Ultrasound fuel flow sensing and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891085-B2
Application number	US-201415028055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2014
Priority date	Oct 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for measuring liquid fuel flows within a conduit are disclosed. An example flow sensor may include a conduit arranged to flow fuel therethrough along a flow axis, the conduit defining a flow area orthogonal to the flow axis. The flow sensor may further include a first transducer arranged to direct a first signal through the conduit proximate the flow area to a second transducer, the second transducer being arranged to direct a second signal through the conduit proximate the flow area to the first transducer, the first transducer being spaced apart from the second transducer by a signal path length, and in a direction parallel to the flow axis by an axial distance. The fuel flow measuring system may further include a processor arranged to calculate a fuel mass flow rate based on first and second signal transit times, known fuel properties and a fuel temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel flow measuring system comprising:
a conduit arranged to flow fuel therethrough substantially along a flow axis,
a first transducer arranged to direct a first signal through the conduit proximate the flow area to a second transducer, the second transducer being arranged to direct a second signal through the conduit proximate the flow area to the first transducer, the first transducer being spaced apart from the second transducer by a signal path length, the first transducer and the second transducer being spaced apart in a direction parallel to the flow axis by an axial distance; and
a processor for calculating a fuel mass flow rate through the conduit based at least in part on a first signal transit time for the first signal to travel from the first transducer to the second transducer, a second signal transit time for the second signal to travel from the second transducer to the first transducer, one or more known differential pressure of fuel flow properties or at least one of fuel type and attenuation coefficient of fuel properties, and a fuel temperature.

2. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel properties comprises density.

3. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , further comprising a fuel temperature sensor operatively coupled to provide a fuel temperature signal associated with the fuel temperature.

4. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel temperature sensor comprises at least one of a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, a thermistor, a pyrometer, and one or more ultrasonic sensors which use the sound speed to measure temperature.

5. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises at least one of Jet-A, JP5, JP8, and JP4.

6. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the signal path length is disposed at an acute or obtuse angle with respect to the flow axis.

7. The fuel flow measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises an inlet portion disposed at a first angle with respect to the flow axis and an outlet portion disposed at a second angle with respect to the flow axis.

8. An engine control system comprising:
an electronic engine controller configured to operate at an update rate;
a fuel flow measuring system operatively coupled to provide a fuel mass flow rate signal to the electronic engine controller, the fuel flow measuring system comprising
a conduit through which fuel can flow,
at least one fuel temperature sensor arranged to measure a fuel temperature associated with fuel flowing through the conduit,
a first ultrasonic transducer and a second ultrasonic transducer arranged to direct ultrasonic signals through at least a portion of the conduit, the second ultrasonic transducer facing said first ultrasonic transducer, the first and second transducers operating at a transducer measurement interval, and
a processor configured to calculate a mass flow rate of fuel through the conduit based at least in part on a first signal transit time for a first signal to travel from the first ultrasonic transducer to the second ultrasonic transducer, a second signal transit time for a second signal to travel from the second ultrasonic transducer to the first ultrasonic transducer, and the fuel temperature;
wherein the transducer measurement interval is substantially the same as or shorter than the update rate the electronic engine controller.

9. The engine control system of claim 8 , wherein the transducer measurement interval is between about 25 Hz and about 200 Hz.

10. A fuel flow sensor comprising:
a conduit arranged to convey fuel therethrough, the conduit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a conduit inlet portion, a conduit center portion, and a conduit exit portion, the conduit center portion comprising a first end coupled to the conduit inlet portion and a second end coupled to the conduit exit portion;
a first ultrasonic transducer disposed proximate the first end of the conduit center portion; and
a second ultrasonic transducer disposed proximate the second end of said conduit center portion;
wherein the conduit inlet portion and the conduit exit portion are substantially parallel and the conduit center portion is disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the conduit inlet portion and the conduit exit portion.

11. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , wherein the second conduit portion is angled with respect to the first conduit portion and the third conduit portion by greater than about 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees.

12. The fuel flow sensor of claim 11 , wherein the second conduit portion is angled with respect to the first conduit portion and the third conduit portion by greater than about 20 degrees and less than about 70 degrees.

13. The fuel flow sensor of claim 12 , wherein the second conduit portion is angled with respect to the first conduit portion and the third conduit portion by greater than about 40 degrees and less than about 60 degrees.

14. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , wherein a first transition region approximate an intersection of the first conduit portion and the second conduit portion is contoured to reduce flow separation.

15. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , wherein a second transition region approximate an intersection of the second conduit portion and the third conduit portion is contoured to reduce flow separation.

16. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , further comprising:
a Venturi disposed in a serial flow arrangement with the conduit; and
a differential pressure transducer operatively arranged to detect a differential pressure across the Venturi.

17. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , wherein the fuel flow measuring system is arranged to measure the fuel flow entering combustion gas turbine engine.

18. The fuel flow sensor of claim 10 , wherein the fuel flow measuring system is arranged to measure the fuel flow entering an aircraft engine.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Muhammad Muddassar Ali
• Furlong Edward Randall
• Mackenzie Colin James
• Mailander William James

Classifications

• G01F1/34

  by measuring pressure or differential pressure · CPC title

• F02C9/28

  Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• F05D2260/80

  Diagnostics · CPC title

• G01F1/663

  by measuring Doppler frequency shift · CPC title