High accuracy fuel system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12345210-B2
Application number	US-202318375044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a fuel system can include, a fuel device, a fuel characterization device operatively connected to the fuel device configured to measure performance data of the fuel device before installation into an engine fuel system, and an electronic engine controller operatively connected to the fuel characterization device to receive the measured performance data of the fuel device on start up and calculate a metered mass flow based at least in part on the measured performance data of the fuel device. The electronic engine controller can be configured to control the fuel device to direct, meter, or pump fuel to the engine through the fuel device based on the calculated metered mass flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of metering fuel by a fuel system, the method comprising the steps of:
measuring performance data of each respective fuel device of a plurality of fuel devices before installation of the plurality of fuel devices into the fuel system, wherein each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices comprises at least one fuel channel;
storing the performance data of the plurality of fuel devices on a plurality of characterization devices, wherein each characterization device of the plurality of characterization devices is assigned to a respective fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices, and wherein each characterization device comprises a memory chip storing the performance data corresponding to the respective fuel device;
installing the plurality of fuel devices and the plurality of characterization devices within the fuel system;
identifying each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices to an electronic engine controller;
transferring the performance data from the plurality of fuel characterization devices to the electronic engine controller;
calculating mass flow through the plurality of fuel devices based at least in part on an aggregate of the performance data of the plurality of fuel devices, a metering area or orifice area of the at least one fuel channel of each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices, a pressure drop across the orifice area or metering area of the at least one fuel channel of each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices, and a specific gravity of fuel; and
metering flow through the plurality of fuel devices by the electronic engine controller based on the calculated mass flow through the plurality of fuel devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
replacing a first fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices installed in the fuel system with a second fuel device;
measuring performance data of the second fuel device before installing the second fuel device into the fuel system;
storing the performance data of the second fuel device on a second memory chip within a second characterization device corresponding to the second fuel device;
installing the second fuel device and the second characterization device within the fuel system;
identifying the second fuel device to the electronic engine controller; and
transferring the performance data of the second fuel device to the electronic engine controller.

3. A fuel system, comprising:
a plurality of fuel devices;
a plurality of fuel characterization devices, wherein each fuel characterization device of the plurality of fuel characterization devises is operatively connected to a respective fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices and comprises performance data of the respective fuel device measured and stored in memory on the respective fuel characterization device before installation of the respective fuel device into the fuel system; and
an electronic engine controller operatively connected to each fuel characterization device of the plurality of fuel characterization devices and configured to receive the performance data of each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices on start up of the fuel system and calculate a metered mass flow based at least in part on an aggregate of the performance data of the plurality of fuel devices, and wherein the electronic engine controller is operatively connected to the plurality of fuel devices and configured to control the plurality of fuel devices to direct, meter, or pump fuel to an engine through the plurality of fuel devices based on the calculated metered mass flow.

4. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein each fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices further includes a housing having at least one fuel channel configured to direct, meter, sense or pump fuel therethrough, and wherein each fuel characterization device of the plurality of fuel characterization devices is operatively coupled to the housing of the respective fuel device.

5. The fuel system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one fuel channel includes a metering valve.

6. The fuel system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one fuel channel includes a pressure regulating valve.

7. The fuel system of claim 4 , wherein the performance data includes one or more of: a fuel pressure, a fuel density, and/or a fuel temperature of the fuel within the at least one fuel channel.

8. The fuel system of claim 4 , wherein the performance data includes a fuel leakage rate of fuel from the housing measured before installation into the fuel system.

9. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fuel characterization devices is configured to wirelessly communicate with the electronic engine controller.

10. The fuel system of claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication includes a quick response code.

11. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fuel characterization devices is configured to physically connect to the electronic engine controller.

12. The fuel system of claim 11 , wherein each fuel characterization device of the plurality of fuel characterization devices is configured to physically connect to the electronic engine controller via a physical cable having a data storage unit for inserting into the electronic engine controller.

13. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fuel devices includes a fuel pump, a fuel metering unit, a flow divider valve, or a densimeter.

14. The fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the engine is a gas turbine engine, and the electronic engine controller is a gas turbine electronic engine controller.

15. The fuel system of claim 3 , further comprising a lanyard coupling a first fuel characterization device of the plurality of fuel characterization devices to a first fuel device of the plurality of fuel devices.

16. A method of operating the fuel system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic engine controller performs steps comprising:
identifying the plurality of fuel devices;
receiving the performance data from the plurality of fuel characterization devices;
calculating the metered mass flow based on the aggregate of the performance data; and
controlling the plurality of fuel devices to provide fuel to the engine based on the calculated metered mass flow.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of fuel devices include a fuel metering unit, and wherein the calculated metered mass flow is based at least in part on, a metering area or orifice area of the fuel metering unit, a pressure drop across the orifice or metering area of the fuel metering unit, and/or a specific gravity of fuel within the fuel metering unit.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Rhoden William E
• Reuter Charles E

Classifications

• G01F1/86

  Indirect mass flowmeters, e.g. measuring volume flow and density, temperature or pressure · CPC title

• F05D2270/306

  Mass flow · CPC title

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• F05D2270/301

  Pressure · CPC title

• F05D2270/01

  Purpose of the control system · CPC title