Granted Patent B2

US 12,618,371 · App. 18/858,428 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Samer Maalouf (Moissy-Cramayel, FR); Cyrille Marie Pierre-Alain Lambert (Moissy-Cramayel, FR)

Assignee: SAFRAN

F02C7/224F02C3/22F02C7/236F05D2220/323F05D2260/213

Abstract

Claims (24)

1 . A fuel conditioning system configured to supply an aircraft turbine engine with fuel from a cryogenic tank, the conditioning system being defined in an aircraft reference frame and a turbine engine reference frame, the cryogenic tank extending in the aircraft reference frame and the turbine engine extending in the turbine engine reference frame, the conditioning system comprising:

a fuel circuit connected at an inlet to the cryogenic tank and at an outlet to the turbine engine, a main fuel flow circulating from upstream to downstream in the fuel circuit,

at least one first mechanical pump mounted on the fuel circuit in the aircraft reference frame, the at least one first mechanical pump being configured to raise a pressure of the main fuel flow in the fuel circuit to a first pressure,

at least one first heat exchanger mounted downstream of the at least one first mechanical pump, the at least one first heat exchanger being configured to heat the main fuel flow to a circulation temperature, the at least one first heat exchanger being mounted in the aircraft reference frame, the at least one first heat exchanger comprising a fuel inlet,

at least one second mechanical pump, mounted on the fuel circuit between the at least one first mechanical pump and the at least one first heat exchanger, the at least one second mechanical pump being configured to circulate the main fuel flow from the cryogenic tank from upstream to downstream in the fuel circuit, the at least one second mechanical pump being configured to raise a pressure of the main fuel flow in the fuel circuit to a second pressure higher than the first pressure,

at least one second heat exchanger configured to heat the main fuel flow to a temperature equal to or greater than an injection temperature, the injection temperature being higher than the circulation temperature, the at least one second heat exchanger being mounted in the turbine engine reference frame, and

a distribution valve mounted on the fuel circuit downstream of the at least one first heat exchanger in the turbine engine reference frame the distribution valve being configured to divide the fuel circuit into:

a supply branch mounted between the distribution valve and the turbine engine, and

a recirculation branch mounted between the distribution valve and a location between the at least one first and second mechanical pumps and passing through the first heat exchanger,

wherein the distribution valve being configured to divide the main fuel flow into a direct fuel flow configured to circulate in the supply branch and supply the turbine engine, and a recirculated fuel flow, configured to circulate in the recirculation branch to warm the main fuel flow in the at least one first heat exchanger to the circulation temperature via the recirculated fuel flow being at a temperature greater than or equal to the injection temperature.

2 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the distribution valve is mounted downstream of the second heat exchanger.

3 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein, the direct fuel flow circulating in the supply branch having a first flow rate, the recirculated fuel flow circulating in the recirculation branch having a second flow rate of between 5% and 25% of the first flow rate of the direct fuel flow.

4 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein, the first pressure of the main fuel flow allowing the temperature of the main fuel flow to be raised to a primary temperature, the fuel flow having a saturation temperature at the first pressure, the primary temperature is lower than the saturation temperature at the first pressure.

5 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , comprising a third heat exchanger mounted on the recirculation branch to increase a temperature of the recirculated fuel flow above the injection temperature, the third heat exchanger being mounted in the turbine engine reference frame.

6 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , comprising an expansion valve mounted on the recirculation branch to have the recirculated fuel flow circulating in the recirculation branch having a pressure substantially equal to a pressure of the fuel flow on the fuel circuit between the first mechanical pump and the first heat exchanger.

7 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger comprises a first duct for circulation of the main fuel flow and a second duct for circulation of the recirculated fuel flow, the first duct and the second duct each being in the form of a cylinder, the first duct and the second duct being concentric, the second duct extending radially outside the first duct, so as to warm the main fuel flow at an outlet of the first heat exchanger by the recirculated fuel flow.

8 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , comprising a third mechanical pump, mounted on the recirculation branch, the third mechanical pump being configured to circulate the recirculated fuel flow in the recirculation branch from the distribution valve to the fuel circuit.

9 . An aircraft comprising the cryogenic tank, the turbine engine and the conditioning system according claim 1 .

10 . A method for supplying the fuel to the aircraft turbine engine via the conditioning system according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

heating the main fuel flow, in the first heat exchanger in the aircraft reference frame, to at least the circulation temperature,

conveying the main fuel flow towards the turbine engine reference frame,

dividing the main fuel flow into the direct fuel flow and the recirculated fuel flow, and

directing the recirculated fuel flow towards the first heat exchanger, so that the first heat exchanger collects calories from the recirculated fuel flow having a temperature of at least the injection temperature to warm the main fuel flow up to the circulation temperature.

11 . The conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the recirculated fuel flow circulating in the recirculation branch has a same pressure as the fuel flow on the fuel circuit between the first mechanical pump and the first heat exchanger.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)