Patents Represented by Attorney Drek P. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 4041697
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel delivery and control system is provided with means to recirculate all fuel in excess of fuel control requirements back to the aircraft fuel tank, thereby increasing the fuel pump heat sink and decreasing the pump temperature rise without the addition of valving other than that normally employed. A fuel/oil heat exchanger and associated circuitry is provided to maintain the hot engine oil in heat exchange relationship with the cool engine fuel. Where anti-icing of the fuel filter is required, means are provided to maintain the fuel temperature entering the filter at or above a minimum level to prevent freezing thereof. In one embodiment, a divider valve is provided to take all excess fuel from either upstream or downstream of the fuel filter and route it back to the tanks, the ratio of upstream to downstream extraction being a function of fuel pump discharge pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: George A. Coffinberry, Howard B. Kast