Hydraulic fuel pump apparatus for a fuel delivery chassis, suitable for refueling aircraft, and related devices, systems and methods

• Main Authors: DeLine, Jonathan Edmund, Darrow, Clifford Glenn
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.09.2019
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; BLASTING; CONTROLLING; COSMONAUTICS; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING ORREPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLYADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFTCOMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINES DRIVEN BY LIQUIDS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; PUMPS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

Embodiments include a modular fuel pump apparatus for an aircraft refueling chassis and related devices, systems and methods. In one exemplary embodiment, a pump module includes a hydraulic motor driven by a hydraulic pump connected to a chassis motor. A chassis engine is operated at a substantially constant RPM, which causes the hydraulic pump to output hydraulic fluid to the pump module at a substantially constant hydraulic pressure. The speed of the hydraulic motor can be varied by a proportional flow control valve disposed between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor, thereby varying the speed of the fuel pump and the flow rate of the fuel. A controller is configured to operate the pressure control valve such that the flow of the fuel is maintained at a predetermined flow rate.