公开(公告)号：US12098679B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-24

申请号：US18337615

申请日：2023-06-20

Applicant: Rolls-Royce plc

Inventor： Christopher P Madden ,  David M Beaven ,  Craig W Bemment ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Barani P Gunasekaran ,  Benjamin J Keeler ,  Peter Swann ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C7/262 ,  F23R3/34 ,  F02C7/22 ,  F02C7/264 ,  F02C9/46 ,  F23R3/28

CPC classification number: F02C7/262 ,  F23R3/343 ,  F02C7/222 ,  F02C7/264 ,  F02C9/46 ,  F23R3/28

Abstract: There is provided a method of operating a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine comprises a staged combustor comprising an arrangement of fuel spray nozzles in which fuel flow is biased to a subset of the nozzles adjacent one or more ignitors during a re-light procedure. The method comprises providing fuel to the combustor having a calorific value of at least 43.5 MJ/kg. Also disclosed is a gas turbine engine.

公开(公告)号：US11988144B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-21

申请号：US18337516

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: 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：US11859565B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US17853333

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Benjamin J Keeler ,  David M Beaven ,  Craig W Bemment ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Kevin R Mcnally ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C9/28

CPC classification number: F02C9/28 ,  F05D2220/323 ,  F05D2240/35 ,  F05D2270/303 ,  F05D2270/309 ,  F05D2270/3013

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a combustor that combust the fuel and having an exit, a combustor exit temperature (T40) is the average temperature of flow and a combustor exit pressure (P40) is the total pressure there; a turbine including a rotor having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein a turbine rotor entry temperature (T41) is an average temperature of flow at the leading edge and a turbine rotor entry pressure (P41) is the total pressure there; and a compressor having an exit, wherein a compressor exit temperature (T30) is the average temperature of flow at the exit from the compressor and a compressor exit pressure (P30) is the total pressure there (all at cruise conditions). A method of determining at least one fuel characteristic includes changing a fuel supplied to the engine; and determining a change in a relationship between T30 or P30, T40 and T41, or of P40 and P41, respectively.

公开(公告)号：US12241422B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-04

申请号：US18212290

申请日：2023-06-21

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Benjamin J Keeler ,  David M Beaven ,  Craig W Bemment ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Kevin R McNally ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C9/28

Abstract: A method of determining at least one fuel characteristic of a fuel provided to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes making an operational change, the operational change being effected by a controllable component of a propulsion system of which the gas turbine engine forms a part, and being arranged to affect operation of the gas turbine engine, sensing a response to the operational change; and determining the at least one fuel characteristic based on the response to the operational change.

公开(公告)号：US12163479B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US18125477

申请日：2023-03-23

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Craig W Bemment ,  Benjamin J Keeler ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Alastair G Hobday ,  Kevin R McNally ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C9/28 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D37/00 ,  B64D41/00

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 gas turbine engine having a combustor supplied with fuel from a fuel system, the method comprising: determining a mass of the fuel being supplied to the combustor; determining a corresponding volume of the fuel being supplied to the combustor; and determining one or more fuel characteristics based on the determined mass and volume. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US12071894B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-27

申请号：US18337519

申请日：2023-06-20

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Craig W Bemment ,  Benjamin J Keeler ,  Christopher P Madden ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Peter Swann ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C7/14 ,  F02C7/06 ,  F02C7/10 ,  F02C7/224 ,  F02C7/36

CPC classification number: F02C7/14 ,  F02C7/06 ,  F02C7/10 ,  F02C7/224 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F05D2220/323 ,  F05D2260/205 ,  F05D2260/213 ,  F05D2260/98

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine including an engine core and turbine, a compressor, a combustor arranged to combust a fuel, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core; a fan shaft; a main gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan via the fan shaft, the main gearbox including gears and journal bearings; a recirculating lubrication system arranged to supply oil to lubricate the gears and journal bearings, the lubrication system including a first oil tank arranged to supply oil to the gears and journal bearings and a second oil tank arranged to supply oil to the journal bearings only. The method includes, at cruise conditions: transferring 200-600 kJ/m3 of heat to the fuel from the oil through the heat exchange system so as to control the oil temperature.

公开(公告)号：US12158438B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17853184

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC

Inventor： Craig W Bemment ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Alastair G Hobday ,  Benjamin J Keeler ,  Kevin R Mcnally ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: G01N25/22 ,  F02C7/22

Abstract: A method of checking refuelling of an aircraft comprising a gas turbine engine and a fuel tank arranged to provide fuel to the gas turbine engine comprises: receiving an input of calorific value data for fuel provided to the aircraft on refuelling; independently determining at least one of: (i) the calorific value of fuel supplied to the gas turbine engine in use; and (ii) the calorific value of the fuel provided to the aircraft on refuelling; and providing an alert if the determined calorific value is inconsistent with the calorific value data input received.

公开(公告)号：US12060838B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-13

申请号：US18099490

申请日：2023-01-20

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 method of generating a maintenance schedule for an aircraft including one or more gas turbine engines powered by an aviation fuel. The method includes: determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel; and generating a maintenance schedule according to the one or more fuel characteristics. Also disclosed is a method of maintaining an aircraft, a maintenance schedule generation system and an aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US12044177B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US18337636

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: F02C7/224 ,  F02C9/28 ,  F23R3/28

CPC classification number: F02C7/224 ,  F02C9/28 ,  F23R3/28 ,  F05D2260/221

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine is disclosed, the gas turbine engine comprising a combustor arranged to combust a fuel; and a fuel management system arranged to provide the fuel to the combustor. The fuel management system comprises two fuel-oil heat exchangers through which oil and the fuel flow, the heat exchangers arranged to transfer heat to the fuel and comprising a primary fuel-oil heat exchanger and a secondary fuel-oil heat exchanger; and a fuel pump arranged to deliver the fuel to the combustor, wherein the fuel pump is located between the two heat exchangers. The method comprises controlling the fuel management system so as to transfer between 200 and 600 kJ/m3 of heat to the fuel from the oil in the primary fuel-oil heat exchanger at cruise conditions.

公开(公告)号：US11643980B1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-09

申请号：US17853233

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc

Inventor： Craig W Bemment ,  Benjamin J Keeler ,  Paul W Ferra ,  Alastair G Hobday ,  Kevin R McNally ,  Andrea Minelli ,  Martin K Yates

IPC: F02C9/28

CPC classification number: F02C9/28 ,  F05D2220/323 ,  F05D2270/30

Abstract: A method of determining a calorific value of fuel supplied to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft comprises sensing at least one engine parameter during a first time period of aircraft operation during which the gas turbine engine uses the fuel; and, based on the at least one sensed engine parameter, determining a calorific value of the fuel. The sensing may be repeated such that the at least one engine parameter is monitored over time. The gas turbine engine may be a propulsive gas turbine engine of the aircraft or a gas turbine engine of an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft.