H

J et Engine Testing
Application Note 1270-10
Applications
Commerci al Jet Engi nes
Busi ness Jet Engi nes
Mi l i tary Jet Engi nes
Auxi l i ary Power Uni ts
Departments
Research and Devel opment
Engi ne Test Consul tants
Description
A jet engine is a complex machine,
capabl e of produci ng thousands
of pounds of thrust at al ti tudes
from sea l evel to 50,000 feet.
Some engi nes are desi gned for
maxi mum thrust and response
whi l e others are desi gned for
fuel economy. Many physi cal
parameters must be measured
to opti mi ze engi ne desi gn.
Problem
Many engi ne parameters must
be measured at rel ati vel y hi gh
speeds to accuratel y characteri ze
engi ne performance.
Solution
Usi ng a Hewl ett Packard VXI
Computer Control l ed Data
Acqui si ti on System, vari ous
engi ne operati on parameters
can be measured and correl ated
to anal yze a new engi ne desi gn.
The data acqui si ti on system i s
used to perform swi tchi ng
functi ons between i nstruments
and measurements. Counters,
osci l l oscopes, and spectrum
anal yzers are al so used to
complete the analysis. The results
of these measurements can be
di spl ayed i n real ti me dependi ng
on the i mpl ementati on of the
software. Test programs can be
made to pl ot di fferent parameters
against each other. With computer
tabul ated resul ts, i t i s possi bl e
to detect desi gn fl aws and
i mprove thrust or fuel economy
on the engi nes.
Implementation
Temperature
Thermocoupl es wi th si gnal
condi ti oni ng are often used
to moni tor temperatures at
vari ous, poi nts i nsi de and
outsi de the engi ne. Si nce thrust
i s fundamental l y dependent
on temperature di fferenti al s,
engi ne temperatures are used
to measure the effecti veness
of engi ne desi gn.
Instrumentation: Integrating DVM,
Relay Multiplexer
with Thermocouple
Compensation
1995 Hewlett-Packard Company
Printed in USA 6/95
5964-0156E
H
Air Pressure
The effi ci ency of the jet engi ne
i s, i n part, determi ned by ai r
pressures at vari ous stages i nsi de
the engi ne. Engi ne pressure
rati o (EPR) i s a parameter
used i n engi ne effi ci ency thrust
cal cul ati ons. Transducers
measure pressure at poi nts i n
the i ntake, compressor and
turbi nes. Transducer output i s
usual l y a 4-20 mA current l oop.
Instrumentation: Integrating DVM,
Relay Multiplexer
Fuel Flow
Fuel effi ci ency i s cal cul ated by
measuri ng fuel fl ow. Fl ow trans-
ducers can output ei ther a set of
pul ses, a vol tage (0-10 Vdc) or a
current (4-20 mA) that can be
acqui red by the system. For
hi gh-speed measurements, the
transducers output vol tages are
scanned by FET mul ti pl exers,
acqui red by hi gh-speed DVMs
and stored on a computer di sc.
Instrumentation: Counter, High-Speed
DVM, FET Multiplexer
Vibration
At hi gh speeds, smal l vi brati ons
can cause a turbi ne engi ne to
sel f-destruct. Di gi tal si gnal
anal yzers (spectrum anal yzers)
are used to measure the vi brati on
signature of rotating engine parts.
Real -ti me FFTs al l ow the user
to i nstantl y see the vi brati on
signatures produced by the engine
whi l e under test.
Instrumentation: Spectrum Analyzer
Emissions
Carbon monoxi de, carbon
di oxi de, smoke and vari ous
other gases are byproducts of
the engi ne combusti on process.
The concentrati on of these gases
are measured usi ng transducers.
These transducers output millivolt
si gnal s that can be sensed,
l i neari zed and correl ated wi th
other engi ne test parameters
by the data acqui si ti on system.
Envi ronmental regul ati ons
conti nue to i ncrease the i mpor-
tance of these measurements.
Instrumentation: Integrating DVM,
FET Multiplexer
Speed
The rotati onal speed of the jet
turbi ne i s another parameter
moni tored i n an engi ne test.
Speed transducers usual l y
output pul ses wi th a frequency
proporti onal to the speed of
rotati on. A counter i s used to
measure the frequency. Speeds
of up to 30,000 rpm are easi l y
handl ed i n thi s manner.
Instrumentation: Counter
Throttle Control
The throttl e i s a mechani cal
devi ce that gradual l y i ncreases
the fuel fl ow to i ncrease turbi ne
speed and ul ti matel y, thrust. To
move the throttl e i n a measurabl e
pattern, stepper motors are used
to preci sel y posi ti on the throttl e.
Instrumentation: Stepper Motor
Controller
Key System Features
Thermocouple Linearization
Emission Transducer Linearization
Switching of Transducer Signals
between Instruments
Typical System
Configuration
Data Acquisition System Qty
13Slot Mainframe 1-3
High-Speed DVM 2-5
FET Multiplexer Channel 60-300
Integrating DVM 1-5
Relay Multiplexer Channels 40-200
Counter Channels 5-50
Stepper Motor Controller 1-5
Computer/Software
HP Series 700Computer Workstation
VXI MXI Module
Keyboard, Monitor and Mouse
Disc Drive, Printer and Plotter
MXI Interface
Software - HP-UX and C Language
Development Environment
Other Equipment
SpectrumAnalyzer