United Technologies Corporation

John C Szillat

Nicola Laudadio

Teresa Chin

Bradley C Schafer

A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine having a staged combustor includes apparatus and methods to operate the combustor during pilot operation, staged operation, and transition between the two modes of operation. Various construction details are developed which provide a fuel control having a switch with built in hysteresis for determining the transition points between operating modes. In one embodiment, the combustor is switched from pilot to staged operation at a thrust level greater than the thrust level at which the combustor is switched from staged to pilot operation. During transitions between operating modes, the changes in fuel flows are limited by a plurality of rate limits to prevent combustor fuel spikes and blow-outs from occurring. During engine starts, the fuel lines to the main combustor are pre-filled to provide responsiveness during the transition from pilot to staged operation.

Starting fuel control system for a staged combustor

Indications of non-recoverable compressor surge and blowout are provided by sensing compressor pressure, temperature and speed and comparing exhaust temperature with stored values and successive values depending upon instantaneous compressor speed and its derivative. Blowout indication is provided in timed intervals that are reset if surge indications are present.

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Rockville, CT, United States of America

John C Szillat