Patent ID: 7908840

Claim:
A heat exchange system for use in operating equipment having a plurality of subsystems in each of which a common lubricant is utilized to provide selected operations in that subsystem, the heat exchange system providing air and lubricant heat exchanges to cool that common lubricant at selectively variable rates in airstreams occurring with at least some uses of the operating equipment, the system comprising: a reservoir containing at least some of the common lubricant; a supply system connected between the reservoir and each of the plurality of subsystems through which common lubricant in the reservoir is conveyed from the reservoir to each of those subsystems; a return system connected between each of the plurality of subsystems and the reservoir through which the common lubricant passing through each of the plurality of subsystems can be conveyed to the reservoir; and a first airstream heat exchanger connected in one of the supply and return systems, the first air stream heat exchanger being mounted in a first duct in the operating equipment having a first moveable flap cover at least a portion of one end of the first duct as selected by a control system such that the common lubricant conveyed through the first heat exchanger is cooled at selectively variable rates in the airstreams passing thereby during at least some such uses of the operating equipment; and a second airstream heat exchanger connected in one of the supply system and return systems so as to have the common lubricant conveyed therethrough cooled at selectively variable rates in the airstreams passing thereby during at least some such uses of the operating equipment.