Gas turbine engine with controlled return of fuel to power accessories and retrofitting method
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorDavid Christopher Kiely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retrofit gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a combustor and a turbine. A tie shaft is connected to rotate by the turbine, and provide rotational drive into a gearbox. At least one fuel pump is connected to be driven by the gearbox. The at least one fuel pump delivers fuel downstream toward the combustor, and also has a return line. An added accessory turbine is positioned on the return line, and drives an added accessory which has been retrofit added to an existing gas turbine engine. A method is also disclosed.
Claims20
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor, a combustor and a turbine;
- a tie-shaft connected to rotate by the turbine, and to provide drive into a gearbox, at least one fuel pump connected to be driven by the gearbox, the at least one fuel pump for delivering fuel downstream toward the combustor and also having a return line;
- a full authority digital electronic controller (“FADEC”) receiving electrical power from a first alternator;
- an alternator turbine positioned on the return line and driving a second alternator which also supplies electric power to the FADEC;
- and
- wherein a thermal recirculation valve recirculates fuel into the return line if a temperature of the fuel exceeds a desired level.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor, a combustor and a turbine;
- a tie-shaft connected to rotate by the turbine, and to provide drive into a gearbox, at least one fuel pump connected to be driven by the gearbox, the at least one fuel pump for delivering fuel downstream toward the combustor and also having a return line;
- a full authority digital electronic controller (“FADEC”) receiving electrical power from a first alternator;
- an alternator turbine positioned on the return line and driving a second alternator which also supplies electric power to the FADEC;
- and
- wherein the at least one fuel pump includes a main fuel pump, and an actuator fuel pump for supplying pressurized fuel to actuators associated with the gas turbine engine, and the actuator fuel pump having the return line passing through the alternator turbine to in turn drive the second alternator.
A method of retrofitting an existing gas turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- 1) determining a need for an additional accessory to be added to an existing gas turbine engine;
- 2) modifying a fuel supply system for the existing gas turbine engine such that a return line downstream of a fuel pump in the fuel supply system returns fuel across an added accessory turbine to drive the additional accessory;
- wherein the existing gas turbine engine is controlled by a full authority digital electronic controller (“FADEC”), and a gearbox driving a first alternator supplying electric power to the FADEC, and the additional accessory being a hydraulically driven second alternator supplying additional electric power to the FADEC;
- and
- wherein the fuel pump includes a main fuel pump, and an actuator fuel pump supplying pressurized fuel to actuators associated with the gas turbine engine, and the actuator fuel pump having the return line passing across the alternator turbine to in turn drive the second alternator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.