W-7 - High Speed Multistage Compressor Facility

W-7 Facility Description
W-7 is currently configured as the High Speed Multistage Compressor Facility in support of testing experimental compressors and fans.

The facility components to support this testing include a 15,000 hp synchronous drive motor capable of operation between 300 and 3,600 rpm and a 5.21:1 ratio gearbox resulting in a maximum compressor shaft speed of 18,756 rpm.

Inlet air for a test package can be supplied by several means. Atmospheric air can be drawn from the roof of the facility or pressurize air can be supplied from either the combustion air supply system (25 psig @ 90 lbm/s - nominally ambient temperature) or the refrigerated air system (10 psig @ 76 lbm/s - down to approx. 0 oF). After introduction to the cell inlet piping, the air passes through an orifice flow meter, coarse and fine metering valves, and the plenum tank for flow conditioning prior to entering the test article.

Air is exhausted through a collector and discharged either to an atmospheric vent or to a low vacuum blower (approx. 13 psia) or to the centralized altitude exhaust (approx. 2 psia vacuum) system. Maximum altitude exhaust flow is 100 lbm/s. Vacuum connections are available for boundary layer bleed independent of compressor flow control.

Typical test article data acquisition capabilities existing in the test cell include total and static pressure measurements via an multiplexed pressure transducer system and temperature measurements via thermocouples. Other data acquisition techniques are available on a test specific basis, such as; hot wire anemometry and laser data techniques. Data is displayed and recorded on a central ESCORT data collection system and/or local data acquisition system depending on the sensor device.