IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,542,870
Granted Patent B1
US 11,542,870 · App. 17/534,518 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Gas supply system

Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo (Mason, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02C7/22F05D2220/323F05D2240/35F05D2260/213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,542,870
App. No.
17/534,518
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

A gas supply system is provided herein. The gas supply system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit having a circuit defining a gas flowpath for a flow of a stripping gas. A reservoir is in selective fluid communication with the fuel oxygen reduction unit and is configured to store a portion of the stripping gas from the circuit. The reservoir is further configured to be in selective fluid communication with the fuel system component when installed in a vehicle to provide the stored portion of the stripping gas to the fuel system component in response to detection of a purge condition.

Claims (20)

1. A gas supply system for a gas turbine engine having a fuel system component, the gas supply system comprising: a fuel oxygen reduction unit having a circuit defining a gas flowpath for a flow of a stripping gas; and a reservoir in selective fluid communication with the fuel oxygen reduction unit and configured to store a portion of the stripping gas from the circuit, the reservoir further configured to be in selective fluid communication with the fuel system component when installed in a vehicle to provide the stored portion of the stripping gas to the fuel system component in response to a detection of a purge condition, wherein the fuel system component is either a fuel manifold or a fuel nozzle within a combustor.

2. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel oxygen reduction unit further comprises: a contactor including a fuel inlet configured to receive a flow of a fuel and a stripping gas inlet configured to receive a flow of a stripping gas, the contactor configured to form a stripping gas/fuel mixture; and a separator in fluid communication with the contactor and configured to receive the stripping gas/fuel mixture from the contactor.

3. The gas supply system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a control valve downstream of a catalyst and upstream of the contactor, the control valve configured to selectively direct at least a portion of the stripping gas to the contactor in a first position and the reservoir in a second position.

4. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel system component is a fuel manifold.

5. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel system component is a fuel nozzle within a combustor.

6. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is further configured to be in selective fluid communication with an ullage of a fuel source in response to the detection of the purge condition, the fuel source further storing the fuel.

7. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the stripping gas is an inert gas.

8. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the purge condition is a shutdown operating mode of the gas turbine engine operably coupled with the fuel system component.

9. The gas supply system of claim 8 , wherein, in response to detection of the shutdown operating mode, the stripping gas is provided to a fuel manifold to purge residual fuel within the fuel manifold and cool the fuel manifold.

10. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the purge condition is the fuel system component exceeding a predefined temperature threshold.

11. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the purge condition is a change in a flight condition.

12. The gas supply system of claim 1 , wherein the stripping gas is exhausted from the reservoir at a pressure of at least 80 pounds per square inch (psi).

13. The gas supply system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a reservoir supply valve downstream of the reservoir and upstream of the fuel system component, the reservoir supply valve configured to selectively direct at least a portion of the stripping gas within the reservoir to the fuel system component.

14. A method for operating a fuel system for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: receiving a flow of a fuel in a fuel oxygen reduction unit of the fuel system; reducing an amount of oxygen in the fuel using a flow of a stripping gas through a stripping gas flowpath within a contactor; and selectively directing a portion of the flow of the stripping gas from the stripping gas flowpath to a reservoir at a location upstream of the contactor, detecting a purge condition; and providing the stripping gas from the reservoir to a fuel system component in response to detection of the purge condition.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fuel system component is a fuel manifold.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting a purge condition includes detecting a shutdown operating mode of the gas turbine engine.

17. A gas supply system comprising: a fuel oxygen reduction unit having a circuit defining a gas flowpath for a flow of a stripping gas; and a reservoir fluidly coupled with the circuit and configured to store a portion of the stripping gas, wherein the reservoir is configured to store stripping gas remote from a fuel source, wherein the stripping gas is provided from the reservoir to a fuel system component in response to detection of a purge condition, wherein the fuel system component is a fuel manifold.

18. The gas supply system of claim 17 , wherein the purge condition is a shutdown operating mode of a gas turbine engine.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2021
From: RAMBO, JEFFREY DOUGLAS
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058202/0218 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,326,119 US 12,428,988 US 12,435,668 US 12,525,170 US 12,729,645