Abstract: A method of determining a calorific value of fuel supplied to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft comprises sensing at least one engine parameter during a first time period of aircraft operation during which the gas turbine engine uses the fuel; and, based on the at least one sensed engine parameter, determining a calorific value of the fuel. The sensing may be repeated such that the at least one engine parameter is monitored over time. The gas turbine engine may be a propulsive gas turbine engine of the aircraft or a gas turbine engine of an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft.

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine and a fuel tank, wherein the fuel includes at least a proportion of a sustainable aviation fuel—SAF—having a density between 90% and 98% of the density, ?K, of kerosene and a calorific value between 101% and 105% the calorific value CVK, of kerosene. The engine includes a combustor; and a fuel pump arranged to supply a fuel thereto at an energy flow rate, C, the pump being arranged to output fuel at a volumetric flow rate, Q, the percentage of fuel passing through the pump not provided to the combustor being referred to as a spill percentage. The fuel include X % SAF, where X % is in the range from 5% to 100%, and has a density, ?F, and a calorific value CVF.

Abstract: A method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes: measuring one or more trace substance parameters of the fuel, the one or more trace substance parameters each associated with a respective trace substance in the fuel; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more trace substance parameters. Further, a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.

Abstract: A combustion staging system has: a splitter; pilot and mains fuel manifolds; mains flow control valves; and fuel servo line. Each mains flow control valve has a chamber containing a piston, the chamber to a piston mains side fed by the mains fuel manifold, and the chamber to a piston servo side fed by the servo line. The piston has an open pilot-and-mains position allowing flow from the chamber mains side to the respective injector mains discharge orifice. The piston prevents flow from the chamber mains side. The piston is movable under a pressure change in the servo line relative to the mains fuel manifold. The system has a servo pump and a hydraulic motor driving it. The servo pump changes fuel pressure. Motive power for the hydraulic motor is fuel diverted from a fuel pump high pressure output, the motor returning the diverted fuel to a low pressure input.

Abstract: An assembly of a servo pump and a hydraulic motor. The assembly has a housing which contains the pump and the motor. The motor has a rotating body which rotates under the motive power of a pressurised motor liquid flow. The motor has a high pressure region which receives the pressurised motor liquid flow, and a low pressure region through which the motor liquid flow leaves the motor. The pump also has a rotating body. The pump has a low pressure region which receives servo liquid flow to be pumped by its rotating body, and a high pressure region through which pressurised servo liquid flow leaves the pump. Each rotating body is mounted on a respective journal.

Abstract: An assembly of a servo pump and a hydraulic motor. The assembly has a housing which contains the pump and the motor. The motor has a rotating body which rotates under the motive power of a pressurised motor liquid flow. The motor has a high pressure region which receives the pressurised motor liquid flow, and a low pressure region through which the motor liquid flow leaves the motor. The pump also has a rotating body. The pump has a low pressure region which receives servo liquid flow to be pumped by its rotating body, and a high pressure region through which pressurised servo liquid flow leaves the pump. Each rotating body is mounted on a respective journal.

Abstract: An aero-engine low pressure pump is provided for supplying fuel at a raised pressure to a high pressure pump. The low pressure pump has a pumping mechanism which raises the pressure of fuel flowing though the mechanism. The low pressure pump further has electrical motor which drives the pumping mechanism. The low pressure pump further has a variable frequency motor drive which supplies electrical power to the electrical motor. The variable frequency motor drive measures the electrical power supplied to the electrical motor. The low pressure pump further has a control unit which compares the measured electrical power to a reference power, and, when the measured electrical power is less than the reference power by a predetermined amount, controls the motor drive to increase the power supplied to the electrical motor thereby increasing the pressure rise produced by the pumping mechanism.

Abstract: A gear pump has first and second meshing gears for pumping a fluid. The gear pump further has a first electrical motor having a first rotor, a first stator and first coil windings. The gear pump further has a second electrical motor having a second rotor, a second stator and second coil windings. The first rotor is operatively connected to the first gear and the second rotor is operatively connected to the second gear such that each gear is rotated by its respective rotor. The first and second coil windings are energized by respective and separate first and second electrical power circuits such that the first and second meshing gears can be driven independently of each other.

Abstract: A combustion staging system has: a splitter; pilot and mains fuel manifolds; mains flow control valves; and fuel servo line. Each mains flow control valve has a chamber containing a piston, the chamber to a piston mains side fed by the mains fuel manifold, and the chamber to a piston servo side fed by the servo line. The piston has an open pilot-and-mains position allowing flow from the chamber mains side to the respective injector mains discharge orifice. The piston prevents flow from the chamber mains side. The piston is movable under a pressure change in the servo line relative to the mains fuel manifold. The system has a servo pump and a hydraulic motor driving it. The servo pump changes fuel pressure. Motive power for the hydraulic motor is fuel diverted from a fuel pump high pressure output, the motor returning the diverted fuel to a low pressure input.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gear pump having one or more gears with bearing shafts supported by respective pressure-loaded gear pump bearing blocks. Each pressure-loaded bearing block has: a bore adapted to receive the bearing shaft of a gear of the pump; a thrust face at one end adapted to slidingly engage with a side surface of the gear, and an opposing rear face at the other end, the pump being adapted such that, in use, pressurised fluid is supplied to the rear face to provide a hydraulic load urging the thrust face of the bearing block towards the side surface of the gear; and a seal carried by the rear face, the seal, in use, partitioning higher fluid pressure and lower fluid pressure portions of the rear face. The gear pump further has a pressure regulating valve arranged such that, in use, the fluid pressure difference between the higher and lower fluid pressure portions of the rear face of the bearing block is adjustable by the valve to vary said hydraulic load.

Abstract: An aero-engine low pressure pump is provided for supplying fuel at a raised pressure to a high pressure pump. The low pressure pump has a pumping mechanism which raises the pressure of fuel flowing though the mechanism. The low pressure pump further has electrical motor which drives the pumping mechanism. The low pressure pump further has a variable frequency motor drive which supplies electrical power to the electrical motor. The variable frequency motor drive measures the electrical power supplied to the electrical motor. The low pressure pump further has a control unit which compares the measured electrical power to a reference power, and, when the measured electrical power is less than the reference power by a predetermined amount, controls the motor drive to increase the power supplied to the electrical motor thereby increasing the pressure rise produced by the pumping mechanism.

Abstract: A gear pump has first and second meshing gears for pumping a fluid. The gear pump further has a first electrical motor having a first rotor, a first stator and first coil windings. The gear pump further has a second electrical motor having a second rotor, a second stator and second coil windings. The first rotor is operatively connected to the first gear and the second rotor is operatively connected to the second gear such that each gear is rotated by its respective rotor. The first and second coil windings are energised by respective and separate first and second electrical power circuits such that the first and second meshing gears can be driven independently of each other.

Abstract: A pump has a brushless electrical motor including a stator assembly and a rotor ring arranged externally of the stator assembly. The pump further has a centrifugal impeller operatively connected to the rotor ring such that the electrical motor rotates the impeller. The impeller is configured to raise the pressure of a fluid which flows through the impeller between an inlet and an outlet thereof. The pump is configured such that a portion of the raised pressure fluid flow is diverted to form a recirculation flow which circulates through and cools the electrical motor before being returned to the impeller for re-pressurisation thereby.