Fuel Oxygen Conversion Unit with Valve Control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020140109-A1
Application number	US-201816178927-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	May 7, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor; a fuel gas separator, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the fuel gas separator to the contactor; and an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel oxygen conversion unit for a vehicle or an engine of the vehicle comprising:
a contactor; a fuel gas separator, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the fuel gas separator to the contactor; and an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.

2 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 1 , wherein the fuel oxygen conversion unit further defines a bypass gas flowpath in fluid communication with the circulation gas flowpath at a first location positioned upstream of the contactor and a second location positioned downstream of the fuel gas separator, wherein the isolation valve is further in fluid communication with the bypass gas flowpath and configured for selectively diverting the gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the bypass gas flowpath.

3 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 2 , wherein the isolation valve is a diverter valve positioned at the first location or at the second location.

4 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 2 , wherein the isolation valve is a first diverter valve positioned at the first location, and wherein the fuel oxygen conversion unit further comprises a second diverter valve positioned at the second location.

5 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 2 , further comprising:
a gas boost pump, wherein the first location is further positioned downstream of the gas boost pump.

6 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 2 , further comprising:
a catalyst, wherein the second location is further positioned upstream of the catalyst.

7 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas boost pump, wherein the gas boost pump and the fuel gas separator are mechanically coupled such that the gas boost pump is rotatable with the fuel gas separator.

8 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 1 , wherein the isolation valve is a shutoff valve for shutting off the gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath.

9 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 8 , wherein the shut off valve is a first shutoff valve, and wherein the fuel oxygen conversion unit further comprises:
a second shutoff valve, wherein the first shutoff valve is positioned upstream of the contactor in the circulation gas flowpath, and wherein the second shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the fuel gas separator in the circulation gas flowpath.

10 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 8 , wherein the fuel oxygen conversion unit further comprises:
a catalyst; and a gas boost pump, wherein the first shutoff valve is positioned downstream of the catalyst and the gas boost pump, and wherein the second shutoff valve is positioned upstream of the catalyst and the gas boost pump.

11 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stripping gas source selectively in fluid communication with the circulation gas flowpath for selectively introducing a stripping gas from the stripping gas source to the circulation gas flowpath.

12 . The fuel oxygen conversion unit of claim 11 , wherein the stripping gas source is a stripping gas tank.

13 . A gas turbine engine of the vehicle comprising:
a combustion section; a fuel delivery system for providing a flow of fuel to the combustion section; and a fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising
a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet, and a fuel/gas mixture outlet;
a fuel gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet, a liquid fuel outlet, and a stripping gas outlet, the liquid fuel inlet of the contactor and the liquid fuel outlet of the fuel gas separator in fluid communication with the fuel delivery system, the fuel oxygen conversion unit further defining a circulation gas flowpath from the stripping gas outlet of the fuel gas separator to the stripping gas inlet of the contactor; and
an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.

14 . A method of operating a fuel oxygen conversion unit for a gas turbine engine, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath and comprising a contactor, a fuel gas separator, and an isolation valve, the method comprising:
receiving data indicative of an operating condition parameter for the fuel oxygen conversion unit, the gas turbine engine, or both; and modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath of the fuel oxygen conversion unit to modify a stripping gas flow to or through the contactor of the fuel oxygen conversion unit in response to the received data, the contactor positioned upstream of the fuel gas separator of the fuel oxygen conversion unit.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the operating condition parameter is a speed parameter, and wherein the speed parameter is indicative of a rotational speed of the fuel gas separator of the fuel oxygen conversion unit, the gas turbine engine, or both.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein receiving data indicative of the speed parameter comprises receiving data indicative of a rotational speed of the fuel gas separator, the gas turbine engine, or both being below a predetermined threshold, and wherein modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath comprises reducing the stripping gas flow to or through the contactor of the fuel oxygen conversion unit in response to receiving data indicative of the rotational speed of the fuel gas separator, the gas turbine engine, or both being below the predetermined threshold.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein receiving data indicative of the speed parameter comprises receiving data indicative of a rotational speed of the fuel gas separator, the gas turbine engine, or both being above a predetermined threshold, and wherein modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath comprises increasing the stripping gas flow to or through the contactor of the fuel oxygen conversion unit in response to receiving data indicative of the rotational speed of the fuel gas separator, the gas turbine engine, or both being above the predetermined threshold.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath comprises diverting the stripping gas flow around the contactor through a bypass gas flowpath.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath comprises shutting off the stripping gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath at a location upstream of the contactor.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the operating condition parameter is indicative of an operating mode of the fuel oxygen conversion unit, the gas turbine engine, or both, and wherein receiving data indicative of the operating condition parameter comprises receiving data indicative of the fuel oxygen conversion unit, the gas turbine engine, or both being in a startup operating mode, and wherein modulating the isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath of the fuel oxygen conversion unit comprises providing a flow of stored stripping gas to the circulation gas flowpath at a location upstream of the contactor.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• O'Connor Ethan Patrick
• Niergarth Daniel Alan
• Miller Brandon Wayne
• Wesling Richard Alan
• Stevenson Christian Xavier
• Andrews Jr Peter Allen

Classifications

• B01D19/0063

  Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K) · CPC title

• B01D2257/104

  Oxygen · CPC title

• F05D2210/13

  mixed, e.g. two-phase fluid · 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

• F02C7/222

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