United States Patent [19]

[11]
[45]

Coffinberry et al.
3,733,816

[54] OIL COOLING SYSTEM FOR A GAS

[75]

Inventors:

[73] Assignee:

George A. Coffinberry, Cincinnati;

... 60/39.28 R

represented by the Administrator of

the National Aeronautics and Space

[57]

July 17, 1975

Int. Cl* ................................................ F02C 9/08

U.S. Cl. .............................. 60/39.28 R; 60/39.66;

415/180; 123/41.33; 123/122 E; 137/104

Field of Search ................... 60/39.28 R, 39.28 T,

60/39.66, 39.02, 39.03; 123/122 E, 41.33, 41.02,

41.01; 415/175, 180

References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
2,865,580 12/1958 Marshall ............................. 60/39.66
2,925,712 2/1960 Johnson .......................... 60/39.66 X
2,979,293 4/1961 Mount ............................. 60/39.66 X

[56]

3,080,716
3,307,355

Lavash ..

4/1975 Toure .............................. 60/39.28 R

Primary ExaminerClarence R. Gordon

Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert C. Lampe, Jr.; Drek
P. Lawrence; Norman T. Musial

Ohio
The United States of America as

Appl. No.: 596,641

Filed:

3,874,168

Howard B. Kast, Fairfield, both of

Administration, Washington, D.C.

[21]
[22]
[51]
[52]
[58]

5/1973 Nash .............................. 60/39.28 R

3,779,007 12/1973

TURBINE ENGINE

4,041,697
Aug. 16, 1977

3/1963 Cummings .......................... 60/39.66

3/1967

Bahr ................................ 60/39.28 R

1/1969 Lavash ............................ 60/39.28 R

.... 60/39.28 R
3,627,239 12/1971 . Hull .........

3,420,055

3,658,249 4/1972 Sharpe ............................ 60/39.28 R

ABSTRACT

A gas turbine engine fuel delivery and control system is

provided with means to recirculate all fuel in excess of
fuel control requirements back to the aircraft fuel tank,
thereby increasing the fuel pump heat sink and decreas
ing the pump temperature rise without the addition of
valving other than that normally employed. A fuel/oil
heat exchanger and associated circuitry is provided to
maintain the hot engine oil in heat exchange relationship
with the cool engine fuel. Where anti-icing of the fuel
filter is required, means are provided to maintain the
fuel temperature entering the filter at or above a mini
mum level to prevent freezing thereof. In one embodi
ment, a divider valve is provided to take all excess fuel
from either upstream or downstream of the fuel filter
and route it back to the tanks, the ratio of upstream to
downstream extraction being a function of fuel pump
discharge pressure. In addition, fluid circuitry is pro
vided to route hot engine oil through a plurality of heat
exchangers disposed within the system to provide for
selective cooling of the oil.
21 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures

- - 1 - - - - - A ---,

4,041,697

2
the pressure regulating valve, such that the temperature
of the fuel at the heat exchanger inlet can be well in

OIL COOLING SYSTEM FOR A GAS TURBINE

ENGINE

The invention herein described was made in the per

formance of work under a NASA contract and is sub

ject to the provision of Section 305 of the National

Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568
(72 Stat. 435; 42 USC 2457).

1ng.

Furthermore, it is usually found necessary to incorpo

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

10

exceeding their individual design temperature limits. It

is desirable to use the engine metered (consumed) fuel as
a heat sink for the oil so that thermal energy is returned
to the engine cycle and to avoid the costly installation
and vulnerability penalties of oil-to-air coolers.
Typically, gas turbine engines have difficulty in ob
taining a low temperature heat sink at reduced power
settings due to the reduced metered flow rates through
the engine fuel control. Consider the typical fuel deliv
ery and control system for modern engines: generally it
comprises a fuel pump, driven by the gas turbine engine
rotor, which pressurizes a flow of fuel for delivery to a
fuel control. The fuel control includes a metering valve
for scheduling the flow of fuel to a series of fuel nozzles
for injection into a combustor as a function of predeter
mined control parameters. A fuel/oil heat exchanger is
generally included downstream of the fuel control to
cool the hot engine oil while preheating fuel delivered
to the fuel nozzles. This results in a heat exchanger fuel
inlet temperature which equals the sum of the engine
fuel pump inlet temperature and the temperature rise
across the pump. The pump temperature rise typically
varies from 10 to 100 F (for take-off and idle condi

tions, respectively) and all of this heat must be dissi

pated into the metered fuel.

rate at least one fuel filter ahead of the fuel control to

filter out contaminants from the intricate control mech

This invention relates to fuel delivery and control

systems for gas turbine engines and, more particularly,
to fuel delivery and control systems having the addi
tional capability of utilizing the engine fuel as a heat sink 15
for the engine lubrication system.
Future generations of gas turbine engines will intro
duce engine control requirements more complex than
heretofore experienced. The introduction of variable
pitch and other geared fans on gas turbine engines will 20
compound the already difficult task of engine lubrica
tion and, in particular, of lubricant cooling.
The basic problem in gas turbine engine oil cooling is
to cool the hot oil scavenged from the various oil sumps

to a temperature low enough such that engine parts can

dissipate their heat to a relatively cooler oil to avoid

excess of 200 F prior to any addition of lube oil heat.

Since, after cooling, the required oil temperature must
be in the range of approximately 180 to 300 F (de
pending on operating conditions), the fuel pump tem
perature rise is a major problem for effective oil cool

25

30

35

anisms. While it becomes desirable, in theory, to reduce

the temperature of the fuel entering the heat exchanger
as previously discussed, care must be taken to keep the
fuel temperature above 32 F in order to prevent freez
ing of water particles in the filter with subsequent fuel
blockage. Thus, in the absence of anti-icing inhibitors in
the fuel, a fuel/oil cooling scheme should include provi

sions for maintaining the fuel temperature entering the

filter at a temperature above 32 F.

Additionally, the introduction of variable pitch and

other geared fans to gas turbine engines results in gear
boxes which must transmit considerable horsepower,

consequently requiring large gears and high gear loads.

The gear scoring factor (temperature rise above bulk oil
temperature) for such an engine might well be in the
order of 120 F. So as not to exceed the gear limiting
temperatures, it is necessary to cool the bulk oil to a
temperature considerably below that normally accept
able for other gas turbine engines. For example, the
reduction gear supply oil temperature may be 180 F
while the main engine oil supply requirement is less
stringent at approximately 300F. If all of the engine oil
(reduction gearbox plus main engine) must be cooled to
the lower value (i.e., 180F), considerable difficulty is
encountered since there is insufficient fuel heat sink (i.e.,
cold fuel) available. The problems is to selectively cool
the oil such that the main engine lubrication system can
operate at a higher, yet still effective, oil temperature
than the reduction gearbox.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

45

50

Further compounding the problem is that the fuel

pump is designed to function essentially as a constant
displacement pump over the flight envelope and to
produce an excess fuel output for all but brief periods 55
such as during engine start. As the fuel requirements of
the engine decrease and less fuel is metered through the
fuel control, the back pressure on the fuel pump de
creases. A pressure regulating valve of the flow bypass
variety maintains a constant pressure differential across 60
the fuel control metering valve. Since the fuel pump
flow exceeds the level necessary to sustain the engine,
the pressure regulating valve opens, as necessary, to
bypass the excess pump discharge flow to a low pres
sure point, typically the pump inlet. As a portion of the 65
fuel recirculates again through the fuel pump, its tem
perature is further increased in cumulative fashion, as a
result of the input of pump work and throttling through

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention

to provide an improved fuel delivery and control sys
tem for a gas turbine engine which reduces the fuel inlet
temperature to the heat exchange wherein engine fuel is
maintained in heat exchange relationship with hot en
gine oil.
It is another object of the present invention to provide
an improved fuel delivery and control system wherein
the engine oil is selectively cooled by the fuel such that
oil received by each engine component is at a tempera
ture consistent with its optimum operating condition.
It is yet another object of the present invention to
provide an improved fuel delivery and control system
which maintains the fuel temperature at a level greater
than 32 F entering the fuel filter,
These and other objects and advantages will be more
clearly understood from the following detailed descrip
tion, drawings and specific examples, all of which are
intended to be typical of rather than in any way limiting
on the scope of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the above objectives are accomplished
by permitting the fuel pump to recirculate all fuel in
excess of engine requirements back to the aircraft fuel
tanks rather than to the inlet of the high pressure pump
ing element. The immediate effect of such an arrange
ment is to increase the pump heat sink and decrease the

4,041,697

3
pump temperature rise in proportion to the ratio of
pump total flow to metered flow without the addition of
valving other than that normally employed. Thus, the
fuel temperature entering any fuel/oil heat exchanger
downstream of the pump is at a reduced level. Several

4
shaft 18. The core engine 12 includes an axial flow
compressor 20 having a rotor 22. Air enters inlet 24 and
is initially compressed by fan assembly 14. A first por
tion of this compressed air enters the fan bypass duct 26

to be dissipated.
Where anti-icing of the fuel filter is required, means
are provided to maintain the temperature of the fuel
entering the filter at or above a minimum level. In one
embodiment, a thermal valve schedules a decreasing
rate of excess fuel flow back to the fuel tanks as a func
tion of decreasing pump discharge temperature, the
remainder being routed to the pump inlet. In another
embodiment, a divider valve is provided to take al fuel
in excess of the engine requirements from upstream, or

10

15

downstream, of the fuel filter and route it back to the

fuel tanks. The divider valve schedules the relationship

of upstream-to-downstream fuel extraction such as to
maintain a minimum temperature level for the fuel en

20

tank. In addition, fluid circuitry is provided to route hot

engine oil through a plurality of heat exchangers
uniquely disposed within the system to provide for
selective cooling of the oil.

25

tering the fuel filter and to avoid overheating in the fuel

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims partic

ularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject

30

matter which is regarded as part of the present inven

tion, it is believed that the invention will be more

clearly understood from the following description of

the preferred embodiment which is given by way of
example with the accompanying drawings in which: 35
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the fuel delivery
and control system of the present invention in combina
tion with a gas turbine engine;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 1, of an
alternative embodiment showing the addition of op
tional heat exchangers;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 2, of an
other alternative embodiment of the present invention
incorporating a thermal valve;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 1, of an 45
embodiment of the present invention incorporating a
divider valve;
FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of a bypass flow
ratio through the divider valve of FIG. 4 as a function
50
of fuel pump discharge pressure;
FIGS. 6 through 8 depict schematically alternative
embodiments of a portion of the fuel delivery and con
trol system of FIG. 4 wherein selective oil cooling has
been incorporated; and
FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of the oil and fuel 55
temperature levels in various portions of the fuel deliv

ery and control system of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

60

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals cor

respond to like elements throughout, reference is first
directed to FIG. 1 wherein an engine depicted gener

ally at 10 embodying the present invention is diagram

matically shown. This engine may be considered as
comprising generally a core engine 12, a fan assembly
14 including a stage of fan blades 15, and a fan turbine
16 which is interconnected to the fan assembly 14 by

defined, in part, by core engine 12 and a circumscribing

fan nacelle 28 and discharges through a fan nozzle 30. A
second portion of the compressed air enters inlet 32, is

alternative embodiments of heat exchanger locations

are presented depending upon the oil heat load required

65

further compressed by the axial flow compressor 20 and

then is discharged to a combustor 34 where fuel is
burned to provide high energy combustion gases which
drive a turbine 36. The turbine 36, in turn, drives the
rotor 22 through a shaft 38 in the usual manner of a gas
turbine engine. The hot gases of combustion then pass
to and drive the fan turbine 16 which, in turn, drives the
fan assembly 14. A propulsive force is thus obtained by
the action of the fan assembly 14 discharging air from
the fan bypass duct 26 through the fan nozzle 30 and by
the discharge of combustion gases from a core engine
nozzle 40 defined, in part, by plug 42. The above de
scription is typical of many present-day gas turbine
engines and is not meant to be limiting, as it will become
readily apparent from the following description that the
present invention is capable of application to any gas
turbine engine is not necessarily restricted to gas turbine
engines of the turbofan variety. The foregoing descrip
tion of the operation of the engine depicted in FIG. 1, is
therefore, merely meant to be illustrative of one type of
application.
Continuing with FIG. 1, there is shown schematically
the fuel delivery and control system, designated gener
ally at 44, which comprises a portion of the subject of
the present invention. In the fuel delivery and control
system, a fuel reservoir 46, typically an aircraft fuel
tank, supplies gas turbine engine fuel to a main fuel
pump 48 by way of conduit 50. The main fuel pump is
generally a gear or vane pump driven by core engine 12
and may be considered to be of the constant displace
ment variety. Pressurized fuel from the pump 48 then
passes through conduit 52 to fuel filter 54 which serves
to screen particulate matter from the fuel prior to its
entering main fuel control 56 by conduit 58.
The main fuel control 56 includes a metering valve 60
for scheduling the flow of fuel to the engine combustor
34. The metering valve comprises a piston 62 displace
able in bore 64. The piston cooperates with an outlet
port 66 to form a variable area orifice for passage of fuel
from the metering valve to a conduit 68.
Pressure regulating bypass valve 70 is adapted to
bypass excess pressurized fuel from conudit 58 through
conduits 72 and 74 back to the fuel tank 46 whenever
the differential pressure across the metering valve 60
exceeds a predetermined value as sensed through con
duits 72 and 76, conduit 76 serving solely as a sensing
line. Thus, a constant pressure differential is maintained
across the metering valve 60 which causes the flow
metered thereby to be directly proportional to the area
of the orifice formed by the piston 62 and the outlet port
66. The piston 62 is controlled primarily as a function of
the position of pilot control lever 76. Additionally con
trol inputs reflecting selected engine operating parame
ters such as speed, temperature, and pressure are fed
into fuel control 56 for control of the metering valve
piston 62 so that the flow of fuel to the engine provides
optimum engine performance. Thus, all fuel discharged
from pump 48 in excess of the fuel control requirements
is returned to the fuel tank 46. The metered pressurized
fuel is directed conduit 68 to a fuel/oil heat exchanger
80. The fuel/oil heat exchanger 80 receives hot engine

4,041,697

Although placing a heat exchanger ahead of the fuel

filter 54 will tend to discourage formation of ice therein,

oil collected in a typical engine sump 82 and delivered

through conduit 84. The relatively cool metered fuel
flows through the exchanger 80 in heat exchange rela it is anticipated that in some applications further means
tion with the oil whereupon the heated fuel discharges must be provided to maintain the temperature of the
through conduit 86 to combustor 34 wherein it is 5 fuel entering the filter at a minimum level. To that end,
burned in the usual manner of a gas turbine engine. The and in accordance with an objective of the present
cooled oil discharges from the heat exchanger through invention, a thermal control valve 96 (FIG. 3) is pro
a communicating conduit 88 back to the engine for vided to direct the excess fuel to the fuel tank 46 or
lubrication purposes. As previously discussed, one of through conduit 98 to the inlet of pump 48. The thermal
the basic problems in gas turbine engine cooling is the 10 control valve 96 is adapted to schedule a decreasing rate
difficulty in obtaining a low temperature fuel sink at of fuel to the fuel tank 46 as a function of decreasing
low power setting due to the low meter fuel flow rates. pump discharge (hence, filter discharge) temperature,
The present invention overcomes this problem by pro the remainder being routed to the inlet of pump 48.
viding a simple means for reducing the pump tempera Thus, only so much of the excess fuel as is needed to
ture rise by permitting the pump to recirculate its excess 15 prevent filter icing is recirculated through the pump,
flow (excessive to fuel control requirements) back to thereby cumulating the effect of the pump temperature
the aircraft fuel tanks rather than back to the inlet of the

r1Se.

high pressure pump as it typical of the prior art. The

effect is to increase the pump heat sink and decrease the
pump temperature rise in proportion to the ratio of 20
pump total flow to metered flow. The effect of the
present invention is that, for example, where previously
there was a 100F temperature increase across pump 48
at idle power setting, the present invention reduces the
temperature rise to 4F, a benefit of 25:1. The benefits 25
at take-off power settings are less, but still approxi
mately 3:1. In effect, with the subject fuel delivery and
control system, the heat exchanger fuel inlet tempera
ture can be made to be less than 5 F above fuel pump
inlet temperature at all operating conditions.
30
The heat input to the aircraft fuel tank 46 due to the
recirculation is the sum of the throttling heat due to

FIG. 4 schematically depicts another embodiment of

a fuel delivery and control system 100 which offers
unique advantages in oil cooling and ice protection. In

the manner of the previous embodiment, fuel from tank

46 is delivered through conduit 50 to the positive dis

placement pump 48. From the pump, fuel at high pres
sure flows to a fuel/oil heat exchanger 102 and also
through conduits 104 and 106 to a divider valve 108
which may be incorporated within the fuel control 56
but which is separated therefrom in FIG. 4 for simplic
ity of explanation. Heated oil flows from sump 82 to the
heat exchanger through conduit 109 and the cooled oil

returns to the engine through conduit 11.

At least a portion of the pressurized fuel passes

through the fuel/oil heat exchanger 102 and filter 54 to
pressure drop from fuel control pressure to tank pres fuel control 56 wherein the metering valve 60 controls
sure and a portion of the pump heat rise (determined by the fuel rate to the engine through conduit 110. Pressure
the ratio of recirculation flow to metered flow). In total, 35 regulating bypass valve 70 is adapted to bypass excess
the fuel tank heat input is low and can be dissipated to pressurized fuel from the pump 48 through conduits 112
ambient by heat transfer through the tank walls and and 114 back to fuel tank 46, as in the previous embodi
wing surfaces. Fuel tank temperature should not in ments, depending upon the pressure differential across
crease as a result of fuel pump heat input even at low the metering valve 60 as sensed by sensing conduits 76
levels of fuel reserve. Although an additional fuel line 40 and 77. However, unlike the previous embodiments, the
(conduit 74) is required between an aircraft and engine, excess flow must pass through a unique divider valve
line size can be made relatively small since line pressure 108 which is adapted to receive the flow from both
drop is not critical with respect to recirculation fuel as upstream (conduit 104) and downstream (conduit 106)
is the case for the engine fuel supply line. The pump fuel of the heat exchanger 102 and fuel filter 54. The func
flow is terminated by closure of the fuel supply emer- 45 tion of the divider valve is to pass a portion of the by
gency shut off 90 which may be pilot-actuated by means pass filter through the heat exchanger and fuel filter at
an intermediate range of pump discharge pressure cor
not shown.
FIG. 2 depicts an alternative embodiment of the fuel responding to cruise and descent engine power settings,
delivery and control system of FIG. 1 wherein the heat permitting a portion of the engine oil heat load to be
load capability of the fuel system has been improved. 50 dissipated in the fuel tank 46 at a flight condition
Where, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the heat ex wherein heat can be effectively removed through the
changer 80 is insufficient to remove all of the necessary wing surfaces. At high and low pump discharge pres
heat from the oil, a second fuel/oil heat exchanger 92 sures, which correspond to take-off and ground idle
(FIG. 2) has been added in upstream serial oil flow power settings, the divider valve routes all of the excess
relationship with the heat exchanger 80. While heat 55 fuel flow from ahead of the heat exchanger back to the
exchanger 92 is located within conduit 52, between fuel tank which functions as a heat sink for only the
pump 48 and filter 54, it may be preferable to locate it in small amount of heat input due to pump work and by
the return conduit 74 as indicated in phantom (92) pass fuel throttling,
In particular, divider valve 108 includes a housing 116
(Further, there is possibility of locating one heat ex
changer in each position with a thermal valve, not 60 receiving a spring biased valve 118. Conduits 104 and
shown, to switch modes.) Either way, the hot oil enters 106 communicate with the interior of housing 116
heat exchanger 92 through conduit 84, flows serially through apertures 120 and 122, respectively. Slots 124
(through conduit 94) to heat exchanger 80 and thereaf and 126 cooperate with apertures 120 and 122, respec
ter to engine 10 through conduit 88. The oil heat heat tively, to form variable area orifices for passage of fuel
loss experienced in heat exchanger 92 is at least partially 65 from the conduits 104 and 106 into the divider valve
dissipated in the fuel tank 46, and is totally dissipated plenum 128. The apertures and slots are so arranged
therein when the heat exchanger is placed as in phan that when valve 118 is at full aft displacement (to the
left in FIG. 4) and at its full forward displacement,
tom in conduit 74.

4,041,697

8
7
Thus, a reliable fuel delivery and control system has
aperture 122 is substantially closed and aperture 120 is
open. At intermediate positions of valve 118 the orifices been presented which is not dependent upon intricate
split the flow from conduits 104 and 106 as a function of thermal valve and which optimize the fuel/oil heat
fuel pressure level (at pump discharge) which, in turn, is exchanger and anti-icing requirements. Furthermore,
5 provision is available for an additional heat exchanger
a function of engine thrust level (power setting).
At the low pump discharge pressure, spring 130 holds 136 (in phantom) for other aircraft accessories which
the valve to the right by exerting a force upon shoulder require cooling.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 8, there is dis
129 so that the upstream aperture 120 sensing pump
discharge pressure is open and the downstream aperture closed therein schemes by which engine lubrication oil
122 is substantially closed. Conduit 131 is merely a sens 10 may be selectively cooled to match the requirements of
ing line communicating with the low pressure in the fuel various zones of the engine. Typically, in gas turbine
tank 46. Referring fo FIG. 5 wherein bypass flow ratio engines employing fan speed reduction gearboxes, the
(which is defined as the ratio of flow passing through gearbox transmits considerable horsepower, conse
the upstream aperture 120 to the total bypass flow pass quently requiring large gears and high gear loads. In a
ing through the conduit 114) is plotted as a function of 15. typical installation, the gear scoring factor (temperature
pump discharge pressure, it is apparent that substan rise above bulk oil temperature) is in the order of 120
tially all of the excess flow passes through aperture 120 F. This is considerably higher than the scoring factor
at low and high main fuel pump discharge pressures. As experienced elsewhere in the engine gearing. So as not
the pump discharge pressure rises with increasing en 20 to exceed the gear material limiting temperature (for
gine power setting, valve 118 is forced to move to the example, 300 F), it is normally necessary to cool the
left (due to the fuel pressure upon valve face 132) reduc bulk oil to a temperature cnsistent with the highest
ing flow through aperture 120 and opening aperture 122 expected temperature rise (here the gearbox), which is
such that the bypass flow ratio is reduced. When the considerably below that otherwise acceptable. For ex
valve has moved completely to the left, aperture 122 is 25 ample, the reduction oil gear supply may have to be
substantially blocked by land 134 such that all of the 180 F while the main engine oil supply may be approxi
excess flow passes again through aperture 120. The mately 300F. If all of the engine oil must be cooled to
apertures and slots can be shaped to give the desired the lower value, considerable difficulty is encountered
bypass flow ratio as a function of pump discharge pres since there is insufficient heat sink (low temperature
sure depending upon engine requirements. The ap 30 fuel) available. The solution is to cool the two oil sys
proach is reliable because the divider valve never tems selectively and allow the main engine oil to oper
blocks flow to the bypass valve 70; it only changes the ate at a higher oil temperature than that supplied to the
area ratios of the two flow paths including conduits 104 reduction gearbox.
In the system of FIG. 6, heat exchangers 136 and 138
and 106.
With this approach, fuel filter ice protection is maxi 35 have been placed in fuel serial flow relationship in place
mized because essentially only metered flow passes of heat exchanger 102 of FIG. 4, for example. Cool oil
through the heat exchanger and filter at low and high from a single oil tank or oil sump 140 supplies oil to two
pump discharge pressure (and flow rates), thus obtain separate lubrication systems 142 and 144. Assuming
ing maximum fuel temperature rise for a given oil tem system 142 to represent the aforementioned fan reduc
perature (heat load). Hence, there is no engine lubrica tion gearbox, cool oil is pumped by means of pump 146
tion heat returned to the fuel tank 46 at this condition.
through conduit 148 to heat exchanger 136. Since heat
At intermediate pump pressure levels, corresponding to exchanger 136 receives the coldest available fuel, oil
engine cruise and descent power settings, a regulated exiting through conduit 150 is the coldest oil in the
amount of fuel from downstream of the engine heat entire system. This cold oil then lubricates the gearbox
exchanger 102 is permitted to enter the divider valve 45 142 and is scavenged by representaive conduit 152.
Other cool oil is pumped by means of pump 154
108 where it mixes with upstream fuel and then flows to
the bypass valve 70 and back to the fuel tank 46, in (which may be combined with pump 146) through con
theory much like the configuration of FIG. 2. The di duit 156 to the second lubrication system 144. Scav
vider valve permits a portion of the engine lube oil heat enged oil from lube system 144 then mixes with the oil
to be returned to the fuel tank 46 during those condi 50 scavenged from gearbox 142 and is pumped by means of
tions where the metered fuel sink is insufficient to pro scavenge pump 158 through conduit 160 (which carries
vide the necessary oil cooling. At extremely high power the hottest oil in the entire system) to the engine heat
settings, such as take-off, when pump discharge pres exchanger 138. Therein the heated oil is cooled and
sures are maximum, the divider valve again allows only returned through conduit 162 to the oil tank or sump
the flow upstream of the heat exchanger to be diverted 55 140 to repeat the cycle. FIG. 9 depicts graphically the
back to the fuel tanks. The logic is that typically the changes in temperature of the oil and fuel as they pass
aircraft fuel tanks are located in the wings and the flow through the various components.
In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 7, oil passes
of ambient air over the wings during flight will allow
for dissipation of the heat in fuel returned to the tanks. through the first heat exchanger 136 and the fan reduc
However, high power settings are associated with take tion gearbox 142 much in the manner of the previous
off conditions where the flow of air over the wings is at embodiment such that the coolest oil in the system exists
a minimum, and thus heat transfer capability is low. To in conduit 150. Thereafter, it is returned to the oil tank
avoid overheating the fuel tanks, the excess flow is 140 through conduit 164 and scavenge pump 166. Other
taken from the pump discharge upstream of the heat oil at oil tank temperature passes serially through lube
exchanger. It is understood that if overheating within 65 system 144 and heat exchanger 138 by means of conduit
the tanks is not a severe problem, this feature of the 168 and 170, returning to the oil tank through conduit
divider valve could be eliminated without departing 172 and scavenge pump 174 (which may be integral
with pump 166).
from the intent of the present invention.

4,041,697

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the cooling circuit

for engine lube system 144 could be configured with the
engine lube system downstream of the heat exchanger
138. Thus, the circuit comprises, in serial flow relation
ship, the oil tank 140 from which oil is drawn by pump

10
8. The fuel delivery and control means of claim 2
further comprising filter means for filtering matter from
the fuel entering the metering means.
9. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 4
further comprising fuel filter means disposed in serial

154, conduit 176, heat exchanger 138, conduit 178, en

gine lube system 144, conduit 180 and scavenge pump

flow communication between the second heat ex

182 for return of the oil to the oil tank.

It should be obvious to one skilled in the art that

10. A fuel delivery and control system for use with a

certain changes can be made to the above-described

invention without departing from the broad inventive

changer and the metering means.

gas turbine engine and a fuel reservoir, said system

10 comprising:

concepts thereof. For example, though the above

described invention has been described with respect to

a gas turbofan engine, it is equally applicable to any gas

turbine engine, with or without a fan. Furthermore,

though the preferred embodiments depict two zone (or

two circuit) oil cooling, the invention may be adapted
to cool oil to more than two temperature levels through
the incorporation of additional heat exchangers and
associated plumbing.
Having thus described the invention, what is consid

15

pump means for drawing fuel from the reservoir and

pressurizing means;
a first heat exchanger in downstream fuel flow com
munication with said pump means for receiving at
least a portion of the pressurized fuel therefrom and
further communicating with a source of hot fluid
which is maintained in heat exchange relationship
with the fuel;

20

ered as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Pa

a fuel control in downstream fuel flow communica

tion with said first heat exchanger for receiving at

least a portion of the pressurized fuel therefrom,

said fuel control including metering means for

tent of the United States is:

1. A fuel delivery and control system for use with a

gas turbine engine and a fuel reservoir, said system
comprising:
pump means communicating with the fuel reservoir
for drawing fuel therefrom and pressurizing same;

scheduling the rate of fuel flow of the engine;

25

a fuel control in downstream flow communication

with the pump means for receiving fuel therefrom,

30

scheduling the rate of fuel flow to the engine;

a first heat exchanger for receiving all of the metered
fuel and further communicating with the gas tur
bine engine for receipt of hot engine oil therefrom,
wherein the hot engine oil is maintained in heat
exchange relation with the fuel and then returned to
the engine at a cooler temperature; and

35

said fuel control including metering means for

means for reducing the fuel temperature to the inlet of

means for filtering particulate matter from that por

tion of the pressurized fuel passing through said

first heat exchanger;
by pass valve means responsive to the engine fuel
requirements for returning pressurized fuel in ex
cess of engine requirements back to the fuel reser

voir whenever the fuel flow upstream of the meter

ing means exceeds the engine requirements; and
divider valve means for receiving the excess pressur
ized fuel from two locations, one location being

upstream of said first heat exchanger and filter

means, and the other being downstream of said first

heat exchanger and filter means, and for discharg
ing the fuel through the bypass valve means.
11. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 10

the first heat exchanger by returning all fuel in 40 the

wherein
th bypass valve means is so constructed that
ratio of fuel received from the one upstream loca

excess of engine requirements back to the fuel reser

voir.
2. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 1
wherein the fuel temperature reducing means includes a
bypass valve for returning the excess pressurized fuel to 45
the fuel reservoir whenever the flow upstream of the
metering means exceeds the flow required by the en
gine.
3. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 2
further comprising combustor means downstream of 50
the fuel control and first heat exchanger.
4. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 2
further comprising a second heat exchanger down
stream of the pump means such that all of the fuel dis
charged from the pump means passes through the sec 55
ond heat exchanger and all of the metered fuel passes
through the first heat exchanger.
5. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 4
wherein the hot engine oil is adapted to pass serially
through the second heat exchanger and then the first 60
heat exchanger.
6. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 2
further comprising a second heat exchanger for receiv
ing the pressurized fuel in excess of the metered fuel.
7. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 6 65
where the hot engine oil is adapted to pass serially
through the second heat exchanger and then the first
heat exchanger.

tion to that passing through the bypass valve means is

scheduled such that the amount of heat transferred to

the fuel reservoir is less than or equal to the amount of

heat that can be dissipated by the fuel reservoir and the
temperature of the fuel entering the filter means is main
tained above a minimum temperature to eliminate ice
formation therein.

12. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 11

wherein the bypass valve means is further characterized

in its construction such that the fuel flow from the other

downstream location is scheduled to be substantially

zero at the engine take-off and ground idle power set
tings and to be a positive value at power settings there
between.

13. A fuel delivery and control system for use with a

gas turbine engine and a fuel reservoir, said system

comprising:

pump means communicating with the fuel reservoir

for drawing fuel therefrom and pressurizing same;
a fuel control in downstream flow communication

with the pump means for receiving fuel therefrom

and including metering means for scheduling the
rate of fuel flow to the engine;
heat exchange means for receiving at least a portion
of the pressurized fuel and further communicating
with the gas turbine engine for receipt of hot engine
oil therefrom, wherein the hot engine oil is main

4,041,697

11
tained in heat exchange relation with the fuel and
then returned to the engine at a cooler temperature;
means for filtering particulate matter from the fuel
entering the metering means; and
means for maintaining the temperature of the fuel
entering the filter means above a minimum level.
14. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 13
wherein the fuel temperature maintaining means in
cludes a bypass valve for returning all fuel in excess of
engine requirements from the filter discharge to a ther
mal control means whenever the fuel flow upstream of
the metering means exceeds the requirements of the
engine; and wherein the discharge of the thermal con

trol means is in fuel flow communication with the fuel 15

reservoir and the pump means inlet, the thermal control

means scheduling a decreasing rate of fuel to the fuel
reservoir as a function of decreasing fuel temperature,
the remainder being routed to the pump means inlet.
15. The fuel deivery and control system of claim 14
wherein the heat exchange means includes a first heat
exchanger downstream of the pump means and a second
heat exchanger downstream of the fuel control such

20

that all of the fuel discharged from the pump means

passes through the first heat exchanger and all of the 25
metered fuel passes through the second heat exchanger.
16. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 14
wherein the heat exchange means includes a first heat
exchanger for receiving the excess pressurized fuel and
a second heat exchanger for receiving the metered fuel. 30
17. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 10
further comprising a second heat exchanger wherein
the excess pressurized fuel and a liquid to be cooled are
maintained in heat exchange relationship.
35
18. A fuel delivery system comprising:
a first fuel-oil heat exchanger;

a second fuel-oil heat exchanger in downstream fuel

flow communication with said first heat exchanger;
a first oil cooling circuit comprising, in sequential oil
flow communication, an oil supply, a first oil
lubricated system, said second heat exchanger, and
means for returning the oil to said oil supply; and
45

50

55

65

12
a second oil cooling circuit comprising, in sequential
oil flow communication, said oil supply, said first
heat exchanger, a second oil-lubricated system, said
second heat exchanger and said return means.
19. A fuel delivery system comprising:
a first fuel-oil heat exchanger;
a second fuel-oil heat exchanger in downstream fuel
flow communication with said first heat exchanger;
a first oil cooling circuit comprising, in sequential oil
flow communication, an oil supply, said first heat
exchanger, said first oil-lubricated system and
means for returning the oil to said oil supply; and
a second oil cooling circuit comprising, in sequential
oil flow communication, said oil supply, a second
oil-lubricated system, said second heat exchanger
and said return means.
20. The fuel delivery and control system of claim 2
further comprising a second heat exchanger in serial
fuel flow relationship with said first heat exchanger and
two oil cooling circuits, the first circuit comprising, in
serial oil flow relationship, an oil supply, said first heat
exchanger, a first lubricated system, and means for re
turning oil to said oil supply, and said second circuit
comprising, in serial oil flow relationship, said oil sup
ply, said second heat exchanger, a second oil lubricated
system and said means for returning oil to said oil sup
ply.
21. A fuel delivery and control system for use with a
gas turbine engine and a fuel reservoir, said system
comprising:
pump means communicating with the fuel reservoir
for drawing fuel therefrom and pressurizing same;
a fuel control in downstream flow communication

with the pump means for receiving fuel therefrom,

said fuel control including metering means for
scheduling the rate of fuel flow to the engine;
a heat exchanger for receiving all of the metered fuel
and further communicating with a source of hot
fluid which is maintained in heat exchange relation
with the fuel; and
means for returning all fuel in excess of engine re
quirements back*to :the*fuel* reservoir.
*