Patent ID: 11933225
Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A fuel management system for a gas turbine engine, the fuel management system comprising:
a fuel tank configured to store fuel for the gas turbine engine;
a fuel supply line configured to supply fuel from the fuel tank to a combustor of the gas turbine engine;
a reheat fuel supply line configured to supply fuel from the fuel tank to a reheat of the gas turbine engine, the reheat fuel supply line extending from a reheat branching point on the fuel supply line to the reheat;
a fuel supply pump along the fuel supply line upstream of the reheat branching point;
a reheat pump along the reheat fuel supply line, the reheat pump being configured to pressurise fuel to a reheat delivery pressure for delivery to the reheat;
a reheat recirculation line configured to recirculate fuel from the reheat fuel supply line to a location upstream of the fuel supply pump, the reheat recirculation line extending from a reheat recirculation branching point on the reheat fuel supply line downstream of the reheat pump; and
a reheat recirculation control system configured to
control recirculation of the fuel from the reheat fuel supply line via the reheat recirculation line;
determine a reheat pump supply rate from the reheat pump;
determine a reheat fuel demand rate required by the reheat;
determine a required recirculation rate based upon the reheat pump supply rate and the reheat fuel demand rate; and
recirculate fuel at the required recirculation rate via the reheat recirculation line to provide fuel to the reheat at the reheat fuel demand rate.