# US 12,180,895 B2 · System and method for purging a fuel manifold of a gas turbine engine through a flow divider valve

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- Number: US 12,180,895 B2
- Document ID: US12180895B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/216,954
- Filed: 2023-06-30
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-15
- Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Inventors: James Robert Jarvo; Cedric Saintignan; Joseph Daniel Maxim Cirtwill; Kian McCaldon; Marc-Andre Tremblay; David Waddleton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180895B2

## CPC

- F02C 7/30: Preventing corrosion {or unwanted deposits} in gas-swept spaces
- F02C 6/00: Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
- F02C 6/16: for storing compressed air
- F02C 7/222: {Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds}
- F02C 7/228: Dividing fuel between various burners
- 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 7/236: Fuel delivery systems comprising two or more pumps
- F02C 9/32: characterised by throttling of fuel (F02C9/38 takes precedence)
- F02C 9/42: specially adapted for the control of two or more plants simultaneously
- F05D 2220/329: in helicopters
- F05D 2260/602: Drainage
- Y02E 60/16: Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- 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
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Methods and systems of operating a gas turbine engine in a low-power condition are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes supplying fuel to a combustor by supplying fuel to a first fuel manifold and a second fuel manifold of the gas turbine engine. The method also includes, while supplying fuel to the combustor by supplying fuel to the first fuel manifold: stopping supplying fuel to the second fuel manifold; and supplying pressurized air to the second fuel manifold to flush fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor and hinder coking in the second fuel manifold and associated fuel nozzles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
supplying fuel to a combustor of the gas turbine engine by supplying fuel to a first fuel manifold and to a second fuel manifold in fluid communication with the combustor;
while supplying fuel to the combustor by supplying fuel to the first fuel manifold:
stopping supplying fuel to the second fuel manifold;
flushing fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor by: supplying compressed air to the second fuel manifold; and maintaining a fuel flow rate to the combustor via the second fuel manifold below a threshold by regulating the compressed air supplied to the second fuel manifold; and
stopping supplying compressed air to the second fuel manifold after flushing fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor; and
after flushing fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor, supplying fuel to the combustor by supplying fuel to the first fuel manifold while supplying fuel to the second fuel manifold is stopped and while supplying compressed air to the second fuel manifold is stopped.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein flushing fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor includes, after stopping supplying fuel to the second fuel manifold, opening a purge valve to initiate the flushing of the fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor.