Hydraulic fuel pump apparatus for a fuel delivery chassis, suitable for refueling aircraft, and related devices, systems and methods

A method of operating a pump module for delivering fuel comprising:

• receiving, at a proportional flow control valve, hydraulic fluid at a first hydraulic fluid flow rate from a hydraulic pump driven by a vehicle engine, the proportional flow control valve allowing at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid to pass through at a second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• receiving, at a hydraulic motor, the hydraulic fluid passing through the proportional flow control valve at the second hydraulic fluid flow rate, the hydraulic motor rotating at a rotational rate corresponding to the second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• pumping, by a fuel pump driven by the hydraulic motor, fuel from a fuel storage receptacle to at least one fuel delivery hose assembly at a fuel flow rate corresponding to the rotational rate of the hydraulic motor;
• and
• controlling, by a controller, the proportional flow control valve to adjust the second hydraulic fluid flow rate to maintain the fuel flow rate within a predetermined flow rate range.

A fuel delivery vehicle chassis comprising:

• a fuel storage receptacle;
• a vehicle engine;
• a hydraulic pump;
• and
• a pump module comprising:
• a proportional flow control valve configured to receive hydraulic fluid at a first hydraulic fluid flow rate from the hydraulic pump driven by the vehicle engine, the proportional flow control valve configured to allow at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid to pass through at a second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• a hydraulic motor configured to receive and be driven by the hydraulic fluid passing through the proportional flow control valve at the second hydraulic fluid flow rate, the hydraulic motor configured to rotate at a rotational rate corresponding to the second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• a fuel pump configured to be driven by the hydraulic motor, the fuel pump configured to pump fuel from a fuel storage receptacle to at least one fuel delivery hose assembly at a fuel flow rate corresponding to the rotational rate of the hydraulic motor;
• and
• a controller configured to control the proportional flow control valve to adjust the second hydraulic fluid flow rate to maintain the fuel flow rate within a predetermined flow rate range.

A pump module for a fuel delivery chassis, comprising:

• a proportional flow control valve configured to receive hydraulic fluid at a first hydraulic fluid flow rate from a hydraulic pump driven by a vehicle engine, the proportional flow control valve configured to allow at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid to pass through at a second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• a fuel pump configured to pump fuel from a fuel storage receptacle to at least one fuel delivery hose assembly at a fuel flow rate corresponding to the second hydraulic fluid flow rate;
• and
• a controller configured to control the proportional flow control valve to adjust the second hydraulic fluid flow rate to maintain the fuel flow rate within a predetermined flow rate range.