Aircraft fuel supply system

Abstract

The goal is to stabilize the fuel supply to the engine while ensuring the fuel pump operates efficiently. [Solution] The aircraft fuel supply system comprises a fuel pump and an intermediate tank fluidly connected to the engine via a fuel supply passage, a pressure sensor that detects the internal pressure of the intermediate tank or a tank pressure correlated with the internal pressure of the intermediate tank, and a processing circuit that performs intermittent control to control the pump actuator according to the tank pressure. The intermittent control includes controlling the pump actuator to stop the fuel pump when the tank pressure increases and reaches a first threshold, while allowing fuel to be supplied from the intermediate tank to the engine, and controlling the pump actuator to drive the fuel pump when the tank pressure decreases and reaches a second threshold smaller than the first threshold.

Claims

1. A fuel supply line that fluidly connects the fuel tank to the engine, A fuel pump that supplies fuel from the fuel tank to the engine through the fuel supply passage, A pump actuator that drives the aforementioned fuel pump, An intermediate tank, which is fluidly connected to the fuel pump and the engine via the fuel supply passage, A pressure sensor that detects the internal pressure of the intermediate tank or the tank pressure which is a pressure correlated with the internal pressure of the intermediate tank, The system includes a processing circuit that performs intermittent control of the pump actuator according to the tank pressure, The aforementioned intermittent control is When the tank pressure increases and reaches a first threshold, the pump actuator is controlled to stop the fuel pump while allowing fuel to be supplied from the intermediate tank to the engine. An aircraft fuel supply system comprising: controlling the pump actuator to drive the fuel pump when the tank pressure decreases to a second threshold less than the first threshold.

2. The aforementioned processing circuit is Obtain output-related values ​​that correlate with the output of the aforementioned engine, When the output-related value is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, intermittent control is performed to drive the fuel pump by controlling the pump actuator according to the engine's output-related value. The aircraft fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the intermittent control is performed when the output-related value is less than the predetermined value.

3. The fuel supply passage includes a main passage through which the fuel pump is located, with the fuel tank fluidly connected to the engine, and at least one sub-passage fluidly connected to the intermediate tank. The fuel supply system further includes a valve capable of blocking the flow between the intermediate tank and the main flow path in the sub-flow path. The aircraft fuel supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermittent control includes controlling the valve to keep it open.

4. The fuel supply passage includes a main passage through which the fuel pump is located, with the fuel tank fluidly connected to the engine, and at least one sub-passage fluidly connected to the intermediate tank. The fuel supply system further includes a valve capable of blocking the flow between the intermediate tank and the main flow path in the sub-flow path. In the non-intermittent control, the processing circuit controls the valve to close it when the tank pressure increases and reaches the first threshold, according to the aircraft fuel supply system of claim 2.

5. The aircraft fuel supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermediate tank is arranged in series with respect to the portion of the fuel supply line between the fuel pump and the engine.

6. In the intermittent control described above, the processing circuit controls the pump actuator to drive the fuel pump so that the flow rate or rotational speed of the fuel pump is maintained at or above a predetermined value when the tank pressure reaches the second threshold, according to the aircraft fuel supply system according to claim 1 or 2.

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