A fuel supply system for an aircraft is provided for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant. The in use fuel flows along a fuel flow passage from the fuel tank to the powerplant. A downstream pump is associated with the powerplant and configured to draw fluid along the fue
A fuel supply system for an aircraft is provided for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant. The in use fuel flows along a fuel flow passage from the fuel tank to the powerplant. A downstream pump is associated with the powerplant and configured to draw fluid along the fuel flow path so as to supply it to the powerplant in use. An upstream pump is disposed in or associated with the fuel tank and operable to pump fluid along the fuel flow passage. A pressure sensor is configured to monitor a pressure at an inlet to the downstream pump. A fuel system controller is responsive to the pressure sensor and configured to control the upstream pump so as to maintain the pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump at or above a predetermined threshold pressure.
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1. A fuel supply system for an aircraft for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant, the fuel supply system comprising: a fuel flow passage connecting the fuel tank and the aircraft powerplant and being configured to allow in use fuel to flow from the fuel tank to the power
1. A fuel supply system for an aircraft for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant, the fuel supply system comprising: a fuel flow passage connecting the fuel tank and the aircraft powerplant and being configured to allow in use fuel to flow from the fuel tank to the powerplant, the fuel flow passage having a downstream end adjacent the powerplant and an upstream end adjacent the fuel tank,a downstream pump associated with the aircraft powerplant and configured to draw fluid along the fuel flow path so as to supply the fluid to the powerplant in use,an upstream pump disposed in or associated with the fuel tank and operable to pump fluid along the fuel flow passage,a pump inlet pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure at an inlet to the downstream pump,a pump outlet pressure sensor disposed at an outlet of the downstream pump and configured to monitor a pressure at an outlet of the downstream pump, anda fuel system controller configured to, in response to the pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump monitored by the pump inlet pressure sensor, control the upstream pump so as to maintain the pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump at or above a threshold pressure, and additionally configured to, in response to the pressure at the outlet of the downstream pump monitored by the pump outlet pressure sensor, adjust the threshold pressure. 2. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel system controller is configured to control the upstream pump so as to maintain an absolute pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump at a preset margin above a true vapour pressure value for the fuel. 3. The fuel supply system according to claim 2, wherein the true vapour pressure value is a preset value. 4. The fuel supply system according to claim 2, wherein the true vapour pressure value is a variable true vapour pressure value based on one or more parameters including at least one of fuel temperature and fuel type. 5. The fuel supply system according claim 1, wherein the downstream pump includes a variable speed motor under control of a variable speed motor controller, and wherein the fuel system controller is configured to control the variable speed motor controller so that the upstream pump delivers sufficient pressure to maintain the pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump at or above the threshold pressure. 6. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the upstream pump is located in the fuel tank. 7. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the downstream pump is driven by the powerplant. 8. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft is a helicopter, and wherein the fuel tank is located in a lower portion of the helicopter and the powerplant is located in an upper portion of the helicopter. 9. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the pump outlet pressure sensor detects a gauge pressure at the outlet of the downstream pump. 10. A fuel supply system for an aircraft for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant, the fuel supply system comprising: a fuel flow passage connecting the fuel tank and the aircraft powerplant and being configured to allow in use fuel to flow from the fuel tank to the powerplant, the fuel flow passage having a downstream end adjacent the powerplant and an upstream end adjacent the fuel tank,a downstream pump associated with the aircraft powerplant and configured to draw fluid along the fuel flow path so as to supply the fluid to the powerplant in use,an upstream pump disposed in or associated with the fuel tank and operable to pump fluid along the fuel flow passage,an upstream pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure adjacent the downstream pump,a downstream pressure sensor disposed at an outlet of the downstream pump and configured to monitor a pressure at an outlet of the downstream pump, anda fuel system controller configured to control the upstream pump in response to variations in the pressure measured adjacent the downstream pump by the upstream pressure sensor and in response to variations in the pressure measured at the outlet of the downstream pump by the downstream pressure sensor. 11. A method of supplying fuel along a flow path from a fuel tank to a main powerplant of an aircraft, the method comprising: providing a downstream pump associated with the powerplant and operating the downstream pump so as to deliver the fuel to the powerplant,providing an upstream pump associated with the fuel tank,monitoring, via a pump inlet pressure sensor, an absolute pressure at an inlet to the downstream pump,monitoring, via a pump outlet pressure sensor, a pressure at an outlet of the downstream pump, andoperating the upstream pump so as to pressurize a flow to the downstream pump based on the monitored absolute pressure falling below a threshold,wherein the threshold is adjusted in response to the pressure at the outlet of the downstream pump monitored by the pump outlet pressure sensor. 12. A method of supplying fuel along a flow path from a fuel tank to a main powerplant of an aircraft, the method comprising: providing a downstream pump associated with the powerplant and operating the downstream pump so as to deliver the fuel to the powerplant,providing an upstream pump associated with the fuel tank,monitoring, via an upstream pressure sensor, a pressure adjacent the downstream pump,monitoring, via a downstream pressure sensor, a pressure at aan outlet of the downstream pump, andoperating the upstream pump so as to pressurize a flow to the downstream pump in accordance with variations in the pressure measured adjacent the downstream pump by the upstream pressure sensor and in response to variations in the pressure measured at the outlet of the downstream pump by the downstream pressure sensor.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Solomon, Ahmad G., Apparatus and method for determining vapor pressure of multi-component liquids.
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