US 12,006,871 B2
Fuel delivery system for delivering hydrogen fuel to a fuel injection system in a complex cycle gas turbine engine
Chloe J Palmer, Derby (GB); and John R Whurr, Derby (GB)
Assigned to ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, London (GB)
Filed by ROLLS-ROYCE plc, London (GB)
Filed on Sep. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/476,311.
Claims priority of application No. 2015452 (GB), filed on Sep. 30, 2020; application No. 2015453 (GB), filed on Sep. 30, 2020; application No. 2015454 (GB), filed on Sep. 30, 2020; and application No. 2017014 (GB), filed on Oct. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0099028 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F02C 3/20 (2006.01); F02C 3/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/04 (2006.01); F02C 7/14 (2006.01); F02C 7/143 (2006.01); F02C 7/18 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F23R 3/04 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01); F02C 9/40 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/224 (2013.01) [F02C 3/20 (2013.01); F02C 3/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/04 (2013.01); F02C 7/14 (2013.01); F02C 7/143 (2013.01); F02C 7/18 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/222 (2013.01); F23R 3/04 (2013.01); F23R 3/286 (2013.01); F02C 9/40 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2240/35 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A complex cycle gas turbine engine for an aircraft with hydrogen fuel supply, comprising:
in fluid flow series, a core gas turbine and a recuperator for heating hydrogen fuel prior to combustion by turbine exhaust products; and
a fuel delivery system for delivering the hydrogen fuel from a cryogenic storage system to the recuperator, the fuel delivery system including a pump, a metering device, and a fuel heating system for heating the hydrogen fuel,
wherein the metering device comprises a sonic fixed orifice configured to operate in a choked condition and a flow rate is controlled by adjusting pressure delivered by the pump upstream of the sonic fixed orifice based on a measured upstream temperature of the sonic fixed orifice and an area of the sonic fixed orifice,
the fuel heating system comprises a vaporiser configured to vaporise liquid hydrogen from the cryogenic storage system, and
the vaporiser comprises a fuel offtake for diverting a portion of the hydrogen fuel from a fuel conduit for combustion in a burner located in heat exchange relationship with the fuel conduit.