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`(19) United States
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`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0257867 A1
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` Aurousseau et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 14, 2010
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`US 20100257867A1
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`(54) MONITORING OF A HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP
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`IN A TURBINE ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY
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`CIRCUIT
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`(86) PCT No.:
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`PCT/FR08/01616
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`(75)
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`Inventors:
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`Christian Aurousseau, Rubelles
`(FR); Jonathan Benitah, Vmcennes
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`(FR); Xavier Flandrois, Cesson
`(FR); Jean-Remi Masse; Saint
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`Cloud (FR); Mickael Sauleddea
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`Versailles (FR); Franck Godel,
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`Chartrettes (FR); Julien Maille;
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`Saint Cheron (FR)
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`Correspondence Address:
`OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND MAIER &
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`NEUSTADT’ L'L'P'
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`1940 DUKE STREET
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`ALEXANDRIA’ VA 22314 (Us)
`.
`.
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`(73) ASSlgnee3
`SNECMA: Pans (FR)
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`(21) Appl. No.:
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`12/742,953
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`(22) PCT Filed:
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`Nov. 18, 2008
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`§ 371 (0)0),
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`May 14, 2010
`(2), (4) Date:
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`Foreign Application Priority Data
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`(30)
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`Nov. 19, 2007
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`(FR) ..................................... .. 0708099
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`Publication Classification
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`(51)
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`Int CL
`(2006.01)
`F02C 7/00
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`(2006.01)
`G01M 15/14
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`(52) US. Cl. .................... .. 60/779; 60/39.09l; 73/112.01
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`(57)
`ABSTRACT
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`A device and method for monitoring a high-pressure pump in
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`a turbomachine fuel supply circuit by detecting opening of a
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`pressurizing and shut-off valve mounted on an outlet side of
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`a fuel flow regulating valve, by measuring rotational speed of
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`the turbomachine corresponding to the opening of the pres-
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`surizing and cut-off valve, and by monitoring change in a
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`value of the rotational speed to propose replacement of the
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`high-pressure pump when the measure value rotational speed
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`reaches a predetermined threshold.
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`UTC-2016.001
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`GE V. UTC
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`Trial IPR2016-01301
`
`UTC-2016.001
`GE v. UTC
`Trial IPR2016-01301
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Oct. 14, 2010
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`US 2010/0257867 Al
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`ON
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`UTC-2016.002
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`UTC-2016.002
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`

`

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`US 2010/0257867 A1
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`Oct. 14, 2010
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`MONITORING OF A HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP
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`IN A TURBINE ENGINE FUEL SUPPLY
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`CIRCUIT
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`[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for
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`monitoring a high-pressure pump in a fuel supply circuit of
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`the injectors of a turbine engine such as a turboj et or a turbo-
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`prop engine.
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`[0002]
`In a turbine engine of this type, the supply circuit of
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`the fuel injectors comprises a combination of a low-pressure
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`pump and a high-pressure gear pump, with the low-pressure
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`pump providing the feed of the high-pressure pump in order
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`to avoid cavitation phenomena, with the high-pressure pump
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`supplying a flow and a fuel pressure which are sufficient to
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`provide the supply ofthe injectors ofthe combustion chamber
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`of the turbine engine, as well as the cooling of the lubrication
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`liquid of the turbine engine and of an IDG (Integrated Drive
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`Generator) system and the controlling of actuators of ele-
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`ments with variable geometry of the turbine engine, (such as
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`in particular guiding vanes with variable setting).
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`[0003] The fuel supplied by the high-pressure pump passes
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`through an FMU (Fuel Metering Unit) which comprises a
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`flow regulating valve connected to a pressurising and shut-off
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`valve, which itself is connected to supply ducts of the injec-
`tors.
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`[0004]
`In the presence ofan electric control for opening, the
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`pressurising and shut-off valve remains closed hydraulically
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`as long as the pres sure ofthe fuel at the outlet ofthe regulating
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`valve does not reach a predetermined value, for example 19
`bars.
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`[0005] The high-pressure gear pump is driven mechani-
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`cally by the turbine engine and its rotational speed is propor-
`tional to that of the turbine engine. The flow and the fuel
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`pressure at the outlet of this pump are determined by the
`rotational speed of the pump. It has been observed that as the
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`pump ages, it was necessary to increase the rotational speed
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`of the pump in order to maintain the flow and pressure of the
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`fuel at predetermined values.
`[0006] This can make it diflicult or impossible to restart the
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`turbine engine in flight when, for any reason whatsoever, the
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`turbine engine has been stopped and must be restarted
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`through the sole effect of the air which flows on the compres-
`sor and turbine blades due to the displacement of the aircraft
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`(an assistance for the starter also able to be adopted at certain
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`points in the area of starting). The high-pressure pump is in
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`this case driven in rotation at a relatively low speed but must
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`however provide a pressure and a flow of fuel that are sufli-
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`cient to cause the hydraulic opening of the pressurising and
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`shut-off valve and in order to provide for proper supply of the
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`injectors of the turbine engine.
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`[0007] The wear and tear ofthe high-pressure pump, which
`results in a progressive decrease of the flow of fuel at the
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`pump outlet for a given rotational speed and a determined
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`pressure, must be monitored so that the pump is replaced
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`before a restarting in flight becomes impossible.
`[0008] Maintenance recommendations call for a replacing
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`of the high-pressure pump around 12,000 hours of operation
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`and do not make it possible to optimise the life cycles ofthese
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`pumps because, on the one hand, the premature wear and tear
`of the pumps cannot be detected and, on the other hand,
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`pumps which are still in good operating condition sometimes
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`need to be replaced.
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`[0009] This invention has for purpose to provide a simple,
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`effective and economical solution to this problem.
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`[0010]
`It proposes a device for monitoring a high-pressure
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`pump in a fuel supply circuit of a turbine engine, this circuit
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`comprising a pressurising and shut-off valve which is regu-
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`lated at a predetermined pressure threshold and which is
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`mounted between a fuel flow regulating valve and a supply
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`duct of the injectors, and means for measuring the rotational
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`speed of the turbine engine, characterised in that it comprises
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`means for detecting the opening of the pressurising and shut-
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`off valve, means for recording the measured value of the
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`rotational speed of the turbine engine at the opening of the
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`pressurising and shut-offvalve, and means for comparing this
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`value with a predetermined threshold, in order to propose the
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`replacement of the high-pressure pump when the recorded
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`value of the rotational speed reaches the predetermined
`threshold. These means are available in the FADEC (Full
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`Authority Digital Engine Control) of the engine.
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`[0011] As the pressurising and shut-off valve of the fuel
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`supply circuit is in general already provided with a means for
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`detecting its opening, the device for monitoring according to
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`the invention uses primarily components that are already
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`installed on the turbine engine and is therefore particularly
`economical.
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`[0012] Moreover, it makes it possible to monitor with pre-
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`cision the change in the rotational speed at the time of the
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`opening of the pressurising and shut-off valve, with this
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`change being representative of the wear and tear of the high-
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`pressure pump of the fuel supply circuit, in order to report the
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`necessity of replacing the high-pressure pump when the rota-
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`tional speed detected reaches a predetermined threshold,
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`beyond which the restarting in flight of the turbine engine
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`would become difficult or impossible.
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`[0013] Advantageously, the opening ofthe pres surising and
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`shut-off valve is detected and the value of the corresponding
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`rotational speed is recorded during each ofthe starting phases
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`of the turbine engine.
`[0014] According to another characteristic ofthe invention,
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`this device further comprises means for measuring the tem-
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`perature of the fuel and means for correcting the recorded
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`value of the rotational speed according to the difference
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`between the measured temperature and a predetermined tem-
`perature.
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`[0015] This makes it possible to take into account the fuel
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`density variations, which result from the temperature varia-
`tions of the fuel, in order to correct the recorded values of the
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`rotational speed and as such make the comparisons with the
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`predetermined threshold in conditions corresponding to a
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`substantially constant temperature.
`[0016] The invention further proposes a method for moni-
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`toring a high-pressure pump in a turbine engine fuel supply
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`circuit, this circuit comprising a pressurising and shut-off
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`valve mounted between a fuel metering valve and a supply
`duct ofthe injectors, characterised in that it consists in detect-
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`ing the opening of the pressurising and shut-off valve, in
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`recording the value of the rotational speed of the turbine
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`engine corresponding to this opening, in comparing this value
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`with a predetermined threshold and in proposing the replace-
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`ment of the high-pressure pump when the recorded value of
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`the rotational speed reaches the predetermined threshold.
`[0017] According to other characteristics of the invention,
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`this method further consists in measuring the temperature of
`the fuel at the outlet ofthe pres suri sing and shut-offvalve and
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`in correcting the recorded value of the rotational speed
`UTC-2016.003
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`UTC-2016.003
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`

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`US 2010/0257867 A1
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`Oct. 14, 2010
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`according to the difference between the measured tempera-
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`ture and a predetermined temperature value, and in determin-
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`ing the comparison threshold of the recorded value of the
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`rotational speed in such a way as to provide for the restarting
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`in flight ofthe turbine engine throughout the entire service life
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`of the high-pressure pump.
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`[0018] The invention further proposes a turbine engine,
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`such as a turbojet or a turboprop engine, characterised in that
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`it comprises a device for monitoring the high-pressure pump
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`in a fuel supply circuit, of the type defined hereinabove.
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`[0019] Generally, the invention makes it possible to opti-
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`mise the operation of the high-pressure pumps in turbine
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`engine fuel supply circuits, and also makes it possible to
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`render reliable the automatic overspeed test of the turbine
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`engines.
`[0020] The invention will be better understood and other
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`characteristics, details and advantages of the latter shall
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`appear more clearly when reading the following description,
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`provided by way of example in reference to the annexed
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`drawing, which diagrammatically shows a fuel supply circuit
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`of the injectors of a turbine engine.
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`[0021] The fuel supply circuit shown diagrammatically in
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`the drawing substantially comprises a fuel tank 10 to which is
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`connected the inlet of a low-pressure pump 12 of which the
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`outlet supplies a high-pressure gear pump 14 by the interme-
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`diary ofheat exchangers 16 and filters 17, the heat exchangers
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`serving in particular for the cooling ofthe lubrication liquid of
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`the turbine engine and for an IDG (Integrated Drive Genera-
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`tor) system.
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`[0022] The outlet of the high-pressure pump 14 supplies a
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`flow regulating valve 18 (FMV or Fuel Metering Valve)
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`which makes it possible to dose the quantity of fuel sent to the
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`injectors 20 of the turbine engine according to the operating
`conditions.
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`[0023] The difference in pres sure between the inlet and the
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`outlet of the pump 14 is also used to control a set 22 of
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`auxiliary equipment with variable geometry, comprising in
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`particular actuators of guiding vanes with variable setting.
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`[0024] The excess fuel pumped is returned upstream of the
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`high-pressure pump 14 by the intermediary ofa by-pass valve
`19.
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`[0025] A pressurising and shut-off valve 24 is mounted
`between the outlet of the flow regulating valve 18 and a
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`supply duct 26 of the injectors 20, with this valve 24 being
`sensitive to the pressure ofthe fuel at the outlet ofthe valve 18
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`and prohibiting the supply of the fuel of the injectors 20 as
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`long as this pressure does not reach a certain value, i.e. as long
`as the pressurising ofthe fuel is less than a determined thresh-
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`old, this pressurising corresponding to the difference in pres-
`sure between the outlet and the inlet ofthe pump 14 and being
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`for example 19 bars.
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`[0026] The pressurising and shut-off valve 24 is provided
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`with a detector of opening 28 and with two electro-hydraulic
`control members 29 and 31, of the servovalve or solenoid
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`type, of which one is excited by the means for processing 32
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`and the other by an overspeed system 33. These control mem-
`bers 29 and 31 are effective only if the pressure is suflicient.
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`[0027] A temperature sensor 30 is mounted on the line 26
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`supplying the injectors 20.
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`[0028] The signals provided by the detectors 28 and 30 are
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`applied to means for processing 32, which also receive the
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`outlet signal ofa detector 34 measuring the rotational speed of
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`the turbine engine.
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`[0029]
`In the means for processing 32, the signal of opening
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`ofthe pressurising and shut-offvalve 24, which is supplied by
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`the detector 28, controls the recording of the value of the
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`rotational speed supplied by the detector 34, and of the value
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`ofthe temperature ofthe fuel, supplied by the detector 3 0. The
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`recorded values of the rotational speed are compared to a
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`predetermined threshold value, beyond which it would be
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`diflicult to restart the turbine engine in flight and which cor-
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`responds to maximum admissible wear and tear of the high-
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`pressure pump 14. When this threshold value is reached by
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`the rotational speed, a signal 36 is generated by the means for
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`processing 32 in order to report the necessity of replacing the
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`high-pressure pump 14.
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`[0030] Measuring the temperature of the fuel in the line 26
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`makes it possible to take into account the variations in the
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`density of the fuel which result from the temperature varia-
`tions and which have an influence on the flow of the high-
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`pressure pump 14. The variations detected in the temperature
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`of the fuel make it possible to correct the measured values of
`the rotational speed and therefore to return in the case ofa fuel
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`supply to a substantially constant temperature.
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`[0031] The opening of the pressurising and shut-off valve
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`occurs during each starting phase ofthe turbine engine. Moni-
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`toring of the high-pressure pump 14 can therefore be carried
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`out at each starting ofthe turbine engine and makes it possible
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`to regularly follow the wear and tear of the high-pressure
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`pump 14,
`in order to propose its replacement when this
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`becomes necessary.
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`[0032] The invention further makes it possible to render
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`reliable the overspeed test ofthe turbine engine by associating
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`this test in an original and automatic manner to the starting
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`and monitoring phase of the high-pressure pump.
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`[0033] An example of test logic is described hereinafter,
`with many alternatives able to be derived.
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`[0034] When the engine is started, to a few speed percents,
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`an electric order is generated by the means for processing 32
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`on the electro-hydraulic control 29 of the pressurising and
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`shut-offvalve 24. The hydraulic circuit does not open because
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`the speed is below the opening threshold of the pressurising
`and shut-off valve 24.
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`[0035] The speed increases due to the fact of the action of
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`the starter and when the opening threshold (acquired by the
`detector 28) is reached, the means for processing 32 record
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`the value of the rotational speed which makes it possible to
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`issue a judgement on the condition ofthe high—pressure pump
`14.
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`[0036] The means for processing 32 thus provide a signal to
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`the overspeed system 33 which triggers its test, i.e. the control
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`of the closing of the pressurising and shut-off valve 24 by the
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`intermediary of the electro-hydraulic control 31.
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`[0037] The means for processing 32 check by the interme-
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`diary of the detector of opening 28 that the overspeed system
`33 has been effective and issues an end of test order to the
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`overspeed system 33 so that the latter controls the closing of
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`its electro-hydraulic member 31. Simultaneously, the means
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`32 issue a closing order to the electro-hydraulic control 29.
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`The pressurising and shut-off valve 24 closes.
`[0038] The rotation of the engine driven by the starter con-
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`tinues and, at the optimal starting speed, the means for pro-
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`cessing 32 issue an opening order to the pressurising and
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`shut-off valve 24 by the intermediary of the electro-hydraulic
`control 29 and send a command to the ignition exciter box
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`which will energise the sparking plug(s) of the engine.
`UTC-2016.004
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`UTC-2016.004
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`US 2010/0257867 A1
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`3
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`Oct. 14, 2010
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`1-9. (canceled)
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`10. A device for monitoring a high-pressure pump in a
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`turbine engine fuel supply circuit, the circuit including a
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`pressurizing and shut-off valve that is regulated at a predeter-
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`mined pressure threshold and that is mounted between a fuel
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`flow regulating valve and a supply duct of the injectors, and
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`means for measuring rotational speed of the turbine engine,
`the device comprising:
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`means for detecnng an Opemng Of the pressunzmg and
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`Shut'Off Valve;
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`means for recording a measured value of the rotational
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`Speed Of the turbine engine at Opening 0f the PreSSUIiZ-
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`ing and shut-off valve; and
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`means for comparing the measured value with a predeter-
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`mined threshold, to propose replacement of the high-
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`pressure pump when the recorded value ofthe rotational
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`speed reaches the predetermined threshold.
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`11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the compari-
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`son threshold is determined so that a restarting in flight ofthe
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`turbine engine is provided throughout an entire service life of
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`the high_pressure pump.
`12. A device according to claim 10, further comprising:
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`means for measuring a temperature of fuel at an outlet of
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`the Pressunzmg and Shut—Off valve; and
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`means for correcting the recorded value of the rotational
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`Speed accordlng to a dlfferegce between the measured
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`temperature and a Predetermmed temperature
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`13. A turbine engine, or a turbojet or a turboprop engine,
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`comprising a device for monitoring the high-pressure pump
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`according to claim 10.
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`14. A method for monitoring a high-pressure pump in a
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`turbine engine fuel supply CirCUits Comprismg:
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`detecmlg Opening Ofa Pressm‘iZing and Slum-Off ValVeQ
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`recordmg a Value Of mtauonal Speed 9fthe turbme engme
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`corre§P0ndmg to the. deteCted Openmg
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`compafmg the value Wlth a predétermmed threShOId; and
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`proposmg replacement of the high—pressure pump When
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`the recorded value of the rotational speed reaches the
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`predetermined threshold.
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`15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:
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`detecting the opening of the pressurizing and shut-off
`valve; and
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`recording the value of the corresponding rotational speed
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`during each of starting phases of the turbine engine.
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`16~ A methed according to Claim 14: further comprismg:
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`measuring a temperature of fuel at an outlet of the pressur-
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`iZing and Slum-Off ValVe; and
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`correcting the recorded value of the rotational speed
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`accordmg to a dlfference between the measured “3111'
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`peramre Of the fuel and a predetermmed temperature
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`Value'
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`17. A method according to claim 14, further comprismg:
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`determlmng a.companson.thre5h01d Ofthe recorded value
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`of the rotational speed in such a way as to prov1de for
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`restarting in flight of the turbine engine tbroughout an
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`entire service life of the high-pressure pump.
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`13. A method according to Claim 15, further comprising:
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`carrying out a test of an overspeed system during starting
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`phase of the turbine engine and after detection of the
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`opening of the pressurizing and shut-off valve.
`*
`>x<
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`*
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`*
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`UTC-2016.005
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`UTC-2016.005
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