Utilization of a Dual Spool Compressor Test Facility to Aid Development of Turbofan Engines 740823
The development of compression systems for advanced twin-spool turbofan engines became increasingly more difficult as stability, performance, weight, and cost reduction goals were increased. Experience indicated that single-spool compressor component tests did not completely duplicate stability limits determined by flight engine tests. A requirement existed for a component test technique to develop the entire twin-spool compression system in a simulated engine environment, with sufficient operating flexibility to reproduce critical operating points that might be incurred during actual engine operation. The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft dual-spool compressor facility was designed and built to meet this requirement. The dual-spool facility has been employed in the development of several advanced models of the JT9D engine, in the JT10D demonstration engine development program, and in a U.S. Air Force sponsored program (F33615-70-C-1549, sponsored by AFAPL), which employed the TF30 compression system to investigate the nature of dual-spool interactions. Comparison of the JT9D dual-spool test data with engine flight test experience has demonstrated a high degree of correlation. The Air Force program showed that compression system instabilities can be induced in either component and can have a variety of dynamic characteristics, depending upon the operating condition prior to the instability.
This paper describes such a facility as it was conceived and built at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and also summarizes a few of the more important programs to which the facility has been applied.
Citation: Stubner, A. and Canal, E., "Utilization of a Dual Spool Compressor Test Facility to Aid Development of Turbofan Engines," SAE Technical Paper 740823, 1974, https://doi.org/10.4271/740823. Download Citation
Author(s):
A. Walter Stubner, Ellis Canal
Affiliated:
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Div., United Aircraft Corp.
Pages: 12
Event:
Aerospace Engineering and Manufacturing Meeting
ISSN:
0148-7191
e-ISSN:
2688-3627
Related Topics:
Turbofan engines
Flight tests
Test facilities
Compressors
Aircraft
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