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US 9,863,322 B2Granted
Selectively deoxygenated stored fuel system
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsAlexander W. Williams, Stephen K. Kramer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine includes a multi-stage fuel injection system including at least a first fuel injection stage and a second fuel injection stage, a first fuel reservoir fluidly connected to the first fuel injection stage and fluidly connected to a selective valve, and a second fuel reservoir fluidly connected to the selective valve. The selective valve connects one of the first fuel reservoir and the second fuel reservoir to the second fuel injection stage.
Claims17
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a multi-stage fuel injection system including at least a first fuel injection stage and a second fuel injection stage;
- a first fuel reservoir directly fluidly connected to the first fuel injection stage and fluidly connected to a selective valve;
- a second fuel reservoir fluidly connected to the selective valve;
- and
- wherein one of the first fuel reservoir and the second fuel reservoir is fluidly connected to the second fuel injection stage via the selective valve.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a multi-stage fuel injection system including at least a first fuel injection stage and a second fuel injection stage;
- a first fuel reservoir fluidly connected to the first fuel injection stage and fluidly connected to a selective valve;
- a second fuel reservoir fluidly connected to the selective valve;
- wherein one of the first fuel reservoir and the second fuel reservoir is fluidly connected to the second fuel injection stage via the selective valve;
- and
- a controller controllably coupled to the selective valve, and wherein the controller is operable to control a state of the selective valve, the controller including a non-transitory memory storing instructions configured to cause the gas turbine engine to perform the steps of
- transitioning from a first mode of engine operations to a second mode of engine operations by at least connecting a second fuel injector stage of a multi-stage fuel injection system to a de-oxygenated fuel reservoir;
- operating said second fuel injector stage for at least a predefined time period, thereby ensuring that all fuel within the second fuel injector stage is de-oxygenated fuel;
- and
- switching off the second fuel injector stage, thereby allowing de-oxygenated fuel to remain stagnant in the second fuel injector stage.
7 more elements
A method for preventing fuel coking in a multi-stage fuel injection system comprising:
- transitioning from a first mode of engine operations to a second mode of engine operations by at least connecting a second fuel injector stage of a multi-stage fuel injection system to a de-oxygenated fuel reservoir;
- operating said second fuel injector stage for at least a predefined time period, thereby ensuring that all fuel within the second fuel injector stage is de-oxygenated fuel;
- and
- switching off the second fuel injector stage, thereby allowing de-oxygenated fuel to remain stagnant in the second fuel injector stage.
1 more element
A gas turbine fuel injection system comprising:
- a first fuel injector stage having a plurality of fuel injector nozzles;
- at least one additional fuel injector stage having a plurality of fuel injector nozzles;
- a main fuel module connected to said first fuel injector stage via a main fuel line;
- a selective valve having a first input, and second input and an output, the output of the selective valve being connected to the second fuel injector stage;
- a de-oxygenated fuel reservoir connected to one of a first fuel input and a second fuel input, and the main fuel line being connected to the other of the first fuel input and the second fuel input;
- and
- a controller coupled to the selective valve and operable to control a state of the selective valve, wherein the controller includes a non-transitory memory storing instructions configured to cause the fuel injection system to perform the steps of
- transitioning from a first mode of engine operations to a second mode of engine operations by at least connecting a second fuel injector stage of a multi-stage fuel injection system to a de-oxygenated fuel reservoir;
- operating said second fuel injector stage for at least a predefined time period, thereby ensuring that all fuel within the second fuel injector stage is de-oxygenated fuel;
- and
- switching off the second fuel injector stage, thereby allowing de-oxygenated fuel to remain stagnant in the second fuel injector stage.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.