BAA-RQKP-2013-0006-AFRL-Facility.pdf

Cleared for Public Release 88ABW-2012-6080

Assured Aerospace Fuels Research Facility (AAFRF)

Description:

The AAFRF provides a research and development platform that can be used to answer practical questions about fuels from alternative sources and how these fuels might impact or relate to Air Force weapons systems. The primary system within the AAFRF is the Sample Production Unit (SPU), which can generate practical quantities of demonstration fuels, can be applied to the testing and demonstration of various synthetic routes, all at larger than laboratory scale. In addition, it can be coupled to third party synthetic platforms as part of an integrated demonstration.

The AAFRF facility also supports research projects at the laboratory scale, in particular, for the purposes of finalizing catalyst design and determining operating conditions pertinent to SPU operations.

The AAFRF facility encompasses:

• 2 Fixed-bed reactors with 3.5 L catalyst volume each

– can be operated in series, parallel, or independently

• Three distillation columns for intermediate and product separation

• Ability to distill final product from 80 psig to ~2 psia

• Highly instrumented for critical process data capture

– Mass flow measurement on all streams supports excellent mass balance

– Temperature and pressure measurements at all critical locations

• Practical process flow: recycle of H2 and hydrocarbons

• iFIX® SCADA control of the system

• Safety PLC

Purpose:

Provide laboratory scale fuel samples of alternative fuels and fuels from alternative feed stocks for the purpose of determining composition to performance relationships as they pertain to combustion and thermal management. The AAFRF combination of scalable laboratory capabilities linked to the practical scale SPU provides a flexible platform for synthetic and alternative fuels research.

Products:

Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene Specialized research surrogate fuels Fuels from alternative feed stocks

Availability:

Primarily in-house and related DoD contractor research. Other U.S. Government agency, DoD contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-255-2367.

BAA-RQKP-2013-006

Attachment 4

Compressor Aero Research Lab (CARL)

Design concepts are tested and fundamental fluid experiments are performed in two facilities. The first is a 6,000 hp Compressor Facility (CF). The second is a vertical, continuous inflow Annular Cascade Facility (ACF). All instrumentation and measurement systems for both facilities are maintained at levels that produce highly accurate results. The following table provides some of the CARL's capabilities:

Compressor Facility Annular Cascade Facility

Speed Range - 4,500-22,500 rpm

Air Flow Range - 10-60 lbs/sec Inlet Total Pressure - ambient

Steady State Pressure - 256+ channels Steady State Analog - 160+ channels Unsteady Analog - 32 channels (up to 200 kHz)

Air Flow Range - 10-60 lbs/sec

Inlet Total Pressure - ambient Steady State Pressure - 256+ channels

Steady State Temperature – 32 channels Unsteady Analog - 32 channels (up to 200 kHz)

The CF has three transonic vehicles available for research: (1) a single-stage fan rig with 10 different transonic rotor, (2) a two-stage high-load compressor, (3) a single-stage fan or core configuration with upstream wake generating capability. The ACF has a state-of-the-art serpentine diffuser on which to conduct research.

The CARL mission: (1) enhance the understanding of complex internal flow physics within fans and compressors through analytical, computational, and experimental methods, (2) develop high payoff fan and compressor design concepts, and (3) transition research findings via development of improved design methods and modeling techniques.

High through flow fan technology. Fan leading edge sweep. Shock loss models. Transonic compressor profile loss models. High- and low-fidelity models of fan and compressor vane/blade interaction.

contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-255-2351.

Combustion & Laser Diagnostics Research Complex (CLDRC)

The Combustion and Laser Diagnostics Research Complex (CLRDC) supports the experimental and computational study of fundamental combustion phenomena to expand the scientific knowledge base;

validate combustor-design codes; and improve the performance, reduce the pollutant emissions, and enhance the affordability, maintainability, and reliability of current and future generation propulsion systems for military and commercial aviation. This state-of-the-art complex provides unique laboratory tools for the experimental characterization of combustion through the development, demonstration, and application of advanced laser-based/optical diagnostic techniques. These capabilities are complemented by a suite of specialized modeling and simulation methodologies for assessing and predicting the detailed chemistry and physics of combustion processes.

Achieve predictive understanding of combustion chemistry and physics. Provide tools for evaluating advanced combustor concepts. Demonstrate optical platforms for on-board sensing and control.

The CLDRC features an impressive array of advanced laser technologies, including many one-of-a-kind optical sources and detectors. CLDRC lasers provide broad spectral coverage from the ultraviolet through the visible to the near, mid, and far infrared (terahertz-radiation region) for flow visualization and spectroscopic investigations of complex reacting and non-reacting flowfields. Continuous-wave and pulsed (nano-, pico-, and femtosecond) sources are employed in conjunction with various scientific-grade cameras and ultrafast imaging devices to provide tremendous spatial and temporal resolution and data-acquisition bandwidth for critical Air Force applications. A host of linear and nonlinear optical techniques have been developed and applied, including high-speed digital imaging, emission spectroscopy, planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), laser-induced incandescence (LII), planar Rayleigh scattering (PRS), reactive Mie scattering (RMS), laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV), particle-image velocimetry (PIV), thin-filament pyrometry and velocimetry (TFP, TFV), pressure- and temperature-sensitive paints, spontaneous Raman scattering spectroscopy, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy, transient-grating spectroscopy (TGS), phase Doppler particle analysis (PDPA), femtosecond ballistic imaging, ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy, laser-induced polarization spectroscopy (LIPS), picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (PITLIF), tunable diode-laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS), time-division-multiplexed (TDM) hyperspectral absorption spectroscopy, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), and advanced techniques for tomographic reconstruction.

contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-656-7280.

Compressor Research Facility (CRF)

The CRF supports exploratory and advanced development efforts in compressor technology, independently evaluating full-scale, multi-stage, one or two-spool three-flow fans and compressors under operating conditions similar to actual flight profiles. It is used to determine the aerodynamic and aeromechanical performance of the most advanced compressors and fans in the world, while enhancing the understanding their complex internal flow physics. Using this research data, design techniques and

CFD codes and models are verified and enhanced. It is automated and computer controlled to study steady-state and transient phenomena on full-size research compressors. The facility can handle most compressors from operational engines and is used to update compressor performance maps.

The CRF's performance characteristics include:

Main Drive: Speed/power - 0 to 16,000 rpm at 30,000 HP; Speed/power - 0 to 30,000 rpm at 15,000 HP

Dual Drive: Speed/Power - 0 - 12,500 rpm at 8000 HP

Acceleration rate - 10%/second (facility speed)

Inlet pressure range - 2 psia to ambient

Inlet air flow rate - 0 - 500 lbm/sec

Inlet temperature capability, atmospheric to 500oF

Core Discharge conditions:

Pressure: Ambient to 40 psia; Flow: 0-500 lbm/sec; Temperature: Ambient to 1,490oF

Bypass Discharge conditions:

Pressure: 2-40 psia; Flow: 0-250 lbm/sec; Temperature: Ambient to 1,200oF

3rd Stream Discharge conditions:

Pressure: 2-40 psia; Flow: 0-125 lbm/sec; Temperature: Ambient to 700oF

Data Acquisition Channels: Digital (performance)

1150 Digital high-speed channels:

32 @ 1.2 MSPS/channel; 256 @ 0.256 MSPS/channel

Perform aerodynamic and aeromechanical research on full-scale, multi-stage, one- or two-spool exploratory and advanced development fans and compressors.

Multistage forward sweep technology for high performance fans and compressors

Advanced optical surface pressure and temperature measurement technology

Verification of advanced (national) computational fluid dynamics codes

Development of inlet flow field measurement standards for High Cycle Fatigue test and evaluation Unique test data sets of advanced fans and compressors developed under IHPTET

Primarily in-house and related DoD contractor research. Other U.S. Government agency, DoD contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-255-6802.

Detonation Engine Research Facility (DERF)

This facility is configured to safely conduct experimental pressure-gain combustion research. The DERF is capable of supporting up to 60,000 lbf thrust experiments, with integrated remote control and instrumentation systems. Pulsed thrust measurements from 3 to

1,000+ lbf are made with a damped thrust stand mounted on the existing engine thrust stand. A hardened remote-control room is adjacent to the 750,000+ cu.ft. test cell. Control of all detonation engine operations and data acquisition is done via a computer-based interface integrated into a ‘virtual instrument/control system’ with back-up manual shutdown and safety systems.

The facility control system is extremely flexible and can control all aspects of detonation engine operation including: lubrication, operating valve drive motor speed, fuel flow, main combustion air flow, purge air flow, timing, ignition delays, and automatic shutdown in the event of a critical system failure. In addition to conventional data acquisition and control systems, the facility is equipped with up to 16 channels of high-frequency data acquisition at up to 5 MHz. Up to 1 Mhz framing rate digital imaging is also available for advanced laser diagnostics and imaging techniques. The PDE research engine was developed and is used for performance validation and as a test-bed for research of detonation initiation, fuel injection (including endothermic/regenerative fuel cooling), valving, controls, materials, heat transfer/thermal management, multi-tube effects, nozzles, ejectors, hybrid turbine engines, acoustics, power extraction, emissions, and diagnostics.

Up to 6 pps of airflow is available continuously at up to 100 psig and 15,000 pounds of high pressure (up to 2200 psi) air available for shorter durations. Oxygen and nitrous oxide are approved as alternative oxidizers. For self aspirated engines, 200+ pps air intake is available with supporting ambient exhaust (14.3 psia). A small-scale steam ejector system provides vacuum capability to 3 psia for low flow rates. Vapor and liquid fuel systems encompass nearly every fuel utilized for air-breathing propulsion (from hydrogen to advanced bio-fuels) with direct connection to the liquid fuel farm for larger flow rates. The facility drainage is isolated with a fuel segregator, and a three-zone Cardox system provide environmental protection along with gas monitoring for fuels, CO and NOx.

The primary object of the facility is the research and development of pressure-gain combustion including pulsed detonation engines (PDEs) and rotary (or rotating) detonation engines (RDEs). The in-house PDE program was established in order to make AFRL’s unique resources available for the development of this technology. In order to work with pulsed and rotary detonation phenomena, AFRL has set out to develop the facilities, diagnostics, modeling tools, and experience necessary to contribute and provide unique resources for the maturation of pressure-gain combustion technology.

PDE and PDE hybrid performance 4-tube research PDE that has been operated with over 20 different fuels and hundreds of detonation tube geometries. Other pressure gain combustion devices include pulsejets, single and multi-tube PDE’s, rotary detonation engines, and a 7-tube rotary valved PDE.

Component technology products include: aircraft structural/acoustic interaction validation, unsteady ejector/nozzle technology, endothermic/regenerative fuel cooling, detonation initiation and transition technology as well as small-scale internal combustion and turbine engine research.

contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-656-7280.

Engine Environment Research Facility (EERF)

This facility supports research and development testing of the behavior of turbine engine lubricants, fuels and sensors in an actual engine environment. Research performed consists of qualifying candidate lubricants for field use, testing alternate lubrication approaches, investigating the effects of fuel additives and alternate fuels on engine performance and emissions, and testing the performance of advanced sensors. The facility is designed to operate the Allison T63-A-700 turboshaft engine at ground test conditions. The test cell is equipped with a computerized control system to control engine operation, oil temperature, and fuel additive concentration during the test cycle.

Conduct RDT&E on lubricants to determine performance suitability for use in aircraft and power generation equipment. Conduct RDT&E on alternate fuels and fuel additives to determine emissions characteristics for use in aircraft and power generation equipment. Conduct initial assessment of engine performance using environmentally friendly fuels.

Conduct RDT&E on advanced sensors for monitoring engine health, oil quality, and engine exhaust emissions.

Synthetic lubricants for use in air breathing propulsion and power systems Alternate fuels and fuel additives for use in air breathing propulsion and power systems Mechanical systems prognostics sensors and life predicting algorithms Engine exhaust emissions sensors and measurement methodology contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-255-5568.

Heat-transfer & Aerothermal Laboratory (HAL)

The Heat-transfer and Aerothermal Laboratory conducts fundamental experiments in the areas of turbine aerodynamics, heat transfer and film cooling.

Experiments are designed to improve our understanding of the complex flows found in turbine engines, and to provide validation data sets for numerical computations and for the evaluation of turbulence models for use in internal flow predictions. Measurement capabilities include pressure and temperature probes, thermal anemometry, Laser Doppler Velocimetry, Particle Image Velocimetry, thermocouple arrays, Liquid Crystal Thermography, and Infrared Thermography.

The laboratory maintains five active research rigs. The first is the Transonic Turbine Cascade, used for aerodynamic evaluation of blade geometries. The cascade features variable inlet incidence capability and upstream and downstream traverse systems for aero-probe loss measurements. Control of blade row backpressure and flow rate enables independent variation of exit Mach number and Reynolds number for off-design performance studies. The second research rig, the Advanced

Cooling Research Rig, is a high temperature heat transfer and cooling effectiveness tunnel, designed to evaluate research specimens with advanced internal cooling features and external film cooling. The primary measurement technique used is infrared thermography through a cooled IR window. The third rig is the Boundary Layer Tunnel, a 50 cm by 30 cm by 4 m rectangular tunnel with a flexible upper wall, which enables the study of boundary layers and heat transfer under adjustable pressure gradients. The Boundary Layer Tunnel has been used to investigate film cooling, surface roughness effects, and flow control with plasma actuators. The fourth rig, the Leading Edge Film Cooling Tunnel, is a temperature-controlled wind tunnel with a single blade leading edge model designed for the study of near-stagnation heat transfer and film cooling. Superscale models provide high spatial resolution heat transfer data under varying freestream turbulence conditions. Research studies have included both steady and pulsed film cooling. The final rig and most recent addition to the laboratory, the Impingement Cooling Research Rig, is designed to investigate jet-to-jet interaction and the impact of cross-flow on heat transfer for impingement jet arrays.

To perform aerodynamic and heat transfer research in support of the development and validation of turbine aero and durability design methods.

Aerodynamic data for the validation of in-house turbine design tools.

Overall cooling effectiveness data for highly-coupled internal and external cooling concepts.

Flow visualization techniques to verify surface heat transfer and flow behavior such as boundary layer separation.

Steady and pulsed film cooling heat transfer data to support future turbine durability design.

Validation data to support transition model development.

Heat Flux Instrumentation Laboratory (HFIL)

The Heat Flux Instrumentation Laboratory is used to develop advanced, flexible, thin film gauge instrumentation for the Air Force Research Laboratory. These sensors provide unique high-resolution, high-frequency, surface heat flux measurements for cascade and fully-rotating turbine test rigs.

The lab allows researchers to produce thin film instrumentation in-house, enabling quicker turn around time, greater design flexibility, and ultimate cost savings. The laboratory is a class 10,000 clean room with photolithography and chemical etching equipment. The facility gives researchers the freedom to experiment with various thin film designs and new types of flexible sensor patterns. The new sensors provide high-resolution, high-frequency, surface heat flux data that was previously unobtainable in current research facilities. The laboratory clean room also allows researchers to fabricate new devices, such as flexible Plasma Flow-Control electrodes or custom heating film layouts.

Provide the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory the capability to develop advanced, flexible, thin film gauge instrumentation for research test facilities.

Traditional single-sided and double-sided thin-film gauges.

High-Density Platinum Heat Flux sensors and Heat Flux Imaging Arrays

Conventional plasma flow control electrodes

Flexible plasma flow control electrodes

Custom heating film patterns

High Pressure Combustion Research Facility (HPCRF)

This facility is used to develop and evaluate advanced gas turbine engine combustor and augmentor concepts, laser-based diagnostics, and computer models. The facility provides the infrastructure to test small full-annular, full-scale, advanced augmentors as well as multi-cup combustor sectors. A wide variety of instrumentation is available to measure pressures, temperatures, flow rates, fluid velocity, exhaust gas species, particulate matter, transport and evaporation phenomena, fuel injection spray characteristics, and kinetics. Phase Doppler Anemometry for spray characterization, Laser Induced Florescence for temperature, species concentrations and for imaging flows and time-division-multiplexed hyperspectral absorptions spectroscopy for temperature are part of the available instrumentation to enable non-intrusive measurement of these combustion parameters. Optical access and embedded camera visualizations further compliment the facility.

Research rigs vary in size from single cup combustor flame tubes, combustor and augmentor planar and arc sectors utilizing aircraft hardware, to full annular small engine combustor and augmentor systems. The facility is adaptable for advanced research applications replicating aircraft cycle conditions and possessing many characteristics of aviation gas turbine systems burning a wide variety of alternative, gaseous and liquid fuels from ambient to superheated delivery temperatures. Air flow rates, temperatures, and pressures are available up to 34 lbm/s, 1100 F, and 0.25-40 atm, respectively.

Perform basic research in combustion sciences and exploratory development of combustor and augmentor concepts for turbine engine and advanced air breathing propulsion systems. Provide bench mark quality data to develop and validate combustion models and diagnostic techniques and use these tools to understand fundamental combustion processes. Aid engine companies in developing high-performance, low-emissions combustors for air breathing propulsion systems.

Trapped Vortex Combustion (TVC) technology Inter-Turbine Burner (ITB) demonstration Ultra Compact Combustors (UCC) Small engine full-scale full-annular augmentor technology development Large engine full-scale sector technology development

Prototype pulsed detonation engine technology

NI Labview data acquisition custom engineering platform

Low-Pressure Combustion Research Complex (LPCRC)

The Low-Pressure Combustion Research

Complex (LPCRC) stretches over three laboratories in building 490. These labs are used to study fundamental, bench-scale combustion processes and gas turbine engine hardware. The available test rigs include a well-stirred reactor, single-cup combustors, augmentors and advanced combustor concept rigs. Experiments range from the fundamental science of combustion chemistry, to component technologies such as nozzle testing, thermal barrier coating testing, fundamental combustor aero studies as well as ignition systems characterization. A wide variety of instrumentation is available to measure pressures, temperatures, flow rates, fluid velocity, exhaust gas species, particulate matter, transport and evaporation phenomena, fuel injection spray characteristics, and kinetics.

Laser-based diagnostics and quantitative imaging devices such as Phase Doppler Particle Anemometry for spray characterization, Laser Induced Florescence for temperature, species concentrations and for imaging flows and time-division-multiplexed hyperspectral absorptions spectroscopy for temperature are part of the available instrumentation to enable non-intrusive measurement of these combustion parameters. Test article air flow rates, temperatures and pressures are available up to 3 lbm/sec, 8000F and 100 psig, respectively. In addition, the complex has been modified to operate at pressures up to 5 atm.

To perform basic research in combustion science including gas turbine augmentor technologies, evaluate advanced combustion, augmentor and combustor concepts in a bench-scale environment, test component technologies, long-term materials testing, take high-quality data for use in combustion CFD models using advanced laser diagnostics techniques aid engine companies in developing high performance, low-emissions combustors and augmentors and testing new diagnostic techniques.

Trapped Vortex Combustion (TVC) technology

Inter-Turbine Burner (ITB) concept testing

Ultra-Compact Combustor (UCC) concepts

Fundamental augmentor aero research

Combustion CFD code validation data collection

Low Speed Wind Tunnel Facility (LSWTF)

This facility consists of a large-scale, low-speed open-loop induction wind tunnel which has been modified to house a linear turbine cascade. A 125-hp electric motor powers an axial flow fan, drawing air at velocities up to 80m/s through an 85 cm by 122 cm test section. The entrance to the tunnel consists of a 3.0 m by 2.7 m rectangular bell-mouth inlet. Honeycomb flow straighteners located in the inlet, combined with a gradual 8:1 area contraction; produce a uniform, low turbulence velocity profile at the cascade. Flow velocity uniformity is within ±1% with approximately 0.5% freestream turbulence. This level of turbulence can be augmented through the use of a turbulence generating grid which produces freestream turbulence levels of approximately 4% at the cascade. The grid may also be fed with high-pressure air to produce turbulence levels of up to 15%. The inlet and test section pivot independently of the exit section, allowing the cascade inlet and exit to be set independently between 0° and 65°, allowing a total cascade turning of between 0° and 130°. The cascade is modular and can accommodate 85 cm span blades of up to 20 cm axial chord. A moving bar wake generator is available to provide periodic upstream unsteadiness over a wide range of reduced frequencies and flow coefficients. A modular splitter plate assembly may also be installed to allow the study of end-wall flows with controlled wall boundary layer conditions. Available instrumentation includes thermocouples, pressure probes, thermal anemometry, and Particle Image Velocimetry. Access is also available for use of a wide range of optical instrumentation techniques.

This facility is used to perform studies of turbine aerodynamics and flow control.

Low Reynolds number and high loading turbine component aerodynamics data.

Data on the effects of periodic unsteadiness on turbine performance.

Flow control data for application to turbine component design.

Mechanical Systems Research Laboratory (MSRL)

This facility supports research and development for gas turbine engine mechanical systems. Research topics include basic mechanisms involved in the lubrication of bearing surfaces; basic mechanisms of bearing rolling contact fatigue, development and qualification of high-temperature synthetic lubricants and bearing materials; mechanical systems health management technology; computer modeling of mechanical system components; and alternative lubrication and bearing concepts for advanced turbine engines. The facility includes several experimental test rigs used to assess bearing performance for different size engines and applications. The High Mach Engine Bearing Test Facility simulates the conditions of large bearings for future man-rated high Mach engines and is used to validate bearing thermal models. The Bearing Life Assessment Facility measures fatigue life of new candidate bearing materials and lubricants for near-term development engines and investigates fundamental fatigue failure mechanisms of advanced bearing materials. The Oil-Free Test Facility measures the performance of air-foil bearings and magnetic bearings for more revolutionary engine concepts.

Prognostic and diagnostic sensors are incorporated in many of these rigs to develop advanced engine mechanical systems health management technologies. Computer modeling is an integral part of

MSRL’s research effort and involves structural and thermal finite element analysis and rotor dynamic modeling of custom built test rig designs, bearing performance modeling, and experimental validation of these models. Additionally, there is an extensive analytical chemistry laboratory for engine lubricant development and qualification. Experimental test rigs to assess lubricant performance and chemical characteristics include; engine lubrication system simulator to study hot spot oil coking, tribometers, viscometers, foaming and thermal/oxidative exposure rigs that measure lubricant performance and rheological characteristics. Analytical instruments include a scanning electron microscope equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS), metallurgical microscopes, gas chromatography, mass spectrometer, atomic emission, Fourier Transform infrared microscope, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis.

Research and development of mechanical systems for aviation gas turbine engines.

Provide field support to USAF and DoD units. Transition advanced mechanical systems hardware to U.S, aviation gas turbine industry.

Rolling element bearing technology Synthetic lubricants for use in air breathing propulsion and power systems Hybrid (ceramic/metallic) bearings

Carbon-carbon composite bearing cages Vapor phase lubrication technology Mechanical systems diagnostics/ prognostics sensors and life prediction algorithms

Gas/foil bearing technology Bearing fatigue life testing and spall propagation mechanisms Modeling of mechanical systems performance, heat generation/transfer, and rotor dynamics contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-255-5568.

National Aerospace Fuels Research Complex (NAFRC)

The facility serves as the primary source of fuels and energy research within the DOD and AF complex. It is designed to provide experimental capabilities from basic 6.1, through to applied 6.2, and demonstration 6.3 projects. It is responsible for all in-house research and development projects aligned with the Aerospace Fuels CTC. The facility provides research capabilities and tools to study the chemistry and physics of fuel, its combustion, its application as a thermal management fluid, and its impact on particulate and gaseous emissions. It also provides access to advanced instrumentation supporting energy and energetics development, bio-contamination, mitigation, and energy development, and nanofuels research. Primary capabilities or instrumentation include fuel characterization tools (gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry, optical spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), emission and combustion characterization tools (laser spectroscopy, particle sizing, particle counting, smoke analyzer, and chemical speciation), thermal stability tools (quartz crystal microbalance, high temperature fuel analyzer, and fuels system simulators), bio-contamination tools (real time polymerase chain reaction, genomic sequencing, genetic engineering, and bio-incubators), and nanofuels and energy tools (supersonic molecular beam mass spectrometry, helium droplet mass spectrometry, automated nanoenergetic synthesis, atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Langmuir-Bloddgett thin film production, and transmission electron microscopy).

Provide world class capability to perform research on the chemistry and physics of fuel, its combustion, its application as a thermal management fluid, and its impact on particulate and gaseous emissions; explore and develop next generation fuels for high speed flight, high thermal stability, advanced combustion cycles, and expeditionary logistics; explore and develop fuels from alternative sources supporting supply security and reduced environmental impact; and explore and develop alternative energy for its application and impact of future Air Force capabilities.

Fuel characterization (including alternative fuels):

Small scale test protocol Fuel analysis reports Thermal stability reports

Advanced fuel formulations/Endothermic fuels Fuel sensors/fuel analyzers Nanofuels/nanoenergetics

Fuel additives/property modifiers Modeling and simulation code/data Bio-contamination/mitigation strategies/additives/solutions

Small-Engine Research Laboratory (SERL)

The Small-Engine Research Laboratory (SERL) is a facility designed to conduct experimental small-scale propulsion and power generation systems research. The SERL has a collection of unique capabilities to support execute related research efforts. These research capabilities include: eight internal combustion (IC) engine test stands ranging from 0.1 kW to 200 kW, three mobile-IC engine research stands (< 7.5 kW), a direct-injection combustion testbed, a liquid spray characterization bench, a small Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) propeller thrust/torque stand, a 6-axis thrust stand for small-turbine and alternative cycle research, and a small-IC engine altitude simulation chamber (< 9 kW). A wide variety of instrumentation is available to measure pressures, temperatures, fuel flow, air flow, IC engine power and torque, exhaust gas species, fuel injection spray characteristics, real-time in-cylinder pressure measurements. Laser-based diagnostics and multiple 1+ MHz framing rate digital cameras are also part of the available instrumentation to enable non-intrusive measurement of these combustion parameters. All experiments are operated remotely using in-house-developed data acquisition solutions, engine controls, and a multi-camera high-resolution digital video monitoring system. In-house-developed engine controls and electronics offer accurate, real-time control of combustion parameters (initiation timing, fuel injection timing, fuel flow, air flow, fuel blending, and knock evaluation/feedback) for all experiments. In addition to C-Rio data acquisition and control systems for all experiments, the facility is equipped with up to 16 channels of high-frequency data acquisition at up to 5 MHz and an 8-channal AVL combustion analyzer for real-time in-cylinder combustion characterization.

The overall SERL objective is to develop an understanding of the combustion physics, chemical kinetics, and scientific principles required to enable heavy/multi-fuel (H/MF) operations of small-scale propulsion and power generation, storage, and distribution systems. Specific objectives of the proposed program that are key to enabling H/MF operation of these systems are: 1) Establish combustion initiation strategies to optimize heat release in highly convective, pressure-coupled small-scale internal combustion (IC) engine environments 2) Develop the understanding of governing thermodynamic and fluidic principles unique to heavy-fuel small-scale propulsion along with the control methodologies to enable fuel control and H/MF operations in small-scale propulsion and power generation systems 3) Investigate the use of alternative hybrid (combination of IC, battery, and/or fuel cell) and alternative-cycle propulsion and power generation systems, requiring development of power density improvements, operation of fuel cells on heavy fuels, and hybrid system energy management.

Small Heavy/Multi-Fuel Engine Enabling Technologies Alternative and Bio-derivative Fuels Combustion and Emissions Characterization Small-scale Thermo-chemical Hybrid Propulsion System Technology Efficient UAS Propulsion and Power Systems Technology

Turbine Engine Fatigue Facility (TEFF)

The Turbine Engine Fatigue Facility (TEFF) is a unique research facility which performs structural and vibrational evaluation of turbine engine components. Through basic research and analysis, the TEFF provides direct support of the Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engine (VAATE) capability areas and the Propulsion Safety and Affordable Readiness (P-SAR) program through structural characterization, vibrational response, life prediction, damage tolerance, and verification of analytical predictions.

Research and Development Capability:

Electrodynamic shakers

18000 lb Ling 6000 lb Unholtz-Dickie 700 lb Ling 100 lb MB Dynamics

50 lb MB Dynamics High frequency (up to 20 kHz) piezoelectric shaker

Free-Free electrodynamic excitation system Multiaxial servohydraulic load frame Uniaxial servohydraulic load frame Scanning laser vibrometers Single point laser vibrometers Travelling wave excitation system Dynamic ping frequency analysis

High temperature capability up to 30000F

Perform structural and vibrational evaluations on turbine engine components. Demonstrate durability of advanced turbine engine components. Investigate vibrational problems of fielded systems.

Characterize and develop vibrational damping treatments. Investigate life capability of components with FOD and surface treatments. Perform life predictions and analytical assessments.

Complete test data sets on advanced turbomachinery blades and vanes.

contractor and commercial customer programs upon request. Contact: 937-656-5530.

Turbine Research Facility (TRF)

This facility is used for exploratory development of advanced turbines. It simulates multiple engine operating conditions through the use of aero and thermodynamic similarity in a short duration (transient) test procedure.

Advanced, full-scale rotating turbine hardware is evaluated using fast response, nonintrusive instrumentation that measures high frequency surface heat flux, unsteady pressures, inlet and outlet conditions, secondary flows, mass flow, and various other quantities. Turbines as large as 34 inches tip diameter and as small as 17 inches hub diameter can be accommodated.

A cryogenic cooling system provides a range of temperature ratios for fully cooled hardware. The research article may be exposed to a range of both design and off-design conditions typical of current and future military engines. A high speed data acquisition system with nearly 1000 channels allows detailed analysis to be done at significantly reduced costs compared to conventional turbine engine investigations. Data from the TRF is used to improve the turbine aerodynamic and heat transfer design process, investigate problems observed in the field, and reduce risk in technology demonstration of core and engine programs.

Perform aerodynamic, aerothermal and aeroelastic research on full-scale turbines. Major emphasis areas include:

- Turbine performance (efficiency, loading)

- Turbine cooling (external & internal heat transfer)

- Structural dynamics (unsteady aero forcing & damping)

Advanced test data of the most advanced turbines developed and being developed under the national VAATE program.