Integral heater for fuel conveying member

Abstract

A fuel conveying member for an engine, the fuel conveying member having heating means integrated therein to permit pyrolysis of carbonaceous deposits.

1 . A fuel conveying member in a gas turbine engine comprising a heating device disposed within said fuel conveying member, said heating device being operable to heat said fuel flow passage to a temperature sufficiently high to permit pyrolysis of carbonaceous deposits in the fuel conveying member.  
   
   
       2 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fuel conveying member includes at least one of a fuel manifold and a fuel nozzle.  
   
   
       3 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said heating device is integrally disposed within said fuel conveying member.  
   
   
       4 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said heating device is a heating element disposed within at least one of said wall portions.  
   
   
       5 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said heating element is disposed in a heat conducting capsule embedded in said wall portion, said heat conducting capsule allowing substantially uniform heat distribution throughout said fuel conveying member.  
   
   
       6 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said heat conducting capsule comprises a soft metallic material.  
   
   
       7 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said heating device includes at least one electrically conducting filament embedded within at least one wall portion of said fuel conveying member.  
   
   
       8 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 7 , said heating device further comprising an electrical terminal accessible from outside of said fuel conveying member, said electrical terminal being in electrical communication with said electrically conducting filament and adapted to be interconnected with an electrical power supply.  
   
   
       9 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said fuel conveying member comprises an annular fuel manifold, said fuel flow passage being annular and defined principally within said annular fuel manifold.  
   
   
       10 . The fuel conveying member as defined in  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of fuel nozzles extend from said annular fuel manifold, said fuel nozzles being in fluid flow communication with said fuel flow passage.  
   
   
       11 . A method of cleaning a fuel conveying member in situ within a gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of: heating at least said fuel flow passage of said fuel conveying member by activating a heating device disposed within said fuel conveying member to pyrolyze carbonaceous deposits within at least one fuel flow passage extending through the fuel conveying member; and removing the pyrolyzed deposits.  
   
   
       12 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said step of activating includes connecting said heating device to an external supply and activating said external supply.  
   
   
       13 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the step of removing comprises directing a flow of air through said fuel flow passage while heating at least said fuel flow passage.  
   
   
       14 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the air is directed through a fuel inlet of the fuel conveying member.  
   
   
       15 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of enriching said flow of air with oxygen prior to the step of directing.  
   
   
       16 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising actuating said heating device from outside of said gas turbine engine.  
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising performing said heating with said gas turbine engine in place on an aircraft.  
   
   
       18 . A gas turbine engine including a compressor, a combustor and a turbine, comprising: a fuel manifold; and heating means disposed within said fuel manifold for heating said fuel flow passage to a pyrolysis temperature of carbonaceous deposits in said fuel flow passage.  
   
   
       19 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 18 , further comprising deposit removal means for removing the pyrolyzed carbonaceous deposits from the fuel manifold.