AUGUST l 8 , 1938.

FLIGHT.
PRESSURE END

157

TESTING COOLERS
and

HEATERS
LTHOUCxH a fairly limited n u m b e r of engine t y p e s power ^ military a n d civil machines, almost every designer h a s his own ideas as t o t h e position a n d shape of radiator to be used, w h e t h e r for oil, coolant, or a c o m b i n a t i o n of both. Again, the operational speed a n d height WATER of the aircraft h a v e a big influence on OUTLET radiator design. I t is a p p a r e n t , for these reasons alone, t h a t every new aircraft means a new problem for t h e manufacturer of t h e radiator or radiators. Much t h e same m a y b e said of cabin h e a t e r design, t h o u g h in this case for t h e reasons t h a t cabins v a r y so m u c h in size, t h a t t h e y are designed in t h e first place for either comfort or utility, t h a t a n engine in t h e nose generally gives a w a r m e r cockpit t h a n engines in t h e wings a n d finally t h a t operational a l t i t u d e s a n d , therefore, outside temperatures v a r y considerably. ^So far it has been a l m o s t impossible t o design a n d fit successful h e a t i n g or cooling e q u i p m e n t t o a new aircraft solely from figures given b y t h e manufacturer, and m a n y hours are generally spent in flight testing. Conversely a new design of r a d i a t o r m u s t b e extensively tested under flight conditions. All these considerations led t h e firm of Gallay, L t d . , makers of r a d i a t o r s a n d heaters for all t y p e s of aircraft, to devise a wind-tunnel t e s t i n g p l a n t for their products which would enable a good deal of t h e development a n d

For very accurate tests such as those for heat transference the suction side of the tunnel is used. test work t o be completed in the works, t h u s saving b o t h time a n d money. A large blower giving a m a x i m u m wind speed of 150 m . p . h . is used for testing radiators and heaters. F o r very accurate work t h e suction end of t h e t u n n e l is used, where t h e air flow is smoother. U n d e r this heading come heat-transference tests for new r a d i a t o r blocks or oil coolers, or pressure-drop tests through radiator elements. A hot-water circulation used in conjunction with the h e a t transference tests is capable of producing 8,000 B . T . U . / m i n . T h e m a x i m u m flow, which is automatically maintained constant, is 50 gal. / m i n . A similar system for oil coolers circulates 800 g a l . / h r . a n d produces 1,800 B.T.U./min. E x p e r i m e n t s reach a considerable degree of accuracy. T e m p e r a t u r e s are measured t o 0.2 deg. C , while air volumes a n d speeds in t h e t u n n e l are measured by a venturi, giving a b o u t 15 times greater pressure difference t h a n a p i t o t t u b e . T h e difference of air speed t h r o u g h t h e cross section of t h e t u n n e l has been shown n o t t o exceed 2 per cent. An inclined water gauge, used in conjunction with t h e venturi, permits differences of pressure in the tunnel of a few h u n d r e d t h s of an inch, to be observed. T h e testing of cabin heaters necessitates the use of two fans, the larger for air supply to the heater a n d t h e

CONDENSE!? & HEADER TANK

A layout for testing a cabin heater and its units. The boiler is designed to fit round a large exhaust pipe, but a controlled and measured coal gas flame is used to reproduce exhaust heat for the *rst.