Patent attributes
A fuel heating system for a gas turbine engine comprises a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a fuel pump and a valve. The first heat exchanger produces a heated air flow. The second heat exchanger receives the heated air flow from the first heat exchanger. The fuel pump provides a fuel flow. The valve is coupled to the fuel pump to intermittently include the second heat exchanger in the fuel flow based on a temperature of the fuel flow. A method of heating fuel in a gas turbine engine comprises providing fuel to a gas turbine engine with a fuel pump to sustain a combustion process, heating a flow of air with exhaust gas from the combustion process, and heating fuel from the fuel pump en route to the gas turbine engine with the flow of air based on a temperature of the fuel.
