Ecology valve fuel return system for gas turbine engine

An ecology valve (EV) fuel return system for use in conjunction with fuel supply system and a gas turbine engine (GTE) including at least a first fuel manifold, the EV fuel return system comprising:

• a housing assembly having a fuel return outlet and a first manifold inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to the fuel supply system and to the first fuel manifold, respectively;
• an ecology valve, comprising:
• a piston slidably disposed in the housing assembly and movable between a fuel storage position and a fuel return position;
• and
• a fuel storage chamber generally defined by the housing assembly and the piston, the fuel storage chamber fluidly coupled to the fuel return outlet and to the first manifold inlet;
• and
• a fuel routing assembly fluidly coupled between the fuel return outlet, the first manifold inlet, and the fuel storage chamber, the fuel routing assembly configured to route fuel:
• (i) from the first manifold inlet to the fuel storage chamber when the piston transitions from the fuel return position to the fuel storage position, and (ii) from the fuel storage chamber to the fuel return outlet when the piston transitions from the fuel storage position to the fuel return position.

A fuel control assembly for use in conjunction with a gas turbine engine (GTE) including at least a first fuel manifold, the fuel control assembly comprising:

• a fuel supply system configured to be fluidly coupled to the first fuel manifold and to supply metered fuel thereto;
• and
• an ecology valve (EV) fuel return system, comprising:
• a housing assembly having a fuel return outlet fluidly coupled to the fuel supply system and having a fuel return inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to the first fuel manifold;
• an ecology valve disposed in the housing assembly and fluidly coupled between the fuel return outlet and the first manifold inlet;
• and
• a fuel routing assembly fluidly coupled between the fuel return outlet, the first manifold inlet, and the ecology valve, the fuel routing assembly configured to route fuel:
• (i) from the first manifold inlet to the ecology valve to withdraw fuel from the first fuel manifold when the GTE is in a shut-down mode, and (ii) from the ecology valve to the fuel return outlet to return fuel to the fuel supply system when the GTE is in an engine start mode.