Systems and methods for controlling fuel coke formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11927142-B2
Application number	US-202217872241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2022
Priority date	Jul 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating or determining a rate or an amount of fuel coke formation in a fuel system, such as of a gas turbine engine. The system is operable to control a rate of fuel coke formation. The system may include a sensor that measures an operating parameter associated with fuel coke formation in the fuel system. A controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the signal therefrom for determining an amount or a rate of fuel coking in the fuel system. Based on this determination the controller may adjust the rate of fuel coke formation by adjusting the operation of the turbine engine, a thermal management system of the turbine engine, or the fuel system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling a rate of fuel coke formation in a fuel system of a turbine engine, the system comprising:
at least one sensor configured to measure an operating parameter of the fuel system at a first time, the operating parameter being associated with coke formation in the fuel system, wherein the at least one sensor generates a signal representative of the operating parameter; and
a controller operably connected with the at least one sensor for receiving the signal therefrom, wherein the controller is configured to determine a first amount of fuel coke formation for the fuel system using the signal representative of the operating parameter,
wherein the controller determines a current value for a rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system by comparing the first amount of fuel coke formation to a second amount of coke formation for the fuel system, the second amount of coke formation being determined by the controller at a second time prior to the first time,
wherein the controller identifies a next scheduled maintenance event and a target amount of coke formation,
wherein, when the current value for the rate of fuel coke formation projects increases to the first amount of fuel coke formation that will exceed the target amount of coke formation before the next scheduled maintenance event, the controller generates a control signal for controlling the turbine engine, a thermal management system of the turbine engine, and/or the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to a new value that projects increases to the first amount of fuel coke formation that do not exceed the target amount of coke formation before the next scheduled maintenance event.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls the thermal management system to adjust a temperature of a fuel in the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to the new value.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal generated by the controller is operable to control at least one of a speed of a pump of the thermal management system, a control valve in fluidic communication with an engine bleed air bypass, a control valve in fluidic communication with a fuel heat exchanger bypass, or a control valve in fluidic communication with a fuel deoxygenation system bypass.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, the at least one sensor is a fuel flow sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor of the fuel system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a signal operable to initiate an automated coking removal process or provide an indication that maintenance is needed.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a fuel pressure sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls an oxygenation level of a fuel in the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system.

9. A method for controlling a rate of fuel coke formation in a fuel system of a turbine engine, comprising:
measuring an operating parameter of the fuel system at a first time, the operating parameter being associated with fuel coking in the fuel system;
determining a first amount of fuel coke formation for the fuel system using a signal representative of the operating parameter;
determining a current value for a rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system by comparing the first amount of fuel coke formation to a second amount of coke formation for the fuel system, the second amount of coke formation being determined at a second time prior to the first time;
identifying a next scheduled maintenance event and a target amount of coke formation; and
adjusting the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to a new value when the current value for the rate of fuel coke formation projects increases to the first amount of fuel coke formation that will exceed the target amount of coke formation before the next scheduled maintenance event, wherein the new value for the rate of coke formation projects increases to the first amount of fuel coke formation that do not exceed the target amount of coke formation before the next scheduled maintenance event.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to the new value comprises controlling a thermal management system to adjust a temperature of a fuel in the fuel system.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system comprises adjusting an oxygenation level of a fuel with a deoxygenation system of the fuel system.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein measuring the operating parameter associated with fuel coking in the fuel system comprises measuring a pressure drop across the fuel system or a portion thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein measuring the parameter associated with fuel coking the fuel system comprises optically detecting a presence of a fuel coke deposit in the fuel system.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system comprises adjusting at least one of a speed of a pump of a thermal management system, a control valve in fluidic communication with an engine bleed air bypass, a control valve in fluidic communication with a fuel heat exchanger bypass, or a control valve in fluidic communication with a fuel deoxygenation system bypass.

15. A system for controlling a rate of fuel coke formation in a fuel system of a turbine engine, comprising:
a controller configured to determine whether one or more parameters of the fuel system are indicative of a rate of fuel coke formation that projects an amount of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to be above a target level at a time before a next scheduled maintenance event, the controller configured to adjust an operation of a thermal management system of the turbine engine and the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to a new value that projects the amount of fuel coke formation to not exceed the target level before the next scheduled maintenance event.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust an oxygenation level of a fuel in the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to the new value.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust a temperature of a fuel in the fuel system to adjust the rate of fuel coke formation in the fuel system to the new value.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Westervelt Eric R
• Cafaro Stefan Joseph
• Reepmeyer James R
• Sibbach Arthur W
• Minas Constantinos

Classifications

• F02C9/52 Primary

  by bleeding or by-passing the working fluid · CPC title

• F02C7/30 Primary

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

• F05D2260/606

  Bypassing the fluid · CPC title

• F05D2270/3015

  differential pressure · CPC title

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title