公开(公告)号：US20250003370A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-02

申请号：US18884969

申请日：2024-09-13

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Christopher P. MADDEN ,  Craig W. Bemment ,  Andrew T Smith ,  Peter Swann

IPC: F02C7/264 ,  B64D27/10 ,  F23R3/28

Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a combustor with a combustion chamber and a plurality of fuel spray nozzles including a first subset of nozzles and a second subset of nozzles. The first subset of nozzles are supplied with more fuel than the second subset of nozzles. A ratio of the number of nozzles in the first subset to the number of nozzles in the second subset is in the range of 1:2 to 1:5. A method includes providing fuel to the one or more fuel-oil heat exchangers, transferring heat from oil to the fuel, and providing the fuel from the one or more fuel-oil heat exchangers to the fuel spray nozzles. Heat is transferred from the oil to the fuel to lower a viscosity of the fuel to 0.58 mm2/s or lower on injection of the fuel into the combustion chamber at cruise conditions.

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

IPC: F02C9/38 ,  F02C7/14 ,  F02C7/16 ,  F02C7/224

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.

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

IPC: F01D21/00 ,  F02C9/28

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.

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.

公开(公告)号：US20240263582A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-08

申请号：US18634305

申请日：2024-04-12

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

IPC: F02C7/14 ,  F02C7/224 ,  F02C7/36

CPC classification number: F02C7/14 ,  F02C7/224 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F05D2220/323 ,  F05D2260/213

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine including an engine core including a turbine, compressor, combustor to combust a fuel, and core shaft connecting the turbine and compressor; a fan upstream of the engine core; a fan shaft; a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan via the fan shaft; a primary oil loop system to supply oil to the gearbox; and a heat exchange system. The method includes controlling the heat exchange system to adjust fuel viscosity to be lower than or equal to 0.58 mm2/s on entry to the combustor at cruise conditions.

公开(公告)号：US12043395B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US17941374

申请日：2022-09-09

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Peter Swann ,  Kevin M Britchford

IPC: B64D31/00 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D27/24 ,  F02C6/00 ,  B64D27/02

CPC classification number: B64D27/10 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D31/00 ,  F02C6/00 ,  B64D27/026

Abstract: An aircraft hybrid propulsion system (5) comprising an inboard gas turbine engine (10a, 10c) and an outboard gas turbine engine (10b, 10d), each comprising a propulsor (12a, 12b) and a respective electric machine (32a, 32b) coupled to one or more engine shaft (24a, 24b). An electrical interconnection (34) is provided between the electric machine (32a) of the inboard gas turbine engine (10a) and the electric machine (32b) of the outboard gas turbine engine (10b). A controller (36) is configured to transfer electrical power between the inboard gas turbine engine electrical machine and the outboard gas turbine engine electrical machine when a thrust setting change is selected.

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

IPC: F02C3/20 ,  F02C7/228 ,  F02C9/40 ,  F23R3/28 ,  F23R3/34 ,  F02C7/224

CPC classification number: F23R3/346 ,  F02C3/20 ,  F02C7/228 ,  F02C9/40 ,  F23R3/28 ,  F02C7/224

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.

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

IPC: F02C9/26 ,  F02C7/22 ,  B64D27/10 ,  B64D37/04 ,  B64D41/00

CPC classification number: B64D27/10 ,  B64D37/04 ,  B64D41/00 ,  F02C7/22 ,  F02C9/26

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.

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

IPC: F02C9/00 ,  F01D21/00 ,  F02C9/28

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.

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

IPC: F02C9/40 ,  F02C9/28 ,  F01D21/00

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.