global briefing
Q&A: Gareth Hedicker, Rolls-Royce
The aero-engine manufacturer’s director of development and experimental engineering – civil aerospace,
details the physical design challenges of Testbed 80 and its links to the virtual world
Q: WHAT WAS THE MAIN DESIGN CHALLENGE WITH
TESTBED ?
Our most recent engine, the Trent XWB-97, has increased thrust
compared to other recent engines such as the Trent 1000-TEN and
Trent 7000. Our UltraFan demonstrator will also be within the
known thrust range, but a larger fan diameter will require a
greater mass of air to travel through the bed.
Testbed 80 has therefore been designed using the latest
techniques to improve the aerodynamic performance of the bed,
which will deliver an undisturbed flow of air to the engine. As well
as delivering air to the engine, the design of the testbed focuses
on removing energy from the exhaust, which ensures the testbed
runs silently. This is important as we run a 24-hour operation at
our site in Derby.
Q: DO LARGER ENGINES HAVE ANY OTHER EFFECTS
ON THE PHYSICAL TESTING PROCESS?
The testing process is the same for engines with a larger fan, but
by having a larger testbed the engine has to have sufficient
clearance from the walls and floor to avoid any interaction when
carrying out performance testing.
Our most recent and future engine demonstrators have larger
fans which move air slower than previous engines. As the airflow
speed is slower, it becomes more challenging to draw in and
move sufficient air to achieve a stable operation and avoid
damaging aero-acoustic phenomena such as ultra low frequency
(ULF) tones.
Q: CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY THE NEW TEST CENTRE
WILL USE?
Testbed 80 will be the first of our testbeds to transmit
data directly into our secure cloud environment. This
will allow us to link the physical and functional data
we measure with our analytical models, which form
the engine’s digital twin. To achieve this, Testbed 80
will be fitted with a next-generation digital data
acquisition system, which will enable emerging new
measurement and signal conditioning technologies to
be integrated seamlessly.
It’s a natural progression as we continue to invest in
more representative models of our engines, which are
linked to the physical and functional data from our
development engines, as well as those in service. This
approach also supports our continual move towards
physical testing being used to validate the integrity of
the digital model.
Q: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A
DIGITAL TWIN?
The ability to carry out virtual testing of the engine and facility,
before any physical testing. It allows us to assess multiple design
solutions, leading to product design optimization in a reduced
period of time, and significantly reduces uncertainty when we
carry out the physical test.
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of exhaust gases and bypass air increases in
engine test facilities, the design of the
facilities is becoming more complex and
critical to operational integrity.
Managing the immense amount of air
flowing through and around the engine
during a test is an important aspect of the
design of engine test cells, because the
airflow is a direct contributor to infrasound,
low frequency noise that can have a
detrimental effect on the integrity of the
building as well as the employees working in
close proximity.
John Jastremski, president and CEO of MDS
Aero said, “MDS has a long history of
designing test facilities for Rolls-Royce and is
at the forefront of research and technology in
the narrow field of aeroacoustics, of which
there are very few experts.”
“Constructing the largest aviation test
facility of its type in the world with an
unprecedented amount of airflow poses a
big challenge in this respect and our
research and expertise in this area played a
big factor in being named the prime
contractor on this project.”
The new facility will be capable of testing
Rolls-Royce’s current engines as well as
serve as a base for testing the new UltraFan,
which is planned for launch in 2025.
Gareth Hedicker, director of development
and experimental engineering – civil
aerospace, Rolls-Royce said, “Once
commissioned, Testbed 80 will be the largest
facility of its type in the world. Not only that –
it will feature the most advanced testing
technology we have ever used.
“Testbed 80 will provide extra capacity as
we ramp up production to deliver on our
record order book and will be capable of
carrying out a full range of indoor testing.” \\
Managing the immense amount of
air flowing through and around
the engine during a test is an
important aspect of the design
escorted on large trucks through nearby
streets when delivered to the site.
Augmentor tubes are a critical part of any
aviation test bed. Engine mass flow rates are
continuously rising as manufacturers seek to
increase thrust and efficiency. As the amount
// The larger size of
engines means the
size of test cells has
also increased
// Artist’s impression of the Testbed 80 building
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