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Compressor Test


What is a compressor test?

  • Test compressor component for aircraft engines or industrial gas turbines as part of a development programme
  • Establish complete compressor map and operating characteristics of a compressor, including determination of the operating limits (surge line, choke line)
  • High resolution measurement technology used to identify stage-by-stage performance
  • Provide first data in a development programme for mechanical integrity of compressor blading
  • Establish and optimise bleed and VGV schedules
  • Provide data base for improvement of the numerical algorithm


Keyfacts

  • Electric drive system providing up to 18,000 kW (24,000 HP)
  • 11 controllable pipe measuring sections for bleed air extraction
  • Control of up to 5 (extendable to 7) variable guide vane stages driven by hydraulic jacks
  • Versatile rig oil system for roller/ball or journal bearings
  • Secondary air supply system, e.g. for buffer seal air or instrumentation cooling
  • Versatile and programmable compressor & facility control system with built-in safety concept
  • Various gear sets, speeds of up to 15,200 RPM
  • Split flow test facility with maximum mass flow of 200 kg/s at the inlet, 150 kg/s at the bypass and 65 kg/s at the core
  • Reduction of inlet pressure down to 0.2 bar
  • Maximum compressor outlet conditions of T=460 °C and P=11.0 bar in the bypass section (or as single flow)
  • Axial thrust piston to compensate maximum axial force of 80 kN
  • Various gear sets, speeds of up to 24.000 RPM
  • Primary single flow test facility with maximum mass flow of 50 kg/s (extension to split flow possible)
  • Reduction of inlet pressure down to 0.2 bar
  • Maximum compressor outlet conditions of T=640 °C and P=21.4 bar
  • Inlet air can be heated up by up to 100 °C above ambient

Measurement system capabilities

  • Ambient pressure, temperature and relative humidity at the facility inlet
  • Pressure in the inlet Venturi
  • Temperature at several points in the test facilities including the anechoic chamber
  • Mass flow in the inlet Venturi/ flare (HP, IP and Anechoic), in the bleed lines (HP and IP) and in the core exhaust lines in the IP and Anechoic testbed
  • Speed and torque at the drive shaft
  • Compressor thrust compensation force of the balance piston (part of the torquemeter) – IP and Anechoic testbeds only
  • Oil and air supply parameter for the compressor bearings
  • Valve positions
  • Health & safety measurements on all systems (vibrations, temperatures, pressures,etc.)
  • Pressure:
    - 1418 HP & IP test facility
    - 1184 Noise test facility
     
  • Temperature:
    - 480 thermocouple (type E, J,K,N,T) HP & IP facility
    - 300 thermocouple (type E, J,K,N,T) Noise test facility
    - 32 RTD channels
  • Analogue voltages: >150
  • Frequency inputs: 16
  • Vibration channels:
    - 20 HP & IP test facility
    - 26 Noise test facility
  • DC strain: 8
  • Various:
    - Tip timing on Noise test facility
    - Tip clearance measurement on HP & IP test facilty
  • 384 channels @ 250 kHz maximum sampling rate (configurable), fully synchronized
  • Used for high frequency inputs, e.g.
    - vibration measurements (strain gauges)
    - noise measurements
    - fast pressure transducers
  • Real-time monitoring and limit checking of all input channels at a time
  • Monitoring of up to 32 modal limits per channel
  • Real-time displays, including Campbell, Z-Mod, Oscilloscopes, FFT