Static Test Stand for Testing Exhaust Systems Which Mix Hot and Cold Flow

  Exhaust Nozzle Testing

 Pressurized Inlet Testing

  Channel 11 and 14 are dual-flow static thrust stands used to determine the performance of engine inlet and exhaust systems.

For exhaust nozzle testing the two flows can be at different temperatures. Nozzle thrust is determined from force measurement with a strain-gage force balance. The air flows for both the cold and hot passages of a test nozzle are obtained from our facility 500 psi dry air storage system. Air for the cold passage is throttled, metered through a long-radius ASME nozzle, ducted to the cold (fan) passage of the test nozzle, and finally exhausted to atmosphere.  Air for the hot passage is throttled, passed through a regenerative storage heater, mixed with unheated bypass flow to achieve a desired temperature, metered through a long-radius ASME nozzle, ducted to the hot (core) passage of the test nozzle, and finally exhausted to atmosphere. Nozzle thrust and pressure loss coefficients acquired using this facility are used to determine the mixing efficiency of exhaust systems that utilize lobed mixer nozzles.

The high load and moment capacity of the facility's 3-component force balance permits tests of very large flow-through inlet/nacelles to determine the drag, lift, and mass flow coefficients of the internal flow through the model. The inlet/nacelle model can be tested in a wind tunnel at a later date to acquire external aerodynamic forces acting on the nacelle.