Fuel and Oil System Variable Drive Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel and oil systems in gas turbine engines require redundant motor controllers for variable speed control, leading to increased complexity and weight, while maintaining redundancy and efficiency is challenging, especially when faults occur.
Innovation Solution
A fuel and oil system with a first and second electric motor controller providing variable electrical drives, and a fixed electrical drive, allowing selective connection of pumps to maintain fully variable control and redundancy, reducing the need for redundant variable drives and minimizing excess supply and spillback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant motor controllers are provided for variable speed control of fuel and oil pumps, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling the second motor controller to perform multiple functions: it controls the oil pump under normal conditions and can take over control of the fuel pump if the first motor controller fails. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate redundant controllers while maintaining reliability through selective connection arrangements.
2Reliability
If redundant motor controllers are provided for both fuel and oil pumps, then reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the redundancy function into a single controller architecture where the second motor controller serves both the oil pump and can backup the fuel pump control. This consolidation reduces the total number of controller units and associated hardware, thereby reducing overall system weight while maintaining reliability through the selective connection capability.
3Productivity
If variable speed control is maintained for both pumps with full redundancy, then efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing a flexible, reconfigurable control architecture where the connection between motor controllers and pumps can be dynamically changed based on operational needs and fault conditions. The selective connection arrangement allows the system to adapt its configuration, maintaining variable speed control efficiency while reducing complexity through conditional rather than permanent redundant pathways.
4Productivity
If the oil pump operates at maximum flow rates continuously, then productivity is improved, but temperature increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of excess oil flow and heat generation into a beneficial cooling mechanism. The spill valve, which discards excess oil that would otherwise represent waste, is integrated with a cooling system that utilizes this spilled oil as a cooling medium. The spilled oil absorbs heat from the engine components and is then returned to the system, transforming the waste heat problem into an effective cooling solution that enables continuous maximum flow operation.
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
The system achieves efficient pump speed and flow rates with reduced component count, maintaining variable control and redundancy, and allows for extended operation of the oil pump at maximum flow rates with reduced temperature through spill valve management.
Implementation Method 1
a first electric motor controller configured to supply a variable electrical drive; a second electric motor controller configured to supply a variable electrical drive
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel and oil system includes a fuel pump, an oil pump, and a fixed electrical drive. A first electric motor controller of the fuel and oil system supplies a variable electrical drive, and a second electric motor controller supplies a variable electrical drive. The fuel pump is selectively connected to and driven by the first electric motor controller or the second electric motor controller. The oil pump is selectively connected to and driven by the second electric motor controller or the fixed electrical drive.