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公开(公告)号:US11815031B2
公开(公告)日:2023-11-14
申请号:US17853074
申请日:2022-06-29
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
Inventor: Peter Swann , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden
CPC classification number: F02C9/28 , B64D27/10 , B64D37/04 , G08G5/0034
Abstract: A method of operating an aircraft including a gas turbine engine and a plurality of fuel tanks arranged to provide fuel to the gas turbine engine, where at least two of the fuel tanks contain fuels with different fuel characteristics. The method includes obtaining a flight profile for a flight of the aircraft; and determining a fuelling schedule for the flight based on the flight profile and the fuel characteristics. The fuelling schedule governs the variation with time of how much fuel is drawn from each tank. Fuel input to the gas turbine engine may then be controlled in operation in accordance with the fuelling schedule.
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公开(公告)号:US11732659B2
公开(公告)日:2023-08-22
申请号:US17896467
申请日:2022-08-26
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , Christopher P Madden
Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a variable geometry combustor having pilot fuel injectors and main fuel injectors; a fuel metering system configured to control fuel flow to the pilot fuel injectors and the main fuel injectors; a variable geometry airflow arrangement for the variable geometry combustor, which is configured to vary the airflow through the pilot fuel injectors and/or the main fuel injectors; a control system configured to control the variable geometry airflow arrangement in dependence upon airflow delivered to the combustor, the fuel flow to the pilot fuel injectors and the main fuel injectors, and a target index of soot emissions, thereby controlling airflow through the pilot fuel injectors and/or the main fuel injectors and hence the quantity of soot produced by combustion.
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公开(公告)号:US11591973B1
公开(公告)日:2023-02-28
申请号:US17853365
申请日:2022-06-29
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , Christopher P Madden , Craig W Bemment
Abstract: A aircraft gas turbine engine and operation method, the engine including: a staged combustion system having pilot and main fuel injectors, and operates in a pilot-only range wherein fuel delivers to pilot fuel injectors, and a pilot-and-main operation range wherein fuel is delivered to at least the main fuel injectors. The engine further includes a fuel delivery regulator to pilot and main fuel injectors, which receives fuel from a first and second source containing fuels each with different characteristics. The staged combustion system switches between pilot-only and pilot-and-main range operation when in steady cruise mode, the mode defining a boundary between first and second engine cruise operation range. The fuel delivery regulator delivers fuel to pilot fuel injectors during at least part of the first engine cruise operation with different fuel characteristics from fuel delivered to one or both pilot and main fuel injectors the second engine cruise operation range.
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公开(公告)号:US12158115B2
公开(公告)日:2024-12-03
申请号:US18337568
申请日:2023-06-20
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden , Andrea Minelli , Andrew T Smith , Peter Swann , Martin K Yates
Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine including: a combustor arranged to combust a fuel; and a fuel management system arranged to provide the fuel to the combustor, wherein the fuel management system includes two fuel-oil heat exchangers through which oil and fuel flow, which are arranged to transfer heat between the oil and fuel and include primary and secondary fuel-oil heat exchangers; a fuel pump arranged to deliver the fuel to the combustor, wherein the fuel pump is located between the heat exchangers; and a recirculation valve located downstream of the primary heat exchanger, the recirculation valve arranged to allow a controlled amount of fuel which has passed through the primary heat exchanger to be returned to the inlet. The method includes selecting one or more fuels such that the calorific value of the fuel provided to the gas turbine engine is at least 43.5 MJ/kg.
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公开(公告)号:US12152496B2
公开(公告)日:2024-11-26
申请号:US18138333
申请日:2023-04-24
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , David M Beaven , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden , Martin K Yates
Abstract: The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel suitable for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The method comprises: determining, during use of the gas turbine engine, one or more exhaust content parameters by performing a sensor measurement on an exhaust of the gas turbine engine; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more exhaust parameters including the nvPM content of the exhaust. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.
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公开(公告)号:US12078112B2
公开(公告)日:2024-09-03
申请号:US18096858
申请日:2023-01-13
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
Inventor: Peter Swann , David M Beaven , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden , Martin K Yates
IPC: G01N21/33 , B64D27/10 , B64D47/00 , F02C9/00 , G01N21/3577 , G01N21/64 , G01N33/28 , B64D37/00 , G01N21/35
CPC classification number: F02C9/00 , B64D27/10 , B64D47/00 , G01N21/33 , G01N21/3577 , G01N21/64 , G01N33/287 , B64D37/00 , G01N2021/3595
Abstract: A fuel characteristic determination system and method for determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The system includes a sensor component that is formed from a nitrile seal material and includes a surface that can be exposed to the fuel; a sensor for measuring a swell parameter of the seal material; and a fuel characteristics determination module for determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the swell parameter. The method includes: exposing one or more seals of a fuel system of an aircraft to fuel within the fuel system; exposing a sensor component, made from the same material as the one or more seals, to the fuel; and measuring a swell parameter of the seal material.
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公开(公告)号:US12018841B1
公开(公告)日:2024-06-25
申请号:US18211624
申请日:2023-06-20
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Christopher P Madden , Craig W Bemment , Andrew T Smith , Peter Swann
Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine including a combustor. The combustor includes a combustion chamber and a plurality of fuel spray nozzles configured to inject fuel into the chamber. The nozzles include a first and second subset of fuel spray nozzles. The combustor is operable in a condition wherein the first subset is supplied with more fuel than the second. A ratio of the number of nozzles in the first subset to the second is 1:2 to 1:5. The method includes operating the engine so a reduction of 20-80% in an average of particles/kg of nvPM in the exhaust when the engine is operating at 85% available thrust for given operating conditions and when the engine is operating at 30% is obtained when fuel provided to the nozzles is a sustainable aviation fuel instead of a fossil-based hydrocarbon fuel. Also, a gas turbine engine for an aircraft.
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公开(公告)号:US11780597B2
公开(公告)日:2023-10-10
申请号:US17853332
申请日:2022-06-29
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden
Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft comprises a gas turbine engine; a plurality of fuel tanks arranged to contain different fuels to be used to power the gas turbine engine, wherein the fuels have different calorific values; and a fuel manager. The fuel manager is arranged to store information on the fuel contained in each fuel tank and to control fuel input to the gas turbine engine in operation by selection of a specific fuel or fuel combination from one or more of the plurality of fuel tanks based on thrust demand of the gas turbine engine such that a fuel with a lower calorific value is supplied to the gas turbine engine at lower thrust demand.
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公开(公告)号:US11708769B2
公开(公告)日:2023-07-25
申请号:US17853405
申请日:2022-06-29
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , David M Beaven , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden , Martin K Yates
CPC classification number: F01D21/003 , F02C9/28 , F05D2220/323 , F05D2260/80 , F05D2270/0831 , F05D2270/708 , F05D2270/804
Abstract: The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel suitable for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The method comprises: determining, during use of the gas turbine engine, one or more exhaust content parameters by performing a sensor measurement on an exhaust of the gas turbine engine; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more exhaust parameters. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.
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公开(公告)号:US11585282B1
公开(公告)日:2023-02-21
申请号:US17853291
申请日:2022-06-29
Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
Inventor: Peter Swann , Craig W Bemment , Alastair G Hobday , Benjamin J Keeler , Christopher P Madden
Abstract: A method of identifying a fuel contained in a fuel tank of an aircraft and arranged to power a gas turbine engine of the aircraft is performed by processing circuitry of the aircraft and includes: obtaining at least one fuel characteristic of any fuel already present in the fuel tank prior to refuelling; determining at least one fuel characteristic of a fuel added to the fuel tank on refuelling; and calculating at least one fuel characteristic of the resultant fuel in the fuel tank after refuelling. The method may further controlling the propulsion system of the aircraft based on the calculated at least one fuel characteristic of the resultant fuel in the fuel tank after refuelling.
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