP7-AAT-2008-RTD-1
Link to CORDIS
Background & Policy context

In aeronautics, gas turbine engines are equipped with lubrication systems whose function is to cool and lubricate the highly loaded rolling bearings and gearboxes.

The current trend of developing aircraft turbine engines that consume less fuel increases the cooling requirements from the lubrication systems due to higher speeds, loads and temperatures in engines as well as the integration of high-power gearboxes (allowing high by-pass ratio) and high-power starter-generators. For manufacturers there is significant pressure for developing new lubrication system architectures that are able to meet the new cooling and lubricating requirements without negatively impacting the mass of the systems or the operational and maintenance costs of engines.

Current lubrication systems in turbine engines are based on architectures and technologies that have not significantly evolved over the last thirty years. Despite improvements and advances made on components of these systems, the technological limit is being reached. In other words, new technologies are required to face the challenge of the future engine requirements: higher cooling, higher thermal efficiency, lower Specific Fuel Consumption ('SFC') impact, unchanged high-level of reliability, improved mass.

Objectives

The main objectives of the project were to:

  • Reduce engine SFC and related CO2 emissions by improving the bearing chambers and by improving the thermal management of bearing chamber housings and ports;
  • Reduce engine oil consumption by 60%;
  • Optimise the architecture and performance of lubrication systems and thereby reduce their complexity and mass;
  • Develop solutions to improve monitoring of engine oil quality and prevent coking in the lubrication system.

ELUBSYS focused on new seal technologies (brush seals) that bear the promise of improving the propulsive efficiency of engines by reducing bleed air losses and that demonstrate the capability to withstand the harsh environment of aero engines.

Methodology

These goals were to be achieved by a European consortium of Industry, Research centres, Academia and SMEs who set out to develop and validate these new lubrication technologies using modelling approaches and existing state-of-the-art test facilities.

ELUBSYS designed, developed and validated innovative technologies and architectures for aero-engine lubrication systems targeting increased efficiency and reduced cost, mass and engine Specific Fuel Consumption.

The primary focus was around new brush seal technologies that offer the potential to improve engine propulsive efficiency by reducing bleed air losses whilst withstanding the aero-engine's harsh environment.The project will investigate the performance and endurance of brush seals, assess their impact on the thermal efficiency of lubrication systems and their external components and on oil quality. A secondary focus is the wider lubrication system including vent, scavenge, bearing chamber modelling and oil behaviour.

Funding

Parent Programmes
Institution Type
Public institution
Institution Name
The European Commission
Type of funding
Public (EU)
Specific funding programme
FP7-TRANSPORT

Results

The following main results can be pointed out:

  • The development of design rules in terms of housing architecture, heat management and associated external equipments that will lead to the implementation of advanced seals in aircraft engine lubrication systems;
  • A simplified architecture for engine lubrication systems that results in fewer components and reduced mass;
  • A set of design rules describing the way to develop more efficient bearing chambers, vent and scavenge pipes, seals and other external elements of the lubrication system; these rules have been derived from a combined effort of experimentation and advanced modelling techniques;
  • Accurate methods and rules to predict heat transfer from the hot engine parts inside the lubrication system with a particular emphasis on bearing chambers;
  • Accurate design rules for the design of external system (pipes, pumps) compliant with advanced housing architectures incorporating tight seals;
  • Validated methods to predict and detect oil coking.

Policy objectives

Innovating for the future (technology and behaviour): A European Transport Research and Innovation Policy

Partners

Lead Organisation
Organisation
Safran Aero Boosters
Address
Route De Liers 121, 4041 Milmort, Belgium
EU Contribution
€287 901
Partner Organisations
Organisation
Mtu Aero Engines
Address
Dachauer Strasse 665, 80995 MUENCHEN, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€295 150
Organisation
Fundacion Tekniker
Address
Avenida Otaola 20, 20600 Eibar Guipuzcoa, Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€143 201
Organisation
The University Of Sheffield
Address
Firth Court Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€211 872
Organisation
Safran Aircraft Engines
Address
2 Bvd Du General Martial-Valin, 75724 Paris, France
EU Contribution
€371 187
Organisation
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co Kg
Address
Eschenweg 11, 15827 BLANKENFELDE-MAHLOW, Germany
EU Contribution
€92 705
Organisation
Institut National Des Sciences Appliquees De Lyon
Address
20 AVENUE ALBERT EINSTEIN, 69621 VILLEURBANNE CEDEX, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€93 701
Organisation
Safran Helicopter Engines
Address
Avenue Du President Szydlowski, 64510 Bordes, France
EU Contribution
€178 912
Organisation
Universite Libre De Bruxelles
Address
Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€754 943
Organisation
Pratt & Whitney Rzeszow Spolka Akcyjna
Address
Ul. Hetmanska 120, 35078 Rzeszow, Poland
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€85 000
Organisation
Universite De Bordeaux I
Address
351 Cours de la Liberation, 33405 TALENCE, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€0
Organisation
Universite De Mons
Address
Place Du Parc 20, 7000 Mons, Belgium
EU Contribution
€263 722
Organisation
Arttic In Brussels Sprl
Address
Rue De Livourne 7 Bte 4, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgium
EU Contribution
€237 394
Organisation
Karlsruher Institut Fuer Technologie
Address
Kaiserstrasse, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€465 004
Organisation
Institut Polytechnique De Bordeaux
Address
Av Du Docteur Albert Schweitzer 1, 33402 Talence, France
EU Contribution
€128 754
Organisation
Industria De Turbo Propulsores S.a.
Address
Parque Tecnológico, nº300, 48170 ZAMUDIO (VIZCAYA), Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€59 950
Organisation
The University Of Nottingham
Address
University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
EU Contribution
€369 086
Organisation
Centre De Recherche En Aéronautique
Address
Batiment Eole, 1Er Étage - Rue Des Frères Wright 29, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€86 025
Organisation
Scholai Frederickou - Frederick Institute Of Technology
Address
Yianni Frederickou 7, Pallouriotissa, 1036 NICOSIA, Cyprus
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€253 140
Organisation
Rolls Royce Plc
Address
65 Buckingham gate, LONDON, SW1E 6AT, United Kingdom
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€122 250

Technologies

Technology Theme
Aircraft propulsion
Technology
Lubrication system technologies
Development phase
Research/Invention

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