High accuracy fuel system

Abstract

A fuel device including a housing having at least one fuel channel configured to direct, meter, sense or pump fuel there through, and a characterization device coupled to the housing including a memory chip, wherein the memory chip includes measured performance data of the fuel channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fuel device comprising:
 a housing including at least one fuel channel configured to direct, meter, sense or pump fuel there through; and   a characterization device coupled to the housing including a memory chip, wherein the memory chip includes measured performance data of the at least one fuel channel.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuel channel includes a metering valve. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fuel channel includes a pressure regulating valve. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel device of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel device is a fuel metering unit, a fuel pump a flow divider valve, or a densimeter. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel device of  1 , wherein the characterization device includes a communication device configured to pass measured performance data to an electronic engine controller. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel device of  claim 1 , wherein the measured performance data includes a plurality of fuel pressure, fuel density, fuel temperature conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel device of  claim 1 , wherein the measured performance data includes fuel leakage rates from the fuel device housing. 
     
     
         8 . A fuel system comprising:
 at least one fuel device configured to direct, meter, or pump fuel including a fuel characterization device configured to store measured performance data of the fuel device and communicate the measured performance data to an electronic engine controller; and   an electronic engine controller coupled to the at least one fuel device configured to control the at least one fuel device.   
     
     
         9 . The fuel system of  claim 8 , wherein in the characterization device is in wireless communication with the electronic engine controller. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel system of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless communication includes a quick response code. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel system of  claim 8 , wherein the characterization device is physically coupled to the electronic engine controller. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fuel device includes a fuel pump, a fuel metering unit, a flow divider valve, or a densimeter. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one device includes at least one of a fuel pump, a fuel metering unit, a flow divider valve, and a densimeter wherein each one includes a fuel characterization device. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic engine controller is part of a gas turbine engine control. 
     
     
         15 . A method of metering fuel by a fuel system comprising the steps of:
 measuring mass fuel flow data through at least a first fuel device based a metering area or orifice area, a pressure drop across the orifice or metering area, and a specific gravity of fuel;   storing the mass fuel flow data of the fuel device on a memory device within a characterization device corresponding to the fuel device;   installing the fuel device and characterization device within a fuel system;   identifying the fuel device to an electronic engine controller;   transferring fuel device performance data to the electronic engine controller; and   metering flow through the fuel device by the electronic engine controller based on the stored mass fuel flow data.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein measuring mass fuel flow data includes a plurality of metering areas, fuel temperatures, and fuel densities. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further aggregating characterization data from multiple fuel devices. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising replacing at least one fuel device with a second fuel device;
 identifying the second fuel device to an electronic engine controller;   transferring fuel device performance data of the second fuel device to the electronic engine controller; and   metering flow through the second fuel device by the electronic engine controller based on the stored mass fuel flow data.