Patent ID: 6182438
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: F02C,F05D

Abstract:
A method of starting a gas turbine engine having a variable-speed motor-driven pump operatively arranged to supply fuel from a source to said engine through a combustor nozzle when said engine is operating normally, comprising the steps of:providing a calibration orifice sized to simulate pressure-flow characteristics of said nozzle;selectively directing the flow from said pump through said orifice;operating said pump at preselected speeds;measuring the temperature of the fuel in said flow at each of said speeds;measuring the pressure drop of said flow across said orifice at each of said speeds;calculating the fuel mass flow rate as a function of pump speed and fuel temperature;selectively directing said flow through said nozzle; andcontrolling the speed of said pump to produce a desired mass flow rate for starting said engine.