INFLUENCE OF LUBRICANTS ON TURBINE ENGINE DESIGN.

The problem of predicting the influence of lubricants on advanced gas turbine engine design and the system's concept is discussed. The lubricant is not a self-contained entity and must be evaluated with regard to the system environment in which it will function. Presented are discussion and supporting analytical techniques to indicate the relative importance of several lubricant properties as they pertain to the operation of a gas turbine engine. The properties considered are bulk oil stability, hot spot stability, vapor pressure, autoignition temperature, pumpability, gear load capacity and bearing life. Potential deficiencies in current criteria as applied to possible future high temperature designs and areas for further research are also indicated.