Fuel oxygen conversion unit with a dual separator pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11851204-B2
Application number	US-201816178970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A fuel delivery system for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel tank; a draw pump downstream of the fuel tank for generating a liquid fuel flow from the fuel tank; a main fuel pump downstream of the draw pump; and a fuel oxygen conversion unit downstream of the draw pump and upstream of the main fuel pump. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a stripping gas line; a contactor in fluid communication with the stripping gas line and the draw pump for forming a fuel/gas mixture; and a dual separator pump in fluid communication with the contactor for receiving the fuel/gas mixture and separating the fuel/gas mixture into a stripping gas flow and the liquid fuel flow at a location upstream of the main fuel pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a system, the system comprising:
a gas turbine engine; and
a fuel delivery system coupled to the gas turbine engine, the fuel delivery system comprising:
a draw pump disposed downstream of a fuel tank for generating a liquid fuel flow from the fuel tank; and
a fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising:
a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet for receiving the liquid fuel flow from the draw pump, a stripping gas inlet for receiving a stripping gas flow, and an outlet, wherein the liquid fuel inlet is disposed downstream from and fluidly coupled to the draw pump, the contactor configured to form a fuel/gas mixture;
a dual separator pump positioned downstream from the contactor, the dual separator pump comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the contactor for receiving the fuel/gas mixture, a liquid fuel outlet fluidly coupled to a combustion section of the gas turbine engine, and a stripping gas outlet, wherein the dual separator pump is configured to separate the fuel/gas mixture back into the stripping gas flow and the liquid fuel flow and provide the stripping gas flow to the stripping gas outlet and the liquid fuel flow to the liquid fuel outlet, wherein the dual separator pump defines a pressure differential between the liquid fuel flow at the liquid fuel outlet and the liquid fuel flow at the liquid fuel inlet of the contactor of at least 60 pounds per square inch, and wherein the draw pump is configured to provide the liquid fuel flow to the contactor; and
a boost pump comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the stripping gas outlet of the dual separator pump, and a boost pump outlet fluidly coupled to the stripping gas inlet of the contactor, wherein the boost pump outlet is disposed upstream from the stripping gas inlet of the contactor, the boost pump is configured to exhaust gas from the boost pump outlet at a first pressure, and the stripping gas inlet of the contactor receives gas from the boost pump outlet at substantially the first pressure;

the method comprising:
mixing, in the contactor, the liquid fuel flow received from the draw pump with the stripping gas flow to form the fuel/gas mixture;
receiving the fuel/gas mixture in the dual separator pump; and
separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the liquid fuel flow and the stripping gas flow and increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow at least 60 pounds per square inch with the dual separator pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow from a fuel tank using the draw pump; and
increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow downstream of the fuel oxygen conversion unit with a main fuel pump;
wherein separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the liquid fuel flow and the stripping gas flow and increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow comprises providing substantially all of a pressure rise of the liquid fuel flow between the draw pump and the main fuel pump.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the liquid fuel flow and the stripping gas flow and increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow comprises separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the liquid fuel flow and the stripping gas flow and increasing the pressure of the liquid fuel flow with the dual separator pump simultaneously in a single stage of the dual separator pump.

4. A system comprising:
a gas turbine engine; and
a fuel delivery system coupled to the gas turbine engine, the fuel delivery system comprising:
a fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising:
a contactor comprising a liquid fuel inlet, a gas inlet, and an outlet, wherein the liquid fuel inlet is fluidly coupled to a liquid fuel supply;
a dual separator pump positioned downstream from the contactor to receive a mixture of fuel and gas from the contactor, the dual separator pump comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the contactor, a gas outlet, and a liquid fuel outlet fluidly coupled to a combustion section of the gas turbine engine; and
a boost pump comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of the dual separator pump, and a boost pump outlet fluidly coupled to the gas inlet of the contactor, wherein the boost pump outlet is disposed upstream from the gas inlet of the contactor, the boost pump is configured to exhaust gas from the boost pump outlet at a first pressure, and the gas inlet of the contactor receives gas from the boost pump outlet at substantially the first pressure.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual separator pump defines a liquid fuel outlet pressure during operation, wherein the liquid fuel outlet pressure is at least 70 pounds per square inch.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a draw pump in fluid communication with the liquid fuel supply and disposed upstream from the liquid fuel inlet of the contactor, and a main fuel pump disposed downstream from the liquid fuel outlet of the dual separator pump, wherein the dual separator pump provides substantially all of a pressure rise of a flow of a liquid fuel flowing out the liquid fuel outlet upstream of the main fuel pump.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual separator pump is configured to generate a pressure rise in the fuel flow of at least 60 pounds per square inch.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual separator pump comprises a single stage separator/pump assembly.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual separator pump is a rotary pump defining an axis and a radial direction, wherein the dual separator pump comprises a gas filter extending generally along the axis and a plurality of paddles positioned outward of the gas filter along the radial direction and rotatable about the axis.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dual separator pump defines a radial direction and the liquid fuel outlet is positioned outward of the inlet of the dual separator pump along the radial direction.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the draw pump is mechanically coupled to and rotatable with the main fuel pump via a shaft, wherein the shaft is rotatably driven by a power source.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein substantially all of the liquid fuel flow from the draw pump to the main fuel pump flows through the dual separator pump.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein substantially all of the liquid fuel flow from the draw pump to the main fuel pump flows through the dual separator pump without option for bypass.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a preheater and a catalyst fluidly coupled to and disposed in serial flow order between the gas outlet of the dual separator pump and the boost pump inlet.

15. A system for a gas turbine engine comprising:
a gas turbine engine; and
a fuel delivery system coupled to the gas turbine engine, the fuel delivery system comprising:
a draw pump disposed downstream of a fuel tank for generating a liquid fuel flow from the fuel tank; and
a fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising:
a contactor comprising a liquid fuel inlet, a gas inlet, and an outlet, wherein the liquid fuel inlet is disposed downstream from and fluidly coupled to the draw pump;
a dual separator pump positioned downstream from the contactor to receive a mixture of fuel and gas from the contactor, the dual separator pump comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the contactor, a gas outlet, and a liquid fuel outlet fluidly coupled to a combustion section of the gas turbine engine; and
a boost pump comprising an inlet fluidly coupled to the gas outlet of the dual separator pump, and a boost pump outlet fluidly

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• O'Connor Ethan Patrick
• Niergarth Daniel Alan
• Miller Brandon Wayne
• Wesling Richard Alan
• Brady David Justin

Classifications

• B64D37/34 Primary

  Conditioning fuel, e.g. heating (during filling B64D37/18) · CPC title

• F02C7/222

  Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds · CPC title

• F02C7/232

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

• F02C7/236

  Fuel delivery systems comprising two or more pumps · CPC title

• F02M37/22 Primary

  Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system · CPC title