ASE designed and supplied a new Cross Wind Blower for a major jet engine manufacturer. The blower is being used for testing and certification of the manufacturer’s new large fan engines. The Cross Wind Blower is a self-propelled machine that produces controllable winds for cross wind, head wind, and tail wind testing. At full power, it will move 3000 pounds of air per second at a 50 knot air speed. The blower is propelled by four crawler tracks and moves at a speed of one mile per hour.
Current certification standards for engine cross wind, head wind, and tail wind testing require simulated conditions created by blowers having high mass flow rates and discharge velocities. In addition, ASE’s customer required that the blower: a) be movable over both paved and non-paved areas to provide testing capability at two different test beds over a mile apart, b) have precise maneuvering capabilities to avoid existing facilities and buildings, c) allow positioning of the wind at various orientations to the engine, and d) provide vertical adjustment to accommodate different engine centerline heights at the two test beds.
ASE conceived and developed an innovative solution for this project, consisting of an entirely self-contained and self powered system. Our design utilizes six high-efficiency 8-foot diameter fans with variable frequency drives and an adjustable nozzle to provide the required airflow. Motive power to drive and steer the system and to lift the fan/nozzle assembly is provided by an on-board hydraulic system. Power for the blower motors and the hydraulic system is provided by a 2300 horsepower diesel generator set. The system utilizes on-board PLC controls. The overall dimensions of the Cross Wind Blower system are approximately 11 meters long x 13.5 meters wide x 9 meters high (when retracted). The entire assembly weighs over 300 tons.
The blower is supported by four legs attached to the four crawler assemblies. The legs are large hydraulic cylinders that extend or retract to position the lower edge of the blower outlet at any height from 1 to 4 meters (3 to 13 ft) above ground level. During transport operations, the hydraulic cylinder legs serve as a suspension system for the machine, allowing it to move over uneven ground without damage to the machine structure. When acting as a suspension system, valves transfer the fluid supply for the cylinders from the hydraulic pump to pressurized accumulator tanks. The accumulators and cylinders form a system that behaves like the springs and shock absorbers in a car.
During the design phase of the project, ASE conducted 10% scale model aerodynamic tests our FluiDyne Aerotest Lab to verify the expected performance and flow quality of the system. ASE designed, manufactured, and delivered the entire system on a fast-track basis to meet the customer’s aggressive 13-month schedule.
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