Flow controller and monitoring system

• US 8,656,698 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jansen's Aircraft Systems Controls, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jansen's Aircraft Systems Controls, Inc.
• Inventors: Jansen, Harvey B., McElrath, Schuyler V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gartenberg, Ehud
• Assistant Examiner(s): DWIVEDI, VIKANSHA S
• Application Number:
  US12/473,938
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 60/392.81, 607/34, 607/76, 137/487.5, 137/563
• US Class Current: 60/39.281
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/14 of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel F02C7/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/22 Fuel supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A device and system for monitoring and controlling the flow media through a flow circuit, for example, the flow of coolant through a coolant circuit of a turbine engine fuel system, measures flow rates at the supply and return sides of the circuit and compares the measured flow rates against a threshold flow rate difference to detect the presence of a flow leak condition. Upon detecting a leak condition, the controller automatically operates a flow control valve to shut off flow to the flow circuit for repair of the leak or other low flow condition. The controller can also include components for measuring the temperate of the flow media at one or both of the supply and return sides of the circuit. The measured temperature signals can be processed to detect a high or low temperature condition. Upon detecting a low temperature condition, the controller automatically reduces the flow rate of the flow media until the condition has been corrected.

Claims

1. A flow controller for a flow circuit having a supply line and a return line in which the supply line is fluidly coupled to an inlet side of a flow control component and the return line is fluidly coupled to an outlet side of the flow control component, the flow controller comprising:

an enclosure;

a supply side flow measurement device contained within the enclosure coupled to the supply line at the inlet side of the flow control component;

a return side flow measurement device contained within the enclosure coupled to the return line at the outlet side of the flow control component; and

control electronics contained within the enclosure operatively coupled to the return side and supply side flow measurement devices, the control electronics controlling flow through the flow circuit based on the relative values of inputs from the supply side and return side flow measurement devices.

2. The flow controller of claim 1, wherein the inputs from the supply side and return side flow measurement devices correspond to flow rates through the respective supply and return lines, and wherein the control electronics compares the supply line and return line flow rates to determine whether a threshold flow rate difference has been achieved.

3. The flow controller of claim 2, further including a shut-off valve contained within the enclosure operable by the control electronics to close off the supply line when the threshold flow rate difference is achieved.

4. The flow controller of claim 1, further including a supply temperature transducer contained within the enclosure coupled to the supply line and a return temperature transducer contained with the enclosure coupled to the return line, wherein the control electronics receive temperature inputs from the supply and return temperature transducers.

5. The flow controller of claim 4, wherein the control electronics process the temperature inputs and controls the flow rate through the flow circuit based on the temperature inputs relative to at least one threshold temperature value.

6. The flow controller of claim 5, further including a flow control valve contained within the enclosure coupled to at least one of the supply and return lines, and wherein the control electronics operate the flow control valve to reduce the flow rate of the flow circuit when one of the temperature inputs reaches a threshold low temperature value.

7. The flow controller of claim 6, wherein the flow control valve is an electronically controlled shut-off valve coupled to the return line.

8. The flow controller of claim 7, further including an always open flow orifice coupled to the return line in parallel with the shut-off valve.

9. The flow controller of claim 7, further including an electronically controlled shut-off valve coupled to the supply line.

10. The flow controller of claim 1, wherein the supply side and return side flow measurement devices each include a venturi flow meter and a pressure transducer sensing a pressure drop through the flow meter.

11. In a fuel system for a turbine engine having a fuel circuit operable to deliver fuel from a fuel supply to the turbine engine, a coolant circuit operable to flow coolant from a supply line to a return line, and a fuel valve coupled to the fuel circuit for controlling fuel flow and being cooled by the coolant in the coolant circuit, in which the supply line is fluidly coupled to an inlet side of the fuel valve and the return line is fluidly coupled to an outlet side of the fuel valve, a coolant flow controller, comprising:

an enclosure;

a supply side flow measurement device contained within the enclosure coupled to the supply line at the inlet side of the fuel valve;

a return side flow measurement device contained within the enclosure coupled to the return line at the outlet side of the fuel valve;

a shut-off valve contained within the enclosure coupled to the supply line; and

control electronics contained within the enclosure operatively coupled to the return side and supply side flow measurement devices, the control electronics controlling flow through the coolant circuit based on the relative values of inputs from the supply side and return side flow measurement devices corresponding to flow rates through the respective supply and return lines, and wherein the control electronics compare the supply line and return line flow rates and operates the shut-off valve to close off the supply line when a threshold flow rate difference is achieved.

12. The coolant flow controller of claim 11, further including a supply temperature transducer contained within the enclosure coupled to the supply line and a return temperature transducer contained with the enclosure coupled to the return line, wherein the control electronics receive temperature inputs from the supply and return temperature transducers.

13. The coolant flow controller of claim 12, wherein the control electronics processes the temperature inputs and controls the flow rate through the coolant circuit based on the temperature inputs relative to at least one threshold temperature value.

14. The coolant flow controller of claim 13, further including a shut-off valve contained within the enclosure coupled to the return line, and wherein the control electronics operate the return line shut-off valve to reduce the flow rate of the coolant circuit when one of the temperature inputs reaches a threshold low temperature value.

15. The coolant flow controller of claim 14, further including an always open flow orifice coupled to the return line in parallel with the shut-off valve.