Fluid injection systems for fluid line purging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680549-B2
Application number	US-201916593324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2019
Priority date	Oct 4, 2019
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A fluid injection system can include a main flow line, a primary flow line connected to the main flow line, a primary flow valve disposed on the primary flow line and configured to selectively allow injectant flow to the primary flow line, a secondary flow line connected to the main flow line, and a secondary flow valve disposed on the secondary flow line and configured to selectively allow injectant flow to the secondary flow line. The system can include a primary purge branch in fluid communication with the primary flow line and connected to a purge gas line, a primary purge valve disposed in the primary purge branch between the primary flow line and the purge gas line, a secondary purge branch in fluid communication with the secondary flow line, and a secondary purge valve disposed between the purge gas line and both of the primary purge branch and the secondary purge branch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid injection system, comprising:
a main flow line configured to pass injectant flow therethrough;
a primary flow line connected to the main flow line and configured to provide a primary portion of the injectant flow from the main flow line to a primary injector;
a primary flow valve disposed on the primary flow line and configured to selectively allow injectant flow to the primary flow line from the main flow line in an open primary flow valve state, and to prevent injectant flow to the primary flow line from the main flow line in a closed primary flow valve state;
a secondary flow line connected to the main flow line and configured to provide a secondary portion of the injectant flow from the main flow line to a secondary injector;
a secondary flow valve disposed on the secondary flow line and configured to selectively allow injectant flow to the secondary flow line from the main flow line in an open secondary flow valve state, and to prevent injectant flow to the secondary flow line from the main flow line in a closed secondary flow valve state;
a primary purge branch in fluid communication with the primary flow line and connected to a purge gas line to receive a purge gas flow from the purge gas line;
a primary purge valve disposed in the primary purge branch between the primary flow line and the purge gas line, the primary purge valve configured to prevent the purge gas flow in a closed primary purge valve state, and to allow purge gas flow in an open primary purge valve state to purge the primary flow line;
a secondary purge branch in fluid communication with the secondary flow line and connected to a purge gas line to receive a purge gas flow from the purge gas line; and
a secondary purge valve disposed between the purge gas line and both of the primary purge branch and the secondary purge branch, the secondary purge valve configured to selectively prevent purge gas flow to the primary purge gas valve and the secondary purge branch from the purge gas line in a closed secondary purge valve state, and to allow purge gas flow to each of the primary purge gas valve and the secondary purge branch from the purge gas line in an open secondary purge valve state,
wherein the primary purge branch and the secondary purge branch are in fluid communication such that the primary purge valve is between the primary flow line and the secondary flow line, wherein the primary purge valve is a check valve such that the primary purge valve transitions from the closed primary purge valve state to the open primary purge valve state when pressure in the primary flow line is exceeded by pressure in the secondary flow line and/or purge gas line, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve are solenoid valves, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve include a biased de-energized state and an energized state, wherein the secondary flow valve and the secondary purge valve are configured to have opposite states such that when one is open, the other is closed, wherein the open secondary flow valve state is the energized state of the secondary flow valve, wherein the closed secondary purge valve state is an energized state of the secondary purge valve, wherein the closed secondary flow valve state is the biased de-energized state of the secondary flow valve, and wherein the open secondary purge valve state is the biased de-energized state of the secondary purge valve,
wherein the controller is configured to execute a purge sequence from an operational state where injectant flow is flowing through both the primary and secondary flow lines, the purge sequence including;
closing the secondary flow valve to shut off injectant flow to the secondary flow line from the main line; and
opening the secondary purge valve after or during closing the secondary flow valve to cause purge gas flow to purge the secondary flow line.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the purge sequence further includes:
allowing injectant flow in the primary flow line to reduce in pressure to below the purge gas pressure to cause the primary purge valve to open to cause purge gas flow to purge the primary flow line; and
closing the primary flow valve after purging of the primary flow line.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the purge sequence further comprises briefly opening the secondary flow valve after closing the primary flow valve to cause any remainder fluid in the secondary flow line to be purged into the main flow line, then closing the secondary flow valve.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control each of the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve.

5. A fuel system, comprising:
a fluid injection system, comprising a plurality of controllable valves and a passive valve arranged to cause selective and/or sequential purging of a secondary flow line and a primary flow line, wherein the plurality of controllable valves includes a primary flow valve, a secondary flow valve, and a secondary purge valve, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve are solenoid valves, wherein the passive valve includes a primary purge valve, wherein the primary purge valve is a check valve, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve include a biased de-energized state and an energized state, wherein the secondary flow valve and the secondary purge valve are configured to have opposite states such that when one is open, the other is closed, wherein the open secondary flow valve state is the energized state of the secondary flow valve, wherein the closed secondary purge valve state is an energized state of the secondary purge valve, wherein the closed secondary flow valve state is the biased de-energized state of the secondary flow valve, and wherein the open secondary purge valve state is the biased de-energized state of the secondary purge valve, and further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to execute a purge sequence from an operational state where injectant flow is flowing through both the primary and secondary flow lines, the purge sequence including;
closing the secondary flow valve to shut off injectant flow to the secondary flow line from the main line; and
opening the secondary purge valve after or during closing the secondary flow valve to cause purge gas flow to purge the secondary flow line.

6. The fuel system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of controllable valves further includes a fuel injector, wherein the three controllable valves and the passive are the only valves in the fluid injection system.

7. A method, comprising:
operating one or more controllable valves to purge a secondary flow line of a fluid injection system with a purge gas flow; and
causing a passive valve to open using a purge gas pressure to cause purging of a primary flow line of the fluid injection system after purging the secondary flow line, wherein the plurality of controllable valves includes a primary flow valve, a secondary flow valve, and a secondary purge valve, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve are solenoid valves, wherein the passive valve includes a primary purge valve, wherein the primary purge valve is a check valve, wherein the primary flow valve, the secondary flow valve, and the secondary purge valve include a biased de-energized state and an energized state, wherein the secondary flow valve and the secondary purge valve are configured to have opposite states such that when one is open, the other is closed, wherein the open secondary flow valve state is the energized state of the se

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Susca Ryan
• Doerner Steve

Classifications

• F02C7/30

  Preventing corrosion {or unwanted deposits} in gas-swept spaces · CPC title

• F23K5/18

  Cleaning or purging devices, e.g. filters · CPC title

• F02C7/22

  Fuel supply systems · CPC title

• F02M59/00

  Pumps specially adapted for fuel-injection and not provided for in groups F02M39/00 -F02M57/00 {, e.g. rotary cylinder-block type of pumps} · CPC title

• F02C7/232 Primary

  Fuel valves {(control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263)}; Draining valves or systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title