P10

Slippery When Wet

E371 Turbine Engine System
 Links to Problem Statement
Engine Oil Servicing Serviced Correctly Aircraft Departs
without Incident

Aircraft
Service Service
Serviced Incorrectly
correctly again Reactivated

Serviced with incorrect Drain & Flush Oil Engine

specification of oil System Replacement
(Viscosity
Change)
Serviced with Aircraft Air-Turn Back Inspection Done
hydraulic Fluid Safety Concerns to verify(Oil
Sampling)

Investigation LAE Implicated

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 Principles, Requirements and Characteristics
Principles
A lubricant’s primary purpose is to reduce friction between moving
parts. In theory lubricating fluids provide an oil film that fills all surface
irregularities. The oil films slide against each other and prevent metal
to metal contact. The heat caused by the friction is carried away by
the oil to be cooled and reused.

Its secondary purpose is to act as a cushion between metal parts, to

cool and to clean. As oil circulates through the engine, it collects
foreign matter, deposits it into the filtration system, and absorbs engine
heat.
Requirements
Gas Turbine lubricants must have a high enough viscosity for good
load carrying ability, but it must also be of sufficiently low viscosity to
flow well. Because of these requirements, synthetic lubricants, rather
than petroleum-base lubricants, are used in turbine engines. 3
 Principles, Requirements and Characteristics
Characteristics
Synthetic lubricants have a number of desirable characteristics:

Low volatility
- This minimizes evaporation at high altitudes
Antifoaming quality,
- This ensures more positive lubrication
Low lacquer and coke(carbon) deposits
- This minimizes solid particle formation
High flash point
- Flash point refers to the temperature at which oil, when heated, emits flammable
vapours that will ignite if exposed to an ignition source.
Low pour point
- The lowest temperature at which oil will flow by gravity
High film strength
- This refers to the cohesion and adhesion, characteristics of oil molecules that enable
them to stick to surfaces under centrifugal loads.
Wide temperature range - from 60F to +400F
High viscosity index
- This refers to how well the oil retains its viscosity when heated to its operating
temperature. 4
Viscosity
Viscosity
Viscosity refers to the
magnitude of friction as
measured by special flow
devices that show a liquids
resistance to flow. Petroleum
oils are assigned a Society of
Automotive Engineers(SAE)
rating by measuring the time
necessary for oil to pass
through a fixed orifice in a
device called a viscosimeter.

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Viscosity
Synthetic lubricants are assigned a numerical rating in a metric
system called centistokes. A centistoke rating can be derived by
conversion from SAE ratings or determined with laboratory
equipment.
The centistoke value appears on some container labels of synthetic
lubricants.
There are 3, 5 and 7 centistoke type of oils. The heavier seven
centistoke oil is commonly used in turboprop engines where high
gear loading is present. The five centistoke oil is most widely used
in turbojet and turbofan engines.
Viscosity Index
Viscosity index is determined by measuring the viscosity change
when a liquid lubricant is heated to 2 different temperatures.

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 Synthetic Lubricants
Synthetic lubricants are a blend of certain diesters which are themselves man-
made. They are extracts of mineral, vegetable and animal oils.

The blending of these diesters with suitable chemicals produces a lubricant that
meets a prescribed specification of both the petroleum and aviation industries.

Synthetic oils are not compatible and cannot be mixed with petroleum based
mineral oils.

Three types of synthetic lubricants are used in turbine engines today.

 Type-1 (MIL-PRF-7808)
 Type-2 (MIL-PRF-23699) and
 Type-3 (No MILSPEC)-Commercial

Type-3 is the most recent synthetic lubricant to be developed and is used in many
of the more modern engines. Changing to the later type of oil is not
recommended as the later oils have qualities that can be detrimental to old
engines. 7
Synthetic Lubricants
Oil Sampling
Contaminants in engine oil often provide a reliable indication of engine
wear when counted in a device known as a spectrometer. The
spectrometer registers contaminant levels by analyzing the colour and
measuring the intensity of brightness that occurs when the particles
are burned in a certain light spectrum.
The contents of the filters
can be examined for
evidence of metal,
but by the time
particles large enough
to be visible are
discovered serious
engine damage has
already occurred.
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 Servicing
Before Servicing - Consideration 1
Before servicing an engine oil system, the technician should refer to the appropriate
operations manual for the correct oil to use.

Typical synthetic lubricants used for gas turbine engines are:

 Type-1, Exxon 2389, Aeroshell 308 and Castrol 399
 Type-2, Mobil Jet-2, Exxon 2380 and Castrol 5000
 Type-3, Mobil 254, Aeroshell 560 and Aeroshell 750

Synthetic oil for turbine engines is usually supplied in quart containers to minimize the
chance of contaminants entering the lubrication system. Ground personnel must ensure
cleanliness during servicing to maintain the integrity of the lubricant.

Before Servicing-Consideration 2
Before servicing an engine oil system, the technician should ensure that the servicing
occurs within the prescribed time after engine shutdown. Manufacturer’s normally require
this in order to prevent overservicing. Overservicing can occur on some engines that
have a tendency for the oil in the storage tank to seep into the lower portions of the engine
after periods of inactivity.

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Servicing
Servicing Intervals
Servicing/Checking of the engine oil is performed
•After engine shutdown
•When the oil level is low
•Oil consumption is abnormally high
Mixing of Oils
If incompatible lubricants are inadvertently mixed, many manufacturers
require that the oil system be drained and flushed before refilling. Also when
changing to another approved oil, a system drain and flush is typically
required if the oils are not compatible.
Draining Process
Draining usually occurs at the
•Oil Tank
•Gearbox sump
•Main oil filter
•Other low points in the lubrication system
Flushing Process
Reservicing and draining a second time after motoring the engine. 10
Lubricating Systems
Although the oil system of the modern gas turbine engine is varied
in design and plumbing, most have units which perform similar
functions. In most cases a pressure pump or system furnishes oil to
the engine to be lubricated and cooled. A scavenging system
returns the oil to the tank for reuse. For discussion purposes, the
wet sump and dry sump systems will be mentioned.

Wet Sump System

The wet sump system is typically used in Auxiliary power units and
ground power units. In the illustration provided, all the oil is
contained in its accessory gear box. The bearings and drive gears
are within the sump and are lubricated by a splash system. The
remaining points of lubrication receive oil from the gear type
pressure pump which directs oil to the oil jets at various locations in
the engine.
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Lubricating Systems
With this system, the pump output pressure depends directly on
the engine and pump rotational speed.
Scavenge oil is returned to the sump by a combination of gravity
flow from the bearings and suction created by a gear type
scavenge pump located within the pump housing.
The vent line prevents over-pressurization of the gear box.

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Lubricating Systems
Dry Sump System
Most gas turbine engines use a
dry sump lubrication system
consisting of pressure, scavenge •An Oil Tank

and breather vent sub-systems.

In this system, the main oil

supply is carried in a tank
mounted either within the
engine or externally on
the engine or in the
aircraft. A smaller supply
is contained in the main
engine accessory
drive gearbox.
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Lubricating Systems
In the dry sump design, to prevent oil loss along the rotor shaft,
pressurized air from the compressor is ported into the cavity
surrounding the sump, and then directed through rotating air seals
and air-oil seals. This air then leaves the sump by venting through
the overboard vent. A dry sump lubrication system includes:
Any small amount of oil that •An Oil Tank
•An Oil Pressure (Delivery) Sub-system
leaks past the oil seal is •An Air Pressurizing and Vent Sub-system
forced out of an overboard •A Scavenge System
drain. The tight clearance
provided by the air seals
helps maintain the vent
system air pressure and
the inward flow of sealing
air into the oil sump,
permitting only a small amount
of air to flow back into the gas path.
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System Components
The oil system is comprised of various components. Some of these will be
discussed here:
An Oil Tank contains
•A vent system
•Filler cap & strainer
•De-aerator to remove air from the
system
•Oil pickup
•Dipstick
•Sight gauge
•Oil quantity transmitter
Bypass valves are normally found in oil
system components and are designed to
allow oil to bypass a component should the
component fail and oil is prevented flowing
through it.
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System Components
Relief valves are designed to maintain a constant pressure in the
lubrication system and prevent over pressurization and damage.
The relief valves are situated on the discharge side of the pump,
when the oil pressure exceeds the valve setting the valve opens
and ports oil to the inlet side of the pump. Some valve pressure
settings can be adjusted by a screw.
Gear pumps are
the most
commonly used
constant
displacement
pump and can be
found in the
either the
scavenge side or
the pressure side.
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System Components
Check Valve
A one-way valve that Magnetic chip detectors
ensures that oil flows in one are installed in the scavenge
direction only. side of the lubrication system
and are used to determine the
level of metallic wear occurring
in the engine. Some chip
detectors are easily removed for
visual inspections while other
may include an electrical circuit that
illuminates a warning light in the flight
deck when enough metal chips have
accumulated to close the gap in the
detector.

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System Components
The oil in a gas turbine engine gathers a great deal of heat from the
main bearings and this heat maybe transferred to either fuel or air.
Most modern gas
turbine engines
incorporate a
heat exchanger
to transfer the
heat to the fuel to
prevent the formation of ice crystals.
The oil that is picked up by the scavenge pump contains
a lot of air. Oil tanks contain dwell chambers which allow
the air to separate and the air-free oil to enter the tank.
Some engines also utilise a gear driven centrifugal air-
oil separator. As oil laden air enters the rotating
chamber, centrifugal action throws the oil outwards to
collect on the walls and drain down into the tank.
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System Components
It is extremely important that the oil used in a gas turbine engine is
free from foreign particles as these particles can cause severe
bearing damage. To keep the oil clean, filters
are used as the oil leaves the pressure
pump and again in what are called the
'last chance' filters just before the oil
is sprayed from the oil jet nozzle.
The illustration shows an inline
bowl type of filter which could
either be disposable or cleanable.
Oil will fill the bowl, force its way
through the filtering element to the core; exiting at the port near
the spring side of the bypass relief valve. On a cold morning when
oil is highly viscous, or if the filter clogging restricts oil flow through
the element, the bypass will open, allowing unfiltered oil to flow out to
the engine.
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System Components
Filter Cleaning
Cleaning of filters using solvents is still practiced currently. However
there are several cleaning devices that induce high frequency
vibrations into fluid as shown in the illustration, are also available
and do a more complete job of removing all the contaminants from
the filtering elements.

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Typical Commercial Engine Lubrication System
Feed System
(1) Feed oil is circulated by a
single pressure pump, which
(4) draws oil from the oil tank
(5) An oil through a gauze strainer.
pressure relief
valve protects
the cooler core (1) (2) (2) The oil system is protected
when the against excessive pressures
engine oil is (6) (5) exceeding by a pump relief
valve that relieves excess
very cold or if
the core is pressure back to the pump
blocked. An inlet. The valve is normally
anti-syphon closed during engine
tube prevents operation and will only open
oil suction from with cold oil conditions or a
the FOHE (3) blockage in the system.
during engine
shut down.

(3) A pressure filter cleans

feed oil. A differential pressure
switch monitors filter condition
(6) From the FOHE the feed
and provides a cockpit
oil is supplied through external
indication that the filter is
tubes to the main engine
becoming clogged.
bearings, gears and drives.

(4) The FOHE will keep the oil temperature within limits.
The FOHE has two functions:
• To decrease the temperature of the oil
• To increase the temperature of the fuel
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 Typical Commercial Engine Lubrication System
Return System (7) The return oil/air is scavenged by seven
pump elements in the pump module from each
of the six primary lubricated locations of the
engine and the breather (air/oil separator).

(11)

(10) (8) There are positions for

installing six screw-in
magnetic chip detectors
(MCDs) (not the breather),
to sample return oil from
(8) the engine main bearings
(9) and the gearboxes.

(11) Temperature sensors

in the return line between
(10) A fine scavenge filter is installed with the scavenge filter and the
a bypass valve. The filter comes with a tank provide cockpit
pressure differential switch to give indication of oil
cockpit indication of impending by-pass. (7) temperature.

(9) The oil outlets from the scavenge pumps join to

form a combined scavenge return flow which is
sampled by the electric master chip detector.
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Typical Commercial Engine Lubrication System
De-aeration, Breather and Vent System

(12) The return flow

(13) is an oil/air mixture.

(13) All scavenge oil

is de-aerated when it
enters the oil tank by
a cyclone type
separator.

(14) The air, which still

(12) contains a small
amount of oil, is
(15) The centrifugal breather transferred to the inlet
separates the air and oil of the centrifugal
before discarding the air to breather.
atmosphere, the oil is
scavenged from the breather
(14) (15)
housing back into the
combined scavenge line back
to the oil tank.

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Objectives
1. To understand the requirements of lubricants.
2. To be familiar with viscosity and viscosity index.
3. To understand why synthetic lubricants are used on
commercial engine.
4. To know the role of oil sampling as a health check of
the turbine engine.
5. To be familiar with the servicing intervals, draining
and flushing of lubrication systems.
6. To know the difference between the wet sump and
dry sump system.
7. To be familiar with the components used in the
lubrication and how they integrate into a complete
system.
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END

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