CONTROL SYSTEM FOR METERING THE FUEL FLOW IN GAS TURBINE ENGINES

• US 3,688,495 A
• Filed: 04/17/1970
• Issued: 09/05/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adolf Fehler, Baumlstrasse 10, Christian Greune, Bahnhofsstrasse 8, Hilbert Holzhauer, Leopoldstrasse 127/129
• Original Assignee: Adolf Fehler, Baumlstrasse 10, Christian Greune, Bahnhofsstrasse 8, Hilbert Holzhauer, Leopoldstrasse 127/129
• Inventors: Adolf Fehler, Baumlstrasse 10, Christian Greune, Bahnhofsstrasse 8, Hilbert Holzhauer, Leopoldstrasse 127/129
• Primary Examiner(s): Clarence R. Gordon
• Application Number:
  US05/029,624
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 60/39.81,39.79,39.8,39.74,39.06,39.14 251/137,141
• US Class Current: 60/39.281
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/28 Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/32 characterised by throttling of fuel F02C9/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Control system for metering fuel flow as a function of the parameters of a gas turbine engine comprising, at least, a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine, said control system featuring a two-position solenoid valve as a control element for the fuel metering mechanism which meters the minimum fuel flow in its closed position and the maximum fuel flow in its opened position, with intermediate values between minimum and maximum fuel flow being adjustable by a pulse time modulation signal of an electrical controller connected to said solenoid valve operating as a function of the parameters of a gas turbine engine.

Claims

1. A control system for metering fuel flow as a function of the parameters of a gas turbine engine including at least a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine, comprising fuel source means for providing fuel to said combustion chamber, fuel metering means operatively associated with said fuel source means for metering the flow of fuel to said combustion chamber, said fuel metering means having a closed condition providing minimum fuel flow and an open condition providing maximum fuel flow, solenoid means for actuating said fuel metering means between said open and closed conditions, electrical control means providing a pulse time modulation signal which is a function of the parameters of said gas turbine engine, and means to apply said pulse time modulation signal directly to the solenoid of said solenoid means.

2. A control system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said fuel metering means includes first and second fuel supply lines connected in parallel with one another and disposed between the fuel source means and the combustion chamber, said first line including a first restrictor for limiting the flow through said first line to correspond to said condition of minimum fuel flow, said second line including a second restrictor for limiting the flow through said second line such that the combined flow through said first and second lines corresponds to said condition of maximum fuel flow, said second line further including valve means for operatively closing and opening said second line in response to actuation of said solenoid actuating means.

3. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said fuel metering means includes means for normally maintaining said closed condition, said solenoid actuating means being responsive to said signal from said electrical control means for actuating said fuel metering means to said open condition.

4. A control system as defined in claim 3, wherein said fuel metering means includes a fuel nozzle having a fuel metering inlet and a fuel injection orifice, and piston means slidable within said fuel nozzle for regulating the opening of said fuel metering inlet, said piston means being shifted in at least one direction between first and second positions representing the open and closed conditions of said fuel metering means by said solenoid means.

5. A control system as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for normally maintaining said closed condition is a spring biasing said piston means to said second position.

6. A control system as defined in claim 4, wherein said piston means includes a piston slideable in said fuel nozzle and having a stop member thereon engageable with respective abutments of said fuel nozzle for determining said first and second positions.

7. A control system as defined in claim 6, wherein said abutments of said fuel nozzle engageable with said stop member are adjustable as to position.

8. A control system as defined in claim 4, wherein said solenoid actuating means includes a magnetic core having an annular recess in one face thereof, and an annular winding secured to said piston means and extending at least partly into said annular recess in said magnetic core.

9. A control system as defined in claim 4, wherein said solenoid actuating means includes a solenoid winding and a core member extending at least partly into said solenoid winding, said core member being formed as an extension of said piston means.

10. A control system as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for normally maintaining said closed condition is a spring biasing said piston means to said second position.

11. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said fuel metering means includes a cylinder having a fuel inlet opening and a fuel outlet opening axially displaced from said fuel inlet opening, and a piston slideable in said cylinder and having a radially reduced portion forming an annular space with said cylinder, which annular space is capable of effecting communication between said fuel inlet opening and said fuel outlet opening to a variable extent in response to displacement of said piston.

12. A control system as defined in claim 11, wherein said fuel metering means further includes a drain valve connected in a fuel line between said fuel outlet opening and said combustion chamber.

13. A control system as defined in claim 11, wherein said piston is provided with a stop member engageable with respective abutments defining first and second positions corresponding to the open and closed conditions of said fuel metering means.

14. A control system as defined in claim 13, wherein said abutments are adjustable as to position.

15. A control system as defined in claim 13, wherein said solenoid actuating means includes winding means responsive to said pulse time modulation signal for effecting shifting of said piston to an equilibrium position between said first and second positions.

16. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said solenoid actuating means is provided in the form of a dual-plunger solenoid connected to said fuel metering means.

17. A control system as defined in claim 16, wherein said solenoid includes a pair of windings and an armature disposed within said windings capable of axial movement in either direction, said pair of windings being energized alternately by said pulse time modulation signal.

18. A control system as defined in claim 16, wherein said solenoid includes a pair of windings and an armature disposed within said windings capable of axial movement in either direction, said pair of windings being energized simultaneously in opposite directions by said pulse time modulation signal.

19. A control system as defined in claim 17, wherein said fuel metering means includes a fuel nozzle having a fuel metering inlet and a fuel injection orifice, and piston means slideable within said fuel nozzle for regulating the opening of said fuel metering inlet, said piston means being shifted by said solenoid between first and second positions representing the open and closed conditions of said fuel metering means.

20. A control system as defined in claim 19, further including abutment means for limiting movement of said armature, including first and second abutments defining positions of said armature for which said piston means connected to said armature will occupy said first and second positions, at least one of said abutments being adjustable.

22. A control system as defined in claim 21, characterized in that said first and second restrictors are variable.