# US 11,994,076 B2 · Multi-step pressurizing valve system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,076 B2 - Document ID: US11994076B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/219,485 - Filed: 2021-03-31 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-31 - Assignees: Woodward, Inc. - Applicants: Michael L. Hahn - Inventors: Michael L. Hahn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994076B2 ## CPC - F02C 9/263: {by means of fuel metering valves} - 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 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries - G05D 16/028: {Controlling a pressure difference (control of flow G05D7/00)} - F05D 2260/406: through hydraulic systems - F05D 2260/606: Bypassing the fluid - 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) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract Embodiments of a fuel system are disclosed. The fuel system includes a bypass valve (BPV), a fuel metering valve (FMV), a flow sense valve (FSV), and an actuator regulating valve (ARV). The BPV includes a BPV valve member that regulates fuel flow from a BPV inlet to a BPV outlet. The position of the BPV valve member is controlled by pressures at an inlet and an outlet of the FMV. The FSV includes an FSV valve member that regulates fuel flow from an FSV inlet to an FSV outlet. The ARV includes an ARV inlet that is in fluid communication with the FSV outlet, and fuel flow through an ARV outlet regulates downstream actuators. The position of the FSV valve member to produce fuel flow through the FSV outlet to the ARV inlet is controlled at least in part by a pressure at the BPV outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel system, comprising: a bypass valve (BPV) comprising a BPV inlet, a BPV outlet, and a BPV valve member, wherein the BPV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at a first pressure and wherein the BPV valve member regulates fuel flow from the BPV inlet to the BPV outlet at a second pressure; a fuel metering valve (FMV) comprising an FMV inlet and an FMV outlet, wherein the FMV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at a third pressure, wherein the third pressure is different than the first pressure, and wherein fuel flow from the FMV outlet is at a fourth pressure; and a flow sense valve (FSV) comprising an FSV inlet, an FSV outlet, and an FSV valve member, wherein the FSV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at the third pressure and wherein the FSV valve member regulates fuel from the FSV inlet to the FSV outlet, fuel from the FSV outlet configured to control downstream actuators; wherein a position of the BPV valve member to produce fuel flow through the BPV outlet at the second pressure is controlled at a first end by the third pressure and at a second end by the fourth pressure and a biasing element; wherein a position of the FSV valve member to produce fuel flow through the FSV outlet is controlled at least in part by the second pressure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel system of claim 1, wherein a first pressure differential between the third pressure and the fourth pressure is 90 psid or less. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel system of claim 2, wherein a second pressure differential across the FSV valve member to provide fuel flow through the FSV outlet is 90 psid or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a discharge pressurizing valve (DPV), comprising a DPV inlet, a first DPV outlet, and a second DPV outlet, wherein flow from the DPV inlet to the first DPV outlet and to the second DPV outlet is controlled by a DPV valve member; and wherein the DPV inlet receives fuel flow from the FMV outlet at the fourth pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel system of claim 4, wherein the first DPV outlet provides fuel flow to a downstream fuel manifold and wherein the second DPV outlet provides ecology flow. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator regulating valve (ARV) comprising an ARV inlet and an ARV outlet; wherein the ARV inlet is in fluid communication with the FSV outlet; wherein fuel flow through the ARV outlet regulates the downstream actuators at a fifth pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a wash filter provided on a first line carrying fuel at the first pressure, the first line in fluid communication with the BPV inlet, wherein fuel flows through the wash filter at the third pressure to a second line in fluid communication with the FMV inlet and the FSV inlet. ### Claim 8 A fuel system, comprising: a bypass valve (BPV) comprising a BPV inlet, a BPV outlet, and a BPV valve member, wherein the BPV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at a first pressure and wherein the BPV valve member regulates fuel flow from the BPV inlet to the BPV outlet at a second pressure; a fuel metering valve (FMV) comprising an FMV inlet and an FMV outlet, wherein the FMV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at a third pressure and wherein fuel flow from the FMV outlet is at a fourth pressure; and a flow sense valve (FSV) comprising an FSV inlet, an FSV outlet, and an FSV valve member, wherein the FSV inlet is configured to receive fuel flow at the third pressure and wherein the FSV valve member regulates fuel from the FSV inlet to the FSV outlet, fuel from the FSV outlet configured to control downstream actuators; an actuator regulating valve (ARV) comprising an ARV inlet and an ARV outlet; wherein the ARV inlet is in fluid communication with the FSV outlet; wherein fuel flow through the ARV outlet regulates the downstream actuators at a fifth pressure wherein a position of the BPV valve member to produce fuel flow through the BPV outlet at the second pressure is controlled at a first end by the third pressure and at a second end by the fourth pressure and a biasing element; wherein a position of the FSV valve member to produce fuel flow through the FSV outlet to the ARV inlet is controlled at least in part by the second pressure; and a discharge pressurizing valve (DPV), the DPV comprising a DPV inlet, at least one DPV outlet, and a DPV valve member that controls fuel flow from the DPV inlet to the at least one DPV outlet, wherein the DPV inlet receives fuel flow from the FMV outlet at the fourth pressure and wherein a flow bridge is provided between the ARV and the DPV such that fuel flow at the fifth pressure biases the DPV valve member against the fuel flow at the fourth pressure. ### Claim 9 A control system for one or more actuators, comprising: a bypass valve (BPV) having a BPV inlet and a BPV outlet; a flow sense valve (FSV) having an FSV inlet, an FSV outlet, and an FSV valve member, the FSV valve member having a first end and a second end; an actuator regulating valve (ARV) having an ARV inlet and an ARV outlet; wherein fuel flow through the BPV outlet applies a pressure to the first end of the FSV valve member; wherein the ARV inlet is in fluid communication with the FSV outlet; wherein fluid is able to flow from the FSV inlet to the FSV outlet at a minimum pressure differential across the FSV valve member measured between the first end and the second end of 90 psid or less; and wherein flow from the ARV outlet controls the one or more actuators. ### Claim 10 A control system for one or more actuators, comprising: a bypass valve (BPV) having a BPV inlet and a BPV outlet; a flow sense valve (FSV) having an FSV inlet, an FSV outlet, and an FSV valve member; an actuator regulating valve (ARV) having an ARV inlet and an ARV outlet; wherein fuel flow through the BPV outlet applies a pressure to the FSV valve member; wherein the ARV inlet is in fluid communication with the FSV outlet wherein fluid is able to flow from the FSV inlet to the FSV outlet at a minimum pressure differential across the FSV valve member of 90 psid or less; and wherein flow from the ARV outlet controls the one or more actuators; and wherein the ARV provides a pressure bridge to a discharge pressurizing valve configured to control fuel flow to a fuel manifold and to an ecology system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the minimum pressure differential is 50 psid or less. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein fuel flow from the BPV inlet to the BPV outlet is provided at a pressure differential of 90 psid or less across a BPV valve member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control system of claim 12, further comprising a fuel metering valve (FMV) having an FMV inlet and an FMV outlet, the FMV outlet being in fluid communication with a discharge pressurizing valve configured to regulate fuel flow to a fuel manifold; wherein fuel is at a first pressure at the FMV inlet and at a second pressure at the FMV outlet; and wherein the pressure differential across the BPV valve member is a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: supplying fuel to a first inlet of a bypass valve; discharging fuel from a first outlet of the bypass valve such that the fuel from the first outlet of the bypass valve applies a pressure to a first end of a valve member of a flow sense valve; regulating flow from a second inlet of the flow sense valve to a second outlet of flow sense valve based on a position of the valve member of the flow sense valve, wherein a minimum pressure differential across the valve member measured between the first end and a second end of the valve member to permit flow from the second inlet to the second outlet is 90 psid or less and wherein flow from the second outlet controls one or more downstream actuators. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the minimum pressure differential is 50 psid or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein fuel is supplied to the first inlet on a first fuel line and wherein the method further comprises: filtering fuel from the first fuel line to a second fuel line; and supplying fuel from the second fuel line to the second inlet of the flow sense valve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: metering fuel flowing on the second fuel line using a fuel metering valve, wherein the fuel enters the fuel metering valve at a first pressure and exits the fuel metering valve at a second pressure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: controlling flow from the first inlet to the first outlet of the bypass valve by applying the first pressure and the second pressure to opposite ends of a bypass valve member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a discharge pressurizing valve (DPV) is arranged downstream of the fuel metering valve and wherein the method further comprises: applying fuel at the second pressure against a DPV valve member to regulate fuel flow through a fuel manifold outlet and through an ecology outlet of the DPV. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein an actuator regulating valve is arranged downstream of the second outlet of the flow sense valve, wherein the actuator regulating valve is configured to control one or more actuators at a third pressure.