TABLE OF CONTENTS Typically the detailed design and development program for an engine takes 3-7 years from inception to service entry. Designing "right first time is not practical for such a high technology product. Development comprises individual component tests followed by hundreds of hours of engine testing, based on which many design modifications are introduced. The resulting production engine standard will then comply as closely as possible with the original specification.
After service entry, production acceptance or production pass off testing of each individual production engine is common practice, ensuring that it meets key acceptance criteria. This test is the final check on component manufacture and engine build quality prior to delivery to the customer.
This section outlines various types of engine test, and provides details of test beds, instrumentation, and analysis methods. Engineers from all disciplines involved in engine development or production acceptance must understand the fundamentals of performance testing technology, as it is central to both processes.
This section describes the configuration of engine test beds, and provides design to guidelines to ensure that:
Engine inlet flow is uniform. Any distortion will affect compressor performance and will give an erroneous mass flow measurement. At worst, vortices may be shed from the floor or walls causing high cycle fatigue failure of compressor blades.
There is no reingestion of hot exhaust gas. Should this occur the resulting distorted inlet temperature profile will again affect...
