Lubricant Evaluations Obtained Using the AFAPL (Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory) Automated Engine Simulator.

Abstract

A description of an automated gas turbine engine simulator, designated the AFAPL engine simulator, and a discussion of the test results obtained from 31 tests using the simulator are presented. The No. 4-5 bearing compartment areas of a J57 turbine engine are used as the basic hardware for the simulator. The simulator is driven by a variable-speed drive system, throught the accessory drive gearbox, providing simulator mainshaft speeds up to 9,120 rmp. Electrical resistance heaters are used to heat the air surrounding the oil-wetted areas within the No. 4-5 bearing compartment areas. The temperatures, pressures, and rpm are controlled at prederermined levels and monitored throughout the 9120-6000 rpm speed cycling sequences and the soakback periods by a Hewlett-Packard mini-computer system, which is also programmed to draw 5-hr interval test-oil samples, control test-oil sump level, provide safety shut-off protection, as well as print out and plot test information generated during each individual test. Simulator results obtained on eight turbine engine lubricants, for which full-scale engine data are available, show a very good correlation of the deposit ratings obtained using the AFAPL engine simulator and the deposit ratings from full-scale engine tests.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1983
Accession Number
ADA127713

Entities

People

  • Burl B. Baber

Organizations

  • Southwest Research Institute

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Heaters
  • Compressors
  • Control Systems
  • Drives
  • Electrical Resistance
  • Heat Transfer
  • Measurement
  • Military Aircraft
  • Operating Systems
  • Security
  • Simulators
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Equipment
  • Test Facilities
  • Turbines
  • Variable Speed Drives

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Computer Science/Computer Engineering/Data Science/Digital Signal Processing.
  • Tribology (the study of the boundary interaction between sliding surfaces, lubrication, wear and friction).