Aircraft fuel system with fuel return from engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167801-A1
Application number	US-201314436516-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2013
Priority date	Oct 19, 2012
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft fuel system, comprising: a fuel tank; a fuel line; and an engine; wherein the fuel line includes a first conduit configured to carry fuel from the tank towards the engine, and a second conduit configured to carry fuel from the engine towards the tank, wherein one of the first conduit or the second conduit is disposed annularly around the other of the first conduit or the second conduit. Also, a method of operating the system. The system may be used to suppress ice formation in the first conduit and/or provide leakage detection.

First claim

1 . An aircraft fuel system, comprising: a fuel tank; a fuel line; and an engine;
wherein the fuel line includes a first conduit configured to carry fuel from the tank towards the engine, and a second conduit configured to carry fuel from the engine towards the tank, wherein one of the first conduit or the second conduit is disposed annularly around the other of the first conduit or the second conduit.

2 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel in the second conduit has a higher temperature than the fuel in the first conduit.

3 . A system according to claim 2 , wherein the fuel line is configured to transfer heat from the fuel in the second conduit to the fuel in the first conduit.

4 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the engine includes a high pressure fuel pump for delivering a supply of fuel to a combustor.

5 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a fuel return for returning excess fuel from the engine to the fuel tank via the second conduit.

6 . A system according to claim 4 , and further comprising a fuel return for returning excess fuel from the engine to the fuel tank via the second conduit, wherein the high pressure fuel pump is configured to output excess fuel to the fuel return.

7 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the engine further comprises a heat exchanger.

8 . A system according to claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer excess heat from the engine into the fuel.

9 . A system according to claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from an engine oil flow path and/or a generator.

10 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the engine includes a high pressure fuel pump for delivering a supply of fuel to a combustor, a fuel return for returning excess fuel output by the high pressure fuel pump to the fuel tank via the second conduit, and a heat exchanger, wherein the fuel that is returned to the fuel tank is heated by the heat exchanger.

11 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a fuel pump for delivering a supply of fuel from the tank towards the engine via the first conduit.

12 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the second conduit is in fluid communication with an outlet in the fuel tank.

13 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a jet pump disposed within the fuel tank for delivering a supply of fuel from the tank towards the engine via the first conduit.

14 . A system according to claim 13 , wherein the jet pump has a motive fluid inlet in fluid communication with the second conduit.

15 . A system according to claim 14 , wherein the engine includes a high pressure fuel pump for delivering a supply of fuel to a combustor, a fuel return for returning excess fuel output by the high pressure fuel pump via the second conduit to the jet pump for providing motive flow to the jet pump.

16 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for detecting a leak in the fuel line.

17 . A system according to claim 16 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

18 . An aircraft comprising the fuel system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel line is disposed within a pylon coupling the engine to a fuselage or wing of the aircraft.

19 . A method for transferring fuel in an aircraft fuel system, the method comprising delivering fuel from a fuel tank towards an engine through a first conduit of a fuel line, delivering fuel from the engine towards the fuel tank through a second conduit of the fuel line, wherein one of the first conduit or the second conduit is disposed annularly around the other of the first conduit or the second conduit.

20 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein the fuel in the second conduit has a higher temperature than the fuel in the first conduit, and the fuel line is configured to transfer heat from the fuel in the second conduit to the fuel in the first conduit.

21 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein the fuel in the second conduit flows into the fuel tank via an outlet in the fuel tank.

22 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein the fuel in the second conduit provides motive flow for a jet pump arranged to supply fuel from the fuel tank into the first conduit.

23 . A method according to claim 19 , wherein the fuel line is disposed within a pylon coupling the engine to a fuselage or wing of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd
• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Haskins Richard
• Tichborne Franklin
• Lam Joseph K-W

Classifications

• B64D37/02 Primary

  Tanks (tanks constructed integrally with aircraft wings B64C3/34) · CPC title

• B64D37/32

  Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions · CPC title

• F02C7/222

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

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• B64D37/34 Primary

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