Flow Divider Explained

Liquid Fuel System Schematic

AA
A 4

B
3

Referencing the schematic above (MLI 0424):

Liquid fuel is supplied from the off-base system (AA). This liquid fuel flows through filters and then to a
pump (A) driven off the accessory gearbox. There is an electric clutch (solenoid: 20CF-1) that connects
the pump to the gearbox drive. This pump only runs when the turbine is running on liquid fuel by
energizing / de-energizing the solenoid. The liquid fuel that is pumped is then delivered to the bypass
(1). The flow at this point will go toward B and toward 2 as determined by the position of the liquid fuel
bypass valve (LFBV). If the LFBV is open the flow will preferentially go toward LFBV as there is no
resistance to that flow. That re-directed (bypass) flow is sent back to the inlet of the pump in a re-circ
type of arrangement. By changing the position of that LFBV (i.e. opening it) there is less flow available to
go towards B (the green arrow). B is the flow divider and the path toward the turbine combustors. So, in
this manner of changing the LFBV position the control system directs more or less flow to the turbine to
control speed / load. BUT it is important to understand it is an inverse relationship for that flow (unlike
gas fuel). If we want the turbine to increase operation, we need more fuel. On gas fuel the control valves
must, therefore move more open; on liquid fuel the LFBV must move less open. The take away from this
part of the explanation is that the control of flow to the turbine is independent of the flow divider.

So, the question is then the purpose of the flow divider:

The flow that is going to the flow divider (green arrow) is the total fuel flow required to operate the
turbine. The flow divider is a spinning disk that breaks the stream of liquid into equal portions, directing
each portion into a flow tube that is connected to a specific combustor. That is its main purpose;
dividing flow into equal portions for the combustors. Note that 4 on the schematic above identifies
multiple flow lines; those are the flow lines to the combustor.
The flow divider (B) has three speed pickups (sensors): 77FD-1,-2,-3. These sensors provide feedback to
the control system for that liquid fuel flow. The disk spins faster with increased flow, slower for reduced
flow. Monitoring that speed provides feedback to the controls for liquid fuel flow needs.

The movement of the flow divider is completely the result of the pump energy input to the fluid. There
is no motor in the flow divider. It is only the splitting of flow volume between LFBV and flow divider that
changes that driving energy for the flow divider.

After the flow divider (3) is a selector valve assembly. A manifold really. It consists of a manual selector
handle and a pressure gauge in the manifold block. Changing the handle position taps the gauge into
an individual flow line so pressure can be manually evaluated for flow condition. Basically, all lines
should have about the same pressure for any given load condition. If one line is higher than the others it
likely means that line is restricted or plugged. If a line has lower pressure then there is likely a leak or
damage fuel nozzle on that line. It is a means of manually evaluating liquid fuel status in times of
troubleshooting. I keep emphasizing manual as it is just that, the control system has no view of this
operational parameter.

When does the flow divider start? It starts when the liquid fuel flows. That happens when the unit is
operating on liquid fuel and the turbine is ready to light off. If the flow divider is turning, liquid fuel is
going to the combustors so we would not want fuel going to the combustor that is not going to be
ignited. At the end of the purge on startup there is an ignition period of 30 seconds where the igniters
are energized. That is when the flow divider will spin up. On a fuel transfer to liquid fuel from gas fuel
the selection of liquid fuel (manual or automatic) will effect the same operational event (minus igniters
since flame is already present).