Engine control device and methods thereof
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorsDonald E. Grove, James K. Berry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine control device may comprise a processor and a memory. The engine control device may be configured to modify a fuel flow based on a density of the fuel proximate a fuel nozzle. The engine control device may include a densimeter embedded in, or disposed proximate, the engine control device. The engine control device may include a temperature sensor embedded in, or disposed proximate, the engine control device. The engine control device may be electrically coupled to a fuel valve and/or configured to modulate the fuel valve based on a density of the fuel at the fuel valve.
Claims11
An engine control device for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a housing;
- an electronic engine control (EEC) system disposed in the housing of the engine control device, the EEC system configured to control a flow rate by commanding a fuel valve to meter a fuel flow;
- a fluid conduit disposed through the housing and defining an inlet port in the housing and an outlet port in the housing, the fluid conduit configured to receive fuel during operation of the engine control device, the fuel supplied through the fluid conduit to cool the EEC system;
- and
- a densimeter operably coupled to the fluid conduit, the densimeter embedded within the housing of the engine control device between the inlet port and the outlet port, the densimeter configured to determine a density of the fuel.
A fuel flow control system for a gas turbine engine, the fuel flow control system comprising:
- a fuel supply;
- a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fuel supply, the fuel supply configured to supply a fuel through the fluid conduit to cool an electronic engine control (EEC) system for the gas turbine engine;
- an engine control device in fluid communication with the fuel supply, the engine control device defining a housing, the EEC system disposed within the housing of the engine control device, the fluid conduit defining an inlet port and an outlet port in the housing;
- a densimeter operably coupled to the fluid conduit, the densimeter embedded within the housing of the engine control device, the densimeter configured to determine a first density of the fuel;
- a first temperature sensor operably coupled to the fluid conduit, the first temperature sensor configured to measure a first temperature of the fuel;
- a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the fuel supply;
- and
- a second temperature sensor disposed between the fuel nozzle and the fuel supply, the second temperature sensor configured to measure a second temperature of the fuel, wherein the EEC system is configured to control a flow rate to the fuel nozzle via a fuel valve based on calculating a second density of the fuel proximal the fuel nozzle from the first density, the first temperature and the second temperature.
A method of controlling a fuel flow in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- measuring a first fuel temperature of a fuel at a first location, the first location is within an engine control device having an electronic engine control (EEC) system disposed in a housing of the engine control device, the EEC system configured to control a flow rate in response to commanding a fuel valve assembly;
- measuring, via a densimeter embedded within the housing, a first density of the fuel proximate the first location within the housing between an inlet port and an outlet port of a fluid conduit supplying the fuel through the housing of the engine control device;
- measuring a second fuel temperature of the fuel at a second location;
- calculating a second density of the fuel at the second location based on the second fuel temperature, the first fuel temperature, and the first density of the fuel;
- and
- metering the fuel flow via the fuel valve assembly to a desired fuel flow rate at the second location based on the second density of the fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.