Patent ID: 7216473

Claim:
A compressed gas powered lubrication system for an expendable gas turbine engine comprising: a rotatable shaft within said turbine engine; bearings journaling said shaft for rotation about an axis; a tank; a bladder within said tank; a source of gas under pressure; one of said tank and said bladder containing lubricating oil for said bearings; the other of said tank and said bladder being connectable to said source of gas under pressure; a conduit extending from said one of said tank and said bladder containing lubricating oil to said bearings; a solenoid operated valve in said conduit and operable only to either fully open or fully close; and a control circuit for pulsing said solenoid at a controlled rate to alternatingly (a) allow oil flow and (b) halt oil flow to said bearings for a time insufficient to cause oil starvation of said bearings.