Electric Motor Fuel Pump Control for Gas Turbine Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face inefficiencies due to excess fuel recirculation, which reduces the fuel's heat absorption capacity and leads to performance degradation, as well as the need for redundant fuel systems to ensure safe operation.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system with a main fuel pump driven by a variable-speed electric motor, an actuator operated by a second electric motor, and a control system that switches motor controllers to maintain fuel flow redundancy and minimize excess fuel, incorporating a heat exchanger for cooling other engine systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fuel is recirculated within the fuel system to ensure sufficient fuel supply, then the minimum capacity of the mechanical pump is satisfied, but the fuel temperature increases and the heat absorption capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fuel recirculation function from the main fuel system by introducing a separate electrically-driven fuel pump that can operate independently. This allows the system to maintain reliable fuel supply without relying on recirculation that raises fuel temperature, as the electric pump can deliver fuel directly to the combustor without heating it through recirculation loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical recirculation system with an electrically-driven fuel pump system. The electric motor controls fuel delivery precisely without mechanical recirculation, eliminating the temperature rise associated with mechanical recirculation while maintaining reliable fuel supply capability.
2Reliability
If a mechanical pump is used to supply fuel, then the pump is reliable and supplies fuel in proportion to engine speed, but the pump capacity must be sized for high power conditions and excess fuel must be recirculated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a variable speed electric motor that can dynamically adjust fuel pump capacity to match exact engine fuel demands. This dynamic control eliminates excess fuel production, allowing the system to operate efficiently across all power conditions without requiring fuel recirculation, while maintaining the reliability of the fuel supply system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the fuel pump from fixed mechanical capacity to variable electrically-controlled capacity. The electric motor can adjust speed and fuel delivery rate to precisely match engine requirements, eliminating excess fuel while maintaining reliable supply across varying operating conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If fuel is recirculated to ensure sufficient fuel flow, then the minimum pump capacity is satisfied, but the available capacity to absorb heat from other systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat absorption function from the recirculated fuel by eliminating the recirculation loop. The electrically-driven pump delivers fuel directly to the combustor without passing it through heat absorption zones, allowing other engine systems to utilize available heat absorption capacity without being limited by warmed recirculated fuel.
4Reliability
If a redundant fuel system is implemented, then safe operation is ensured, but system complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the electric motor and controller multi-functional by enabling them to serve both as the primary fuel pump driver and as a backup system. The same electric motor can operate in normal mode or emergency mode, providing redundancy without requiring separate backup components, thus reducing overall system weight while maintaining operational redundancy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution optimizes fuel flow to match engine demands, enhances heat absorption capacity, and ensures uninterrupted fuel supply with reduced weight and increased operational redundancy.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger receives a fuel flow from the main fuel pump for cooling flow from another system of the gas turbine engine
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A fuel system (62) for a gas turbine engine (20) includes a first electric motor (78), a main fuel pump (64) driven by the first electric motor (78) to provide a fuel flow, and an actuator (92) operable by a second electric motor (90). A first motor controller (84) governs operation of the first electric motor (78). A second motor controller (86) governs operation of the second electric motor (90). The second motor controller (86) is operable to control operation of the first electric motor (78) in response the first motor controller (84) being incapable of governing operation of the first electric motor (78).