Gear Pump Protection Valve
AssigneeUnited Techologies Corporation
InventorDavid Lloyd Ripley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel system is disclosed. The fuel system may include a fuel supply, a fuel supply conduit fluidly connecting the fuel supply to an engine, and a fuel pump in fluid communication with the fuel supply conduit. The fuel system may also include a bypass conduit including a first end fluidly connected to the fuel supply conduit proximate an inlet of the fuel pump, and a second end fluidly connected to the fuel supply conduit proximate an outlet of the fuel pump. The fuel system may also include a bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass conduit. The bypass valve may be configured to allow fuel to flow from the first end to the second end of the bypass conduit.
Claims20
A fuel system, comprising:
- a fuel supply;
- a fuel supply conduit fluidly connecting the fuel supply to an engine;
- a fuel pump in fluid communication with the fuel supply conduit;
- a bypass conduit including a first end fluidly connected to the fuel supply conduit proximate an inlet of the fuel pump, and a second end fluidly connected to the fuel supply conduit proximate an outlet of the fuel pump;
- and
- a bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass conduit, the bypass valve configured to allow fuel to flow from the first end to the second end of the bypass conduit.
An engine, comprising:
- a fuel system including:
- a fuel pump directing a fuel flow to a combustor section of the engine;
- a bypass conduit leading from a position upstream of the fuel pump to a position downstream of the fuel pump;
- and
- a bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass conduit, the bypass valve configured to allow fuel to flow through the bypass conduit and bypass the fuel pump.
A method for preventing damage to a fuel pump of an engine, comprising:
- allowing fuel flow through the bypass conduit when a fuel pressure at an inlet of the fuel pump is greater than a fuel pressure at an outlet of the fuel pump;
- and
- substantially preventing fuel flow through the bypass conduit when the fuel pressure at the inlet of the fuel pump is less than the fuel pressure at the outlet of the fuel pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.