CE-18 Facility Description
This facility provides the capability for investigating the performance of advanced single- and multistage axial and centrifugal compressors, and various stage combinations over a wide range of speed, power, and mass flow. The facility consists of a 6000-hp motor/gearbox which drives a research compressor at speeds up to 60 000 rpm achieving overall pressure ratios up to 30:1. The compressor can draw air from either an atmospheric intake, a 40-psig pressure source, or 10-psig refrigerated air system. Air enters the inlet plenum tank, passes through the compressor, and discharges through a throttle valve and cooling water spray before it enters the altitude or atmospheric exhaust system. The rig can accommodate compressors up to 20 in. in diameter. This facility is used to test compressors for gas turbine engines at conditions similar to those found in normal use as well as advanced concepts.

CE-18 Special Features
A distributed data acquisition system provides on-line and post-run processing; ESCORT-D handles up to 576 channels of analog inputs both steady state and discrete from an ESP system. Two 14-channel magnetic tape recorders are used for dynamic data and the LDV system measures flow path behavior.