IP Library Granted Patent US 12,392,374
Granted Patent B2
US 12,392,374 · App. 18/680,506 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Methods and apparatus for thermal management of sumps using oleophilic and oleophobic coatings

Inventors: Arman Mohammad Khan (Bengaluru, IN); Souvik Math (Bengaluru, IN); Ravindra Shankar Ganiger (Bengaluru, IN); Arundhati Sengupta (Bengaluru, IN); Santosh Prasad (Bengaluru, IN); Duane H Anstead (Evendale, OH)
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
F16C33/6685F01M11/0004F02C7/06F01M2011/0091F16C2360/23
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,392,374
App. No.
18/680,506
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Oleophobic and/or oleophilic coatings to reduce heat loads on a gas turbine engine thermal management system are disclosed herein. An example method to reduce heat load in a gas turbine engine, the method including applying an oleophobic coating to an internal wall of a sump, the sump located in proximity to a heat generating element of the gas turbine engine, and applying an oleophilic coating to the heat generating element of the gas turbine engine.

Claims (24)

1. A method to reduce heat load in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

applying an oleophobic coating to an internal wall of a sump, the sump located in proximity to a heat generating element of the gas turbine engine; and

applying an oleophilic coating to the heat generating element of the gas turbine engine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a heat generating element includes at least one of a bearing housing or a seal runner.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the internal wall of the sump is located within a cavity of the sump, the cavity in connection with an oil drain.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the heat generating element receives oil ejected from an oil jet located in the cavity of the sump.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oleophilic coating on the heat generating element lowers a temperature of a metal of the heat generating element from a baseline temperature.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including applying the oleophobic coating to an external wall of the sump to lower heating of the external wall.

7. The method of claim 6 , further including applying the oleophobic coating to a hot sump, the oleophobic coating including a low heat transfer coefficient.

8. A sump of a gas turbine engine, the sump comprising:

a heat generating element and an internal wall of the sump forming a first cavity, the heat generating element including an oleophilic coating, wherein an oleophobic coating applied to the internal wall of the sump includes a low heat transfer coefficient.

9. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the heat generating element includes at least one of a bearing housing or a seal runner.

10. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the oleophobic coating applied to an external wall of the sump includes a high heat transfer coefficient.

11. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the heat generating element receives an ejection of oil from an oil jet.

12. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the oleophilic coating includes at least one of graphite, graphene, or a carbon nanotube-based sponge.

13. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the oleophobic coating of a cold sump includes coating of the internal wall of the sump.

14. The sump of claim 8 , wherein the oleophobic coating of a hot sump includes coating of the internal wall of the sump and an external wall of the sump.

15. A sump system of a gas turbine engine, the sump system comprising:

an oleophilic coating applied to a heat generating element of the sump system; and

an oleophobic coating applied to an internal wall of a sump surrounding the heat generating element.

16. The sump system of claim 15 , wherein the sump system is a cold sump system or a hot sump system, the oleophobic coating applied based on positioning of the sump system in the gas turbine engine.

17. The sump system of claim 16 , wherein oleophobic coating of the hot sump system includes coating of the internal wall of the sump and an external wall of the sump.

18. The sump system of claim 17 , wherein the oleophobic coating applied to the external wall of the sump includes a high heat transfer coefficient.

19. The sump system of claim 15 , wherein the oleophobic coating applied to the internal wall of the sump includes a low heat transfer coefficient.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2024
From: KHAN, ARMAN MOHAMMAD; MATH, SOUVIK; GANIGER, RAVINDRA SHANKAR; SENGUPTA, ARUNDHATI; PRASAD, SANTOSH; ANSTEAD, DUANE H
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 067944/0720 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 18305139 · Apr 21, 2023
Related Publication 20240352974A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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