Shaft mounted fuel control

Claim 2

A fuel flow control unit for use with a gas turbine engine of the type having a compressor means, combustion means, a rotating shaft having a fuel chamber, a slinger burner nozzle carried by and rotatable with said shaft for directing fuel from said shaft fuel chamber into said combustion means, said fuel flow control unit comprising: a housing carried by but not rotatable with said shaft; a fuel metering opening communicating said shaft fuel chamber with said housing; a source of fuel connected to said housing and communicating with said shaft fuel chamber through said fuel metering opening; valve means movably mounted in said housing and cooperating with said fuel metering opening to vary the size of said opening as said valve means moves relative to Said opening; electrically operated motor means carried in said housing and operatively coupled to said valve means for moving said valve means relative to said opening to control the rate of fuel flow therethrough into said fuel chamber; means for sensing the power lever setting and speed parameters of said gas turbine engine; and an electronic computer electrically connected to said motor means and receiving said sensed parameters for generating the electrical signal to actuate said motor means to selectively control the movement of said valve means as a function of said sensed parameters.

Claim 3

The fuel flow control means defined in claim 1, further comprising means for sensing the position of said valve means with respect to said fuel metering opening; and feedback means communicating said sensed positional information to said electronic computer.

Claim 4

The fuel flow control unit defined in claim 1, further comprising positional limit means operatively coupled to said electronic computer and actuated by abutment with said valve means after said valve means reaches a predetermined position with respect to said fuel metering opening such that said electronic computer prevents said motor means from moving said valve means beyond said sensed predetermined position.

Claim 5

The fuel flow control unit defined in claim 3 wherein said positional limit means further comprises means for selectively varying said predetermined position, said last mentioned means being carried by said valve means.

Claim 6

The fuel flow control unit defined in claim 1, further comprising a power generating means having a first member secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith; a second member rotatably movable with respect to said first member, said second member being carried by said housing for mounting said housing to said shaft and permitting said shaft to rotate as said housing is maintained in a non-rotary position with respect to said rotating shaft, and means electrically connecting said power generating means to said electronic computer.

Claim 7

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said source of fuel comprises a fuel reservoir for supplying fuel to said housing, said fuel reservoir being pressurized to compressor discharge pressure.

Claim 8

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said electronic computer is further responsive to the compressor inlet temperature, compressor inlet pressure, turbine inlet temperature and compressor discharge pressure to control the movement of said valve means during turbine engine acceleration.

Claim 9

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve means comprises an elongated member disposed within said housing and slidably mounted for movement along the axis of rotation of said shaft, said elongated member having one end projecting into said fuel metering opening, whereby movement of said elongated member toward and away from said opening varies the size of said fuel metering opening.

Claim 10

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 8, wherein a portion of said elongated member has threads formed therearound, and said motor means comprises a reversible electric motor disposed within said housing and connected to said electronic computer, said motor having a rotatably mounted member having a threaded bore formed therethrough and engaging said threaded portion of said elongated member, whereby rotation of said rotatably mounted member displaces said elongated member along said axis.

Claim 11

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 9, and including electrical power generating means electrically connected to both said electronic computer and said electrical motor for supplying electrical power thereto, said power generating means having a first set of members secured to said shaft adjacent said housing and a second set of members secured to said housing radially outwardly from said first set, whereby rotation of said shaft rotates said first set past said second set of members.

Claim 12

The fuel flow control unit as defined in claim 10, wherein said source of fuel comprises a fuel reservoir for supplying fuel to said housing, said fuel reservoir for supplying fuel to said housing, said fuel reservoir being pressurized to compressor discharge pressure.

Claim 13

A fuel flow control unit for use with a gas turbine engine of the type having a compressor means, a combustion means, a shaft having a fuel chamber, a slinger burner nozzle carried by and rotatable with said shaft for directing fuel from said fuel chamber into said combustion means, said fuel control unit comprising: a housing disposed adjacent the end of said rotating shaft; a power generating means having a first member secured to said shaft end and rotatable therewith and a second member rotatably mounted with respect to said first member, said second member carrying said housing such that said housing is stationary with respect to said rotating shaft; a fuel metering opening communicating said fuel chamber with said housing; a source of fuel connected to said housing and communicating with said fuel chamber through said fuel metering opening; valve means movably mounted in said housing and cooperating with said fuel metering opening to vary the size of said opening as said valve means moves relative to said opening; electrically operated motor means carried in said housing and operatively coupled to said valve means for moving said valve means relative to said opening to control the rate of fuel flow therethrough and into said fuel chamber; means for sensing the power lever setting and speed parameters of said gas turbine engine; an electronic computer electrically connected to said motor means and receiving said sensed parameters for generating an electrical signal to actuate said motor means to selectively control the movement of said valve means as a function of said sensed parameters; means sensing the position of said valve means with respect to said valve opening; and feedback means communicating said last mentioned sensed positional information to said electronic computer.

Claim 14

A fuel flow control unit for use with a gas turbine engine of the type having a compressor means, a combustion means, a shaft having a fuel chamber, a slinger burner nozzle carried by and rotatable with said shaft for directing fuel from said fuel chamber into said combustion means, said fuel control unit comprising: a housing disposed adjacent the end of said rotating shaft; a power generating means having a first member secured to said shaft end and rotatable therewith and a second member rotatably mounted with respect to said first member, said second member carrying said housing such that said housing is stationary with respect to said rotating shaft; a fuel metering opening communicating said fuel chamber with said housing; a source of fuel connected to said housing and communicating with said fuel chamber through said fuel metering opening; valve means movably mounted in said housing and cooperating with said fuel metering opening to vary the size of said opening as said valve means moves relative to said opening; electrically operated motor means carried in said housing and operatively coupled to said valve means for moving said valve means relative to said opening to control the rate of fuel flow therethrough and into said fuel chamber; means for sensing the power lever setting and speed parameters of said gas turbine engine; an electronic computer electrically connected to said motor means and receiving said sensed parameters for generating an electrical signal to actuate said motor means to selectively control the movement of said valve means as a function of said sensed parameters; means sensing the position of said valve means with respect to said valve opening; and feedback means communicating said last mentioned sensed positional information to said electronic computer.