Patent Description:
Various systems are known in the art for transferring fuel between a fuel source and a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine. While these known systems may suit their intended purpose, there remains room for improvement in the art.

<CIT> discloses a fuel manifold and a fuel injector arrangement.

<CIT> discloses a fuel manifold assembly.

<CIT> discloses a sliding joint for a gas turbine engine fuel manifold.

<CIT> discloses a segmented internal fuel manifold.

According to the present invention, there is provided an aircraft engine in accordance with claim <NUM>.

In an embodiment of the above, the second mounting point is radially outward of the first mounting point relative to a central axis of the engine.

In an embodiment of either of the above, the first mounting point is on a turbine support case of the engine.

In an embodiment of any of the above the second mounting point is on a peripheral flange of the turbine support case.

In an embodiment of any of the above, the first mounting point is located aft of the second mounting point.

In an embodiment of any of the above, the body is mounted to a third mounting point of the engine located aft of the first mounting point.

In an embodiment of the above, the third mounting point is on a flange of a turbine exhaust case of the engine.

<FIG> illustrates an aircraft engine <NUM> of a type preferably provided for use in subsonic flight. According to the illustrated example, the engine <NUM> is a turboshaft gas turbine engine generally comprising in serial flow communication a compressor <NUM> for pressurizing the air, a combustor <NUM> in which the compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited for generating an annular stream of hot combustion gases, and a turbine section <NUM> for extracting energy from the combustion gases. There will now be described a fuel manifold adapter <NUM> (the adapter <NUM>) used in a hot section of the engine, generally shown at L1, in connection with a fuel manifold <NUM> (<FIG>) of a fuel system of the engine <NUM> located proximate to the combustor <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, the adapter <NUM> is disposed in fluid communication between a fuel inlet nozzle <NUM> (the inlet nozzle <NUM>) supported by a first mount <NUM> (or flange <NUM> of the inlet nozzle <NUM>), and a fuel source <NUM> (the source <NUM>) for instance provided in the form of a flow divider valve and supported by a second mount <NUM> (or bracket <NUM> of the source <NUM>). The inlet nozzle <NUM> and the source <NUM> are also respectively referred to as a first component and a second component of the fuel system of the engine <NUM>. Via the first mount <NUM> and the second mount <NUM>, the inlet nozzle <NUM> and the source <NUM> are respectively mounted at a first mounting point of the engine <NUM> and at a second mounting point of the engine <NUM> each being susceptible to thermal growth. Due to the thermal growth occurring as the engine <NUM> operates, the first and second mounting points move relative to one another with their respective mounted components. In the illustrated embodiment, the first mounting point is on a turbine support case of the engine <NUM>. The first mount <NUM> is integral to the inlet nozzle <NUM> and fastened directly to the turbine support case. The second mounting point is located fore of the first mounting point on a peripheral flange of the turbine support case. The second mounting point is also located radially outward of the first mounting point relative to a center line CL of the engine <NUM> (<FIG>). In other embodiments, the second mounting point is located aft of the first mounting point, for example on a turbine exhaust case of the engine <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> includes a body <NUM> that is held in position fixedly relative to the source <NUM> yet movably relative to the inlet nozzle <NUM> so as to mitigate stresses imparted to the inlet nozzle <NUM> by the adapter <NUM> as the body <NUM> moves with the source <NUM> to and from the inlet nozzle <NUM>. The body <NUM> is mounted at a third mounting point of the engine <NUM> via a third mount <NUM> (or bracket <NUM> of the body <NUM>), supporting the adapter <NUM> in position relative to the source <NUM>. The third mounting point is located aft of the first mounting point, on a peripheral flange of the turbine exhaust case of the engine <NUM>. In other embodiments, the third mount <NUM> is integral to the body <NUM> (as shown for example in <FIG>). In yet other embodiments, the body <NUM> could be mounted to the source <NUM> (as shown for example in <FIG>) and the third mount <NUM> could be omitted.

A body-output interface <NUM> of the body <NUM> movably interfaces with a nozzle-input interface <NUM> (or upstream end of the inlet nozzle <NUM>) via a transfer tube assembly <NUM> located at a downstream end (or output end) of the adapter <NUM>. The transfer tube assembly <NUM> may be said to thermally and dynamically decouple the body-output interface <NUM> and a remainder of the adapter <NUM> from the inlet nozzle <NUM>. At an upstream end (or input end) of the adapter <NUM>, a body-input interface <NUM> of the body <NUM> fixedly interfaces with a source-output interface <NUM> (or downstream end of the source <NUM>) via a flanged connector <NUM> and a conduit <NUM>. The conduit <NUM> comprises a rigid tube routed from the flanged connector <NUM> to the body <NUM>. The conduit <NUM> and the flanged connector <NUM> can also be described as a rigid supply line which, depending on the embodiment, can form part of the adapter <NUM> or the source <NUM>. In this embodiment, the supply line forms part of the adapter <NUM>. The conduit <NUM> may be said to rigidly connect the flanged connector <NUM> and the body <NUM> to one another. A fuel path through the adapter <NUM> extending from the source <NUM> to the inlet nozzle <NUM> is defined successively by the flanged connector <NUM>, the conduit <NUM>, the body <NUM> and the transfer tube assembly <NUM>. The fuel path can consist of a primary fuel path and a secondary fuel path both routed through the adapter <NUM> separately from one another. The forthcoming description will focus on features of the adapter <NUM> defining the primary fuel path, as corresponding features of the adapter <NUM> defining the secondary fuel path are similar, unless stated otherwise.

Still referring to <FIG>, according to the illustrated embodiment, the inlet nozzle <NUM> interfaces with the first mounting point via the first mount <NUM> so as to orient the nozzle-input interface <NUM> in a first direction D1 having an axial component parallel to the center line CL of the engine <NUM>. In the first direction D1, the nozzle-input interface <NUM> extends aft relative to the first mounting point. The second mount <NUM> holds the source <NUM> so as to orient the source-output interface <NUM> in a second direction D2 having an axial component parallel to the center line CL of the engine <NUM>. The first direction D1 and the direction D2 are in this arrangement parallel to one another and to the center line CL of the engine <NUM>, although other arrangements are possible. Also, the nozzle-input interface <NUM> and the source-output interface <NUM> are positioned so as to be radially close to one another relative to the center line CL. This disposition allows the adapter <NUM> to have a minimal radial footprint as it extends from the source-output interface <NUM> to the nozzle-input interface <NUM>. As such, the inlet nozzle <NUM>, the source <NUM> and the adapter <NUM> can be made to fit inside a radially outer envelope of the turbine section <NUM> defined by the outside of the turbine support and exhaust cases up to a radially outer limit of the engine <NUM>.

The adapter <NUM> is positioned such that the body-output interface <NUM> is oriented opposite the first direction D1 across from the nozzle-input interface <NUM> and the body-input interface <NUM> is oriented in such a way that the flanged connector <NUM> rigidly connected thereto is oriented opposite the second direction D2 across from the source-output interface <NUM>. The connections between the body <NUM> and the inlet nozzle <NUM> and between the body <NUM> and the source <NUM> are directional. Indeed, connecting the body-output interface <NUM> to the nozzle-input interface <NUM> via the transfer tube assembly <NUM> places the body-input interface <NUM> in an orientation suitable for it to be connectable to the source-output interface <NUM> via the supply line. Also, upon the supply line being connected to the body <NUM>, connecting the body-output interface <NUM> to the nozzle-input interface <NUM> orients the flanged connector opposite the second direction D2 in alignment with the source-output interface <NUM>. Conversely, upon the supply line being connected to the body <NUM>, connecting the body-input interface <NUM> to the source-output interface <NUM> via the supply line orients the body-output interface <NUM> opposite the first direction D1 in alignment with the nozzle-input interface <NUM>.

Upstream of the fuel path, the source-output interface <NUM> defines a port <NUM> from which fuel is flowed to the adapter <NUM>, and to which the flanged connector <NUM> is fluidly connected. The flanged connector <NUM> has a flange <NUM> and a cylinder <NUM>, or cylindrical fitting (similar to that illustrated in <FIG> with respect to another embodiment) projecting from the flange <NUM> along a connector axis C. The port <NUM> is shaped complementarily to the cylinder <NUM>, in this case a bore extending along a port axis P oriented in the second direction D2 by the second mount <NUM>. Upon the flanged connector <NUM> being connected to the port <NUM>, the connector and port axes C, P are collinear. A fastening means of the flanged connector <NUM>, in this case bolts mechanically coupled to complementary bores defined by the flange <NUM> and the source-output interface <NUM>, determines an orientation of the supply line with respect to the port axis P as it fastens the supply line to the source-output interface <NUM>. By orienting the supply line together with the body <NUM> with respect to the port axis P, the flanged connector <NUM> is used to locate the body-output interface <NUM> in alignment with the nozzle-input interface <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, fuel-path defining features will now be described with respect to another embodiment of the adapter <NUM>. Downstream of the source <NUM>, the primary fuel path is defined by the supply line, i.e., by the flanged connector <NUM> and the conduit <NUM>, successively. Downstream of the supply line, the primary fuel path is defined a first passage <NUM> extending through the body <NUM>. The body-input interface <NUM> defines an upstream end 116b of the first passage <NUM> to which the conduit <NUM> is fluidly connected. The body-output interface <NUM> of the body <NUM> is cylindrical in shape and extends along a body axis B (<FIG>). The body-output interface <NUM> defines a downstream end 116a of the first passage <NUM> in fluid communication with the upstream end 116b, also referred to as a first body bore 116a of the body <NUM>.

Downstream of the source <NUM>, the secondary fuel path is defined by a second supply line, i.e., by a second flanged connector <NUM>' and a second conduit <NUM>', successively. Downstream of the second supply line, the secondary fuel path is defined a second passage <NUM>' extending through the body <NUM>. The body-input interface <NUM> defines an upstream end 116b' of the second passage <NUM>' to which the second conduit <NUM>' is fluidly connected. The body-output interface <NUM> defines a downstream end 116a' of the second passage <NUM>' in fluid communication with the upstream end 116b', also referred to as a second body bore 116a' of the body <NUM>.

The nozzle-input interface <NUM> is located downstream of the body-output interface <NUM> across from the transfer tube assembly <NUM>. The nozzle-input interface <NUM> is cylindrical in shape (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>), and extends along a longitudinal axis N (<FIG>) oriented in the first direction D1 by the first mount <NUM>. A first nozzle bore <NUM> and a second nozzle bore <NUM>' extend in the nozzle-input interface <NUM> in fluid communication with the fuel manifold <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, characteristics pertaining to the transfer tube assembly <NUM> and its relationship with the body-output interface <NUM> and the nozzle-input interface <NUM> will now be described. The transfer tube assembly <NUM> includes a first transfer tube <NUM> having a rigid, tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis A from a first tube end 122a to a second tube end 122b. The first tube end 122a is slidably received by the first body bore 116a, whereas the second tube end 122b extends to outside the first body bore 116a so as to be slidably receivable by the first nozzle bore <NUM> upon the body <NUM> being suitably positioned relative to the inlet nozzle <NUM>. Around either ends 122a, 122b of the transfer tube <NUM>, O-rings <NUM> may be mounted for sealing engagement with the corresponding bores, thereby sealing a passage from one bore to the other via the transfer tube <NUM>. A second transfer tube <NUM>' of the transfer tube assembly <NUM> has a rigid, tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis A' from a first tube end 122a' to a second tube end 122b'. The first tube end 122a' is slidably received by the second body bore 116a', whereas the second tube end 122b' extends to outside the second-body bore 116a' so as to be slidably receivable by the second nozzle bore <NUM>' upon the body <NUM> being suitably positioned relative to the inlet nozzle <NUM>.

According to some embodiments, the transfer tube assembly <NUM> includes a drain sleeve <NUM> extending around the transfer tube <NUM> from around the body-output interface <NUM> to around the nozzle-input interface <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, O-rings <NUM> may be mounted around the nozzle-input interface <NUM> and the body-output interface <NUM> for sealing engagement with an inner cylindrical surface of the drain sleeve <NUM>, thereby defining extremities of a sealed cavity inside the drain sleeve <NUM>. However, the drain sleeve <NUM> may be omitted depending on the implementation.

In <FIG> and <FIG>, there is shown yet another embodiment of the adapter <NUM> implemented in a turboshaft engine. In this embodiment, the first mounting point is located on the turbine support case and the second mounting point is located on the peripheral flange of the turbine support case fore of the first mounting point. The third mounting point is located on the source <NUM>, i.e., the body <NUM> is supported by virtue of its connection to the source <NUM>. The body <NUM> may be said to be located axially between the inlet nozzle <NUM> and the source <NUM> relative to the center line of the engine <NUM>. The nozzle-input interface <NUM> extends in the first direction D1 fore relative to the first mounting point and toward the second mounting point. The first direction D1 may thus be said to be toward the source <NUM>. This arrangement of the inlet nozzle <NUM> relative to the source <NUM> allows for an axially-compact adapter <NUM>.

In this embodiment, first and second flanged connectors <NUM>, <NUM>' connect to the body <NUM> by way of first and second conduits <NUM>, <NUM>', provided in the form of hollow and axially short arms that are integral to the body. The first and second conduits <NUM>, <NUM>' project from the body-input interface <NUM> transversely to the body axis B of the body-output interface <NUM>. The nozzle-input interface <NUM> is closer to a first port <NUM> of the source <NUM> than to a second port <NUM>' of the source <NUM>. As such, the first conduit <NUM> is shorter than the second conduit <NUM>'. The first flanged connector <NUM> is of a type similar to that described hereinabove, having a first-connector flange <NUM> and a first-connector cylinder <NUM>, or cylindrical fitting, projecting therefrom along a first-connector axis C for mating engagement with the first port <NUM> along a first-port axis P. The second flanged connector <NUM>' has a second-connector flange <NUM>' and a second-connector bore <NUM>' extending inward thereof along a second-connector axis C'. The second-connector bore <NUM>' is in fluid communication with the second port <NUM>' of the source-output interface <NUM>. A third transfer tube 122a" of the adapter <NUM> has a first end 122a" slidably engaged with the second flanged connector <NUM>' via the second-connector bore <NUM>' along the second-connector axis C', and a second end 122b" opposite the first end 122a" slidably engaged with the source-output interface <NUM> via the second port <NUM>' along a second-port axis P'. The source-output interface <NUM> is arranged such that the first-port axis P and the second-port axis P' are generally parallel and aligned with the second direction D2, thereby allowing the first flanged connector <NUM> to matingly engage the first port <NUM> simultaneously as the second flanged connector <NUM>' engages with the second port <NUM>' via the third transfer tube <NUM>". Under certain circumstances, the second-port axis P' may be misaligned (e.g., be at an angle of between <NUM> to <NUM> degrees) relative to the first-port axis P, due for example to thermal deformation of the source <NUM> and/or to manufacturing tolerances. As the first flanged connector <NUM> matingly engages the first port <NUM> with the first-connector axis C collinear to the first-port axis P, the third transfer tube <NUM>" may tilt relative to the second-connector axis C' and/or to the second-port axis P' to accommodate such misalignment while maintaining the fluid communication between the second port <NUM>' and the second flanged connector <NUM>'.

The present disclosure is not limited to aircraft engines of the turboshaft gas turbine type. For instance, in <FIG> and <FIG>, there is shown an embodiment of the fuel manifold adapter <NUM> implemented in an engine of the turboprop type. In this embodiment, the first mounting point is located on the turbine support case, the second mounting point is located on the turbine exhaust case at a location spaced aft and circumferentially from the first mounting point, and the third mounting point is located on the peripheral flange of the turbine support case. The nozzle-input interface <NUM> is oriented in the first direction D1 aft relative to the first mounting point, whereas the source-output interface <NUM> is oriented in the second direction D2 fore relative to the second mounting point and at an angle relative to the first direction D1. Thus, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are neither the same nor opposite one another. Nevertheless, such differences in location and orientation of the nozzle-input interface <NUM> and the source-output interface <NUM> are compensated by the supply line being suitably routed therebetween. With the body <NUM> located such that the body-output interface <NUM> is in alignment with the nozzle-input interface <NUM> opposite the first direction D1, the supply line is routed from the body-input interface <NUM> so as to extend opposite the second direction D2 as it nears the source-output interface <NUM>.

It shall be noted that the same body <NUM> can also be used in connection to the inlet nozzle <NUM> of a turboshaft engine, as shown in <FIG>, provided that the supply line is suitably routed between the body-input interface <NUM> of the body <NUM> and the source-output interface <NUM> of the source <NUM> of the turboshaft engine. The adapter <NUM> can thus be said to be interchangeably connectable between respective fuel manifolds and fuel sources of different aircraft engine platforms.

Claim 1:
An aircraft engine (<NUM>), comprising:
a fuel manifold (<NUM>) having an inlet nozzle (<NUM>), the fuel manifold (<NUM>) mounted at a first mounting point (<NUM>) of the aircraft engine (<NUM>), the inlet nozzle (<NUM>) having a nozzle bore (<NUM>) facing in a first direction;
a fuel source (<NUM>) mounted at a second mounting point (<NUM>) of the aircraft engine (<NUM>), the fuel source (<NUM>) having a source bore (<NUM>) facing in a second direction; and
a fuel manifold adapter (<NUM>) in fluid communication between the fuel source (<NUM>) and the inlet nozzle (<NUM>), the fuel manifold adapter (<NUM>) characterised in that it comprises:
a body (<NUM>) having:
a body-output interface (<NUM>) defining a downstream end (116a) of a body passage (<NUM>) including a body bore about a bore axis, the body-output interface (<NUM>) movably and fluidly connectable to the inlet nozzle (<NUM>) of the fuel manifold (<NUM>); and
a body-input interface (<NUM>) defining an upstream end (116b) of the body passage (<NUM>), the body-input interface (116b) rigidly and fluidly connectable to the fuel source (<NUM>); and
a transfer tube (<NUM>) having an upstream-tube end (122a) slidably engaged with the body (<NUM>) along the bore axis via the body bore (116a), the transfer tube (<NUM>) having a downstream-tube end (122b) opposite the upstream-tube end (122a) slidably engageable along the bore axis with the inlet nozzle (<NUM>), the downstream-tube end (122b) defining a downstream end of the fuel manifold adapter (<NUM>) relative to fuel flow through the fuel manifold adapter (<NUM>).