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US 11,945,600 B2Granted
Fuel delivery system having a fuel oxygen reduction unit
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDaniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel system is provided for an aircraft having a fuel source. The fuel system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path is in airflow communication with the fuel source.
Claims16
A method of operating an aircraft fuel system, the aircraft fuel system comprising a fuel source, the method comprising:
- using a fuel oxygen reduction unit, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising a contactor and a separator, wherein using the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprises:
- receiving a flow of gas from an ullage of the fuel source into a stripping gas supply path of the fuel oxygen reduction unit;
- receiving a flow of a liquid fuel from the fuel source into a liquid fuel supply path of the fuel oxygen reduction unit;
- mixing the flow of gas and the flow of the liquid fuel in the contactor upstream of the separator;
- reducing an oxygen content in the flow of gas from the ullage of the fuel source;
- reducing an oxygen content of the liquid fuel from the fuel source;
- and
- providing a reduced-oxygen content gas flow back to the fuel source via a stripping gas return path.
5 more elements
A fuel system for an aircraft, the fuel system comprising:
- a fuel source for providing a liquid fuel, wherein the fuel source defines an ullage for containing a gas;
- and
- a fuel oxygen reduction unit, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising:
- a contactor;
- a separator;
- a liquid fuel supply path configured to supply a liquid fuel flow to the contactor;
- a stripping gas supply path configured to supply a stripping gas flow from the ullage to the contactor;
- a liquid fuel outlet path configured to return liquid fuel from the separator to the fuel source;
- a stripping gas return path configured to return stripping gas from the separator to the ullage;
- and
- a gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the stripping gas supply path or the stripping gas return path,
- wherein the contactor is configured to mix the liquid fuel flow from the liquid fuel supply path with the stripping gas flow from the stripping gas supply path to form a fuel/gas mixture;
- and
- wherein the separator is fluidly connected to the contactor for receiving the fuel/gas mixture and separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the stripping gas flow and the liquid fuel flow.
11 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuel system, the fuel system comprising:
- a fuel source configured to provide a liquid fuel, wherein the fuel source defines an ullage for containing a gas;
- and
- a fuel oxygen reduction unit, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising:
- a contactor;
- a separator;
- a liquid fuel supply path configured to supply a liquid fuel flow to the contactor;
- a stripping gas supply path configured to supply a stripping gas flow from the ullage to the contactor;
- a liquid fuel outlet path configured to return liquid fuel from the separator to the fuel source;
- a stripping gas return path configured to return stripping gas from the separator to the ullage;
- and
- a gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the stripping gas supply path or the stripping gas return path,
- wherein the contactor is configured to mix the liquid fuel flow from the liquid fuel supply path with the stripping gas flow from the stripping gas supply path to form a fuel/gas mixture;
- and
- wherein the separator is fluidly connected to the contactor for receiving the fuel/gas mixture and separating the fuel/gas mixture back into the stripping gas flow and the liquid fuel flow.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.