| CPC F17C 13/04 (2013.01) [B64D 37/04 (2013.01); B64D 37/30 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0326 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0338 (2013.01); F17C 2205/0352 (2013.01); F17C 2221/033 (2013.01); F17C 2223/0161 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0135 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0157 (2013.01); F17C 2227/0311 (2013.01); F17C 2250/03 (2013.01); F17C 2250/043 (2013.01); F17C 2265/065 (2013.01); F17C 2265/066 (2013.01); F17C 2270/0189 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure inside an on-board storage tank for cryogenic fuel, part of which being in a liquid state and another part of which being in a gaseous state, the on-board storage tank being mounted in an aircraft provided with a turbomachine, the cryogenic fuel being intended to supply a combustion chamber of the turbomachine, the pressure regulating device comprising:
a booster pump, located at a lower part of the on-board storage tank,
a mixing chamber, configured to be connected to said combustion chamber,
a first line connecting the on-board storage tank to said mixing chamber in order to allow the mixing chamber to be supplied with the cryogenic fuel in the liquid state, this first line being provided with at least one pressurizing pump and a first regulation valve, this mixing chamber being connected to the combustion chamber,
a second line connecting the on-board storage tank to said mixing chamber in order to allow the mixing chamber to be supplied with the cryogenic fuel in the gaseous state, the second line being provided with at least one compressor and a first control valve,
a recirculation line connecting the booster pump to an upper part of the on-board storage tank, this recirculation line being equipped with a second regulation valve and with a first heat exchanger that allows the cryogenic fuel to pass from the liquid state to the gaseous state,
a buffer tank disposed on the recirculation line downstream of the first heat exchanger and a second control valve disposed on the recirculation line between the buffer tank and the upper part of the on-board storage tank,
wherein a first three-way valve with an inlet way and two outlet ways is disposed on said second line so that the inlet way is connected downstream of the compressor, one of the two outlet ways is connected to the mixing chamber and another of the two outlet ways is connected to the buffer tank by a bypass line, wherein the first three-way valve can be put either in a first position in which the first three-way valve connects the tank exclusively to the mixing chamber, or in a second position in which the first three-way valve connects the on-board storage tank exclusively to the buffer tank to allow the buffer tank to be filled with the cryogenic fuel in the gaseous state compressed by the compressor, or in a plurality of intermediate positions in which the first three-way valve connects the on-board storage tank both to the mixing chamber and to the buffer tank, while allowing a more significant flow rate or a less significant flow rate to pass to the mixing chamber or the buffer tank, depending on which of the plurality of intermediate positions the first three-way valve is located,
a pressure sensor detecting the pressure inside the on-board storage tank, and
a central control unit receiving pressure data from the pressure sensor and controlling the total or partial opening or the closing of the first regulation valve and of the second regulation valve and of the first control valve and of the second control valve and of the first three-way valve and the starting or stopping of the pressurizing pump, the booster pump and the compressor, as a function of a value of a setpoint pressure inside the on-board storage tank.
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