Dedicated thermal recirculation control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12241418-B2
Application number	US-202318224718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 21, 2023
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a main supply line and a thermal recirculation pump in fluid communication with the main supply line for supplying the thermal recirculation pump. The thermal recirculation pump is connected in fluid communication with a thermal recirculation line for providing fluid at an elevated pressure to the thermal recirculation line relative to the main supply line. A thermal recirculation control is connected in fluid communication to be supplied from the thermal recirculation line. A cooler system of one or more coolers is connected in fluid communication with a cooler supply line of the thermal recirculation control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a main supply line;
a thermal recirculation pump in fluid communication with the main supply line for supplying the thermal recirculation pump and with a thermal recirculation line for providing fluid at an elevated pressure to the thermal recirculation line relative to the main supply line;
a thermal recirculation control connected in fluid communication to be supplied from the thermal recirculation line;
wherein a cooler system of one or more coolers is connected in fluid communication with a cooler supply line of the thermal recirculation control;
a boost pump connected in fluid communication between a supply and the main supply line upstream of an inlet line for supplying the thermal recirculation pump and one or more gas generator systems supplied by the main supply line;
an actuation system in fluid communication to be supplied from the main supply line at a point upstream from the thermal recirculation pump; and
a wash screen in the main supply line, configured to filter flow entering the actuation system through the wash screen, and configured to wash the wash screen with flow through the main supply line.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a variable displacement pump (VDP) of the actuation system in fluid communication to receive fluid from the main supply line through the wash screen, and to supply a pressurized fluid flow to an actuation outlet line, wherein the VDP includes a variable displacement mechanism to control output pressure of the VDP; and
an actuator operatively connected for direct control of the variable displacement mechanism.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , further comprising a pressure sensor operatively connected to the actuation outlet line to generate feedback indicative of pressure in the actuation outlet line.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to receive the feedback from the pressure sensor, and operatively connected to the actuator to control the variable displacement mechanism based on the feedback.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the actuator includes an electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) having a control port connected in fluid communication with the variable displacement mechanism by a VDP control line for control of flow through the VDP, wherein the EHSV is connected in fluid communication with an actuation inlet line and with the actuation outlet line through respective connection lines, and wherein the EHSV is operatively connected to the controller for active control of the EHSV to actuate the variable displacement mechanism based on the feedback.

6. The system as recited in claim 4 , further comprising an electromechanical actuator (EMA) operatively connected to actuate the variable displacement mechanism, wherein the EMA is operatively connected to the controller for direct control of the variable displacement mechanism based on the feedback to support flow demands from one or more downstream systems.

7. The system as recited in claim 4 , further comprising a check valve (CV) in the actuation outlet line, configured to block backflow in the actuation outlet line from flowing back to the VDP.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 , further comprising an augmentor pump/fuel control component in fluid communication with the main supply line downstream of the wash screen, wherein the augmentor pump/fuel control component is configured to supply fuel flow from the main supply line to a downstream augmentor.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , further comprising a selector valve (SV) in the actuation outlet line, wherein a backup line connects in fluid communication between the SV and the augmentor pump/fuel control component, wherein the SV is configured to select flow through the actuation outlet line to actuation loads in a normal operation mode, and to supply the actuation loads from the augmentor pump/fuel control component in a backup operation mode, wherein the SV is downstream of the CV in the actuation outlet line.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a filter in the main supply line downstream of the wash screen for filtering flow washing the wash screen, wherein the filter is upstream of the augmentor pump/fuel control component.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
wherein the inlet line is a branch of the main supply line connecting the thermal recirculation pump in fluid communication to be supplied from the main supply line, wherein the branch connects to the main supply line downstream of the filter and upstream of the augmentor pump/fuel control component.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
a main fuel control component connected to be supplied by the main supply line, wherein the main fuel control component is connected in fluid communication to supply the one or more gas generator systems.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein a backup line connects the one or more gas generator systems in fluid communication with the augmentor pump/fuel control component for backup.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the cooler system is connected in fluid communication with a cooler return line that connects the one or more coolers to the main supply line between the wash screen and the filter.

15. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the thermal recirculation control includes one or more cooler metering valves in fluid communication between the thermal recirculation line and the cooler supply line, the one or more cooler metering valves being configured to meter flow to the one or more coolers.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the one or more cooler metering valves comprise at least two cooler metering valves that are fluidly connected in parallel with one another to supply the one or more coolers.

17. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the thermal recirculation control includes a tank return metering valve connecting in fluid communication between the thermal recirculation line and a tank return line configured to step pressure down from the thermal recirculation line to the tank return line.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 , further comprising a supply tank connected in fluid communication to receive flow from the tank return line, and to supply the boost pump.

19. A system comprising:
a main supply line;
a thermal recirculation pump in fluid communication with the main supply line for supplying the thermal recirculation pump and with a thermal recirculation line for providing fluid at an elevated pressure to the thermal recirculation line relative to the main supply line;
wherein a cooler system of one or more coolers is connected in fluid communication between a cooler supply line of the thermal recirculation control and the main supply line; and
a thermal recirculation control connected in fluid communication to be supplied from the thermal recirculation line comprising a respective metering valve for each of the one or more coolers, in fluid communication between the thermal recirculation line and the cooler supply line, each respective metering valve being configured to meter flow to a corresponding one of the one or more coolers;
a boost pump connected in fluid communication between a supply and the main supply line upstream of an inlet line for supplying the thermal recirculation pump and one or more gas generator systems supplied by the main supply line;
an actuation system in fluid communication to be su

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Shook Ryan
• Susca Ryan Prescott

Classifications

• F02C9/30

  characterised by variable fuel pump output · CPC title

• F02C9/263

  by means of fuel metering valves · CPC title

• F02C7/236 Primary

  Fuel delivery systems comprising two or more pumps · CPC title

• F02C7/14

  of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F02K3/10

  by after-burners (F02K3/105 takes precedence) · CPC title