Aircraft fuel pump
In an embodiment, the present invention provides an aircraft fuel pump assembly including: a pump; a canister to enclose the pump and mount the pump within an aircraft fuel tank; and a discrete electronics unit mounted remotely to the pump. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a manhole cover for an aircraft, comprising an integral mounting for an electronics unit.
1. An aircraft fuel pump assembly comprising:
a pump;
a canister configured to enclose the pump and mount the pump within an aircraft fuel tank; and
a discrete electronics unit configured to be mounted remotely to the pump, outside the canister,
wherein the fuel tank includes an opening and the electronics unit is mounted to a cover of the opening.
2. The pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronics unit comprises control electronics, power electronics, and electrical circuits configured to drive the pump from a power source.
3. The pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronics unit is air cooled.
4. An aircraft fuel system comprising at least one fuel tank and at least one fuel pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 .
5. The aircraft fuel system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the opening comprises a manhole.
6. The aircraft fuel system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the fuel tank defines a fuel tank boundary and the electronics unit is mounted outside of the fuel tank boundary.
7. The aircraft fuel system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a cooling apparatus configured to cool the electronics unit.
8. The aircraft fuel system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the cooling apparatus comprises an air inlet.
9. The aircraft fuel system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the cooling apparatus comprises at least one cooling fin arranged to project outwardly from an outer surface of the aircraft into an airstream during use.
10. An aircraft comprising a fuel pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 .
11. An aircraft comprising a fuel system as claimed in claim 4 .
12. A manhole cover for an aircraft having a fuel tank and a fuel pump assembly, the fuel pump assembly comprising a pump enclosed in a canister disposed in the fuel tank, the manhole cover comprising:
an electronics unit configured to control the pump such that the electronics unit is disposed outside the canister.
13. The manhole cover as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a cooling apparatus configured to cool the electronics unit in use.