Turbine Engine Fuel Phase Sensing for Pericritical Fluid Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engine systems face challenges in effectively monitoring and controlling the phase properties of pericritical fluids, which impact operations, particularly in turbine engines, due to variations in phase state and properties of supercritical or near-supercritical fluids used for cooling and fuel applications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a pericritical fluid system with phase detection sensors to monitor and control phase properties, utilizing sensors to generate outputs that correlate with phase states, and integrating these sensors with control systems to manage fluid phase changes and properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pericritical fluids are used for cooling and fuel applications in turbine engines, then operational efficiency is improved, but monitoring and control of phase properties becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical phase monitoring systems with acoustic wave-based detection. Acoustic sensors detect phase changes by measuring changes in acoustic wave propagation through the fluid, substituting mechanical measurement methods with acoustic field-based detection that is more suitable for pericritical fluid conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic waves as an intermediary medium to detect phase properties of pericritical fluids. The acoustic waves interact with the fluid and carry information about phase state, enabling indirect but accurate measurement without direct contact with extreme conditions
2Measurement precision
If phase detection sensors are integrated into the pericritical fluid system, then phase property monitoring accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs acoustic sensors that serve multiple functions: detecting phase changes, measuring fluid properties, and providing control feedback. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized sensors for each measurement task, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic sensors are designed to operate autonomously in the pericritical fluid environment, using the fluid's own acoustic properties for detection without requiring external calibration or complex support systems. The system self-regulates by using acoustic feedback from the fluid state
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
Enhances the ability to manage and control pericritical fluid phase states, improving operational efficiency and performance in turbine engines by accurately monitoring and adjusting fluid properties.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic wave sensor, such as a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor or a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) sensor
Implementation Method 2
a pericritical fluid may be utilized in a near-supercritical or supercritical state to cool various fluid streams or components of the engine
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid fuel system for a turbine engine may include one or more sensors configured to generate sensor outputs corresponding to one or more phase properties of a fuel supplied to the turbine engine through a fuel pathway, and a controller configured to generate control commands configured to control one or more controllable components of the liquid fuel system based at least in part on the sensor outputs. The one or more sensors may include one or more phase detection sensors. The fuel may include hydrogen. The fuel may have a liquid phase state.