Patent ID: 9151327
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
1. A backup lubrication system for a bearing of a rotor shaft, comprising: a backup lubricant reservoir that is passively pressurized and is independent of a primary lubrication system of the bearing; a backup lubricant line from the backup lubricant reservoir to the bearing; a control valve on the backup lubricant line that is normally closed; a controller that monitors a plurality of parameters of the bearing and initiates an emergency protection sequence when a temperature of the bearing exceeds a respective threshold and a flow rate or pressure of a primary lubricant is outside a normal range and a rotation speed of the shaft is above a respective threshold; wherein the emergency protection sequence initiates a shut-down procedure for the rotor shaft, and opens and modulates the control valve to meter a backup lubricant from the backup lubricant reservoir to the bearing in proportion to a rundown rate of the rotor shaft, such that lubrication of the bearing from the backup lubricant reservoir continues until the rotor shaft stops turning.