# US 11,898,496 B1 · Fuel system with backup pump source selection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,898,496 B1 - Document ID: US11898496B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/870,078 - Filed: 2022-07-21 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-21 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Ryan Prescott Susca; Morgan O'Rorke; Adrian L. Stoicescu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898496B1 ## CPC - F02C 7/236: Fuel delivery systems comprising two or more pumps - F02C 7/232: Fuel valves {(control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263)}; Draining valves or systems (valves in general F16K) - F02C 9/263: {by means of fuel metering valves} - F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines - F05D 2260/607: Preventing clogging or obstruction of flow paths by dirt, dust, or foreign particles - F05D 2260/84: Redundancy - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A fuel system of an aircraft engine, having: a boost pump having an input and an output; one or more selector valves; a first component pump having an input fluidly coupled to the output of the boost pump and an output of the first component pump is configured to direct fuel to a first component via the one or more selector valves; and a second component pump having an input that is selectively coupled to either the input or the output of the boost pump by the one or more selector valves, and an output of the second component pump is fluidly coupled to a second component and selectively coupled to the first component by the one or more selector valves. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel system of an aircraft engine, comprising: a boost pump having an input and an output; one or more selector valves; a first component pump having an input fluidly coupled to the output of the boost pump and an output of the first component pump is configured to direct fuel to a first component via the one or more selector valves; and a second component pump having an input that is selectively coupled to either the input or the output of the boost pump by the one or more selector valves, and an output of the second component pump is fluidly coupled to a second component and selectively coupled to the first component by the one or more selector valves, and a plurality of flowpaths, including: a first flowpath extending between the output of the boost pump and the input of the first component pump; a second flowpath extending between the output of the first component pump and the first component via the one or more selector valves; a third flowpath extending between the input of the boost pump and the input of the second component pump via the one or more selector valves; a fourth flowpath extending between the output of the second component pump and the second component; a fifth flowpath extending between the fourth flowpath and the first component via the one or more selector valves; and a sixth flowpath extending from the first flowpath, between the output of the boost pump and the first component pump, to the third flowpath via the one or more selector valves. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising: a fuel filter fluidly disposed along the first flowpath and coupled to the output of the boost pump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising: an engine controller configured to: determine when the first component pump is offline and the first component requires fuel; and control the one or more selector valves to: direct fuel from the output of the boost pump to the second component pump via the one or more selector valves; and direct fuel from the second component pump to the first component via the one or more selector valves. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more selector valves includes a first selector valve having: a first port that is fluidly coupled to the output of the first component pump; a second port that is fluidly coupled to the first component; and a third port that is fluidly coupled to the output of the second component pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the first selector valve further includes: a fourth port that is fluidly coupled to the output of the boost pump; a fifth port that is fluidly coupled to the input of the boost pump; and a sixth port that is fluidly coupled to the input of the second component pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, further comprising: a solenoid operationally coupled to the first selector valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more selector valves includes a second selector valve, the second selector valve including: a fourth port that is fluidly coupled to the output of the boost pump; a fifth port that is fluidly coupled to the input of the boost pump; and a sixth port that is fluidly coupled to the input of the second component pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, further comprising: a solenoid operationally coupled to the first selector valve and the second selector valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, further comprising: a first solenoid operationally coupled to the first selector valve; and a second solenoid operationally coupled to the second selector valve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An aircraft comprising: a gas turbine engine that includes the fuel system of claim 1 and first and second components; and a fuel source fluidly coupled to the fuel system, wherein the fuel system is configured to direct fuel from the fuel source to the first and second components. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aircraft of claim 10, comprising: a fuel filter fluidly disposed along the first flowpath and coupled to the output of the boost pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The aircraft of claim 10, wherein: the first component is a combustor and the second component is an afterburner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aircraft of claim 12, comprising: an engine controller configured to: determine when the first component pump is offline and the combustor requires fuel; and control the one or more selector valves to: direct fuel from the output of the boost pump to the second component pump via the one or more selector valves; and direct fuel from the second component pump to the first component via the one or more selector valves. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the engine controller is a full authority digital engine controller.