Test bench for an aircraft turbojet engine, with shutters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290155-A1
Application number	US-201615062734-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A test bench for an aircraft turbojet engine is provided. The test bench comprises a U-shaped configuration with a passage in the form of an elongated corridor, an inlet duct, and an outlet duct. The corridor comprises a fixing zone with a fixing arm for holding a turbojet engine during testing. The passage furthermore has an upstream shutter with vertical pivoting air guides and a downstream shutter with an inflatable balloon in a collector tube. In the event of fire, the shutters close to confine the turbojet engine in order to suffocate the fire rapidly. A method for managing a fire in a test bench with a passage is also provided. Shutters are placed in the passage, where they deploy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A test bench for a turbojet engine, said test bench comprising:
an inlet; an outlet; a passage allowing a circulation of air between the inlet and the outlet, the passage structured and operable to receive a turbojet engine for testing; the passage comprises at least one tight movable shutter structured and operable to cut off the circulation of air between the inlet and the outlet and to suffocate a fire occurring in the passage at the turbojet engine.

2 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises a movable part delimited by the passage and structured and operable to seal the passage.

3 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises portions movable relative to each other during opening and closing movements of the shutter.

4 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises at least one movable portion structured and operable to pivot between an open position and a closed position of the shutter.

5 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises a corridor structured and operable receive the turbojet engine and vertical stacks, the shutter being disposed in the corridor.

6 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises articulated air guides, in an open position the guides are parallel to a same plane so as to guide the circulation of air parallel to the passage.

7 . The test bench of claim 6 , wherein the guides are chamfered such that each guide can be in plane-to-plane contact with an adjacent guide when the shutter is closed.

8 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises articulated air guides, wherein in an open position the guides are parallel to a main elongation of the passage, and in a closed position the guides are inclined relative to the main elongation.

9 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises an inflatable element.

10 . The test bench of claim 9 further comprising a gas supply means for inflating the inflatable element.

11 . The test bench of claim 9 , wherein the passage comprises a collector tube able structured and operable to collect an air flow driven by the turbojet engine, the inflatable element being placed at the level of the tube whereby the inflatable element can seal tube.

12 . The test bench of claim 11 , wherein the collector tube comprises a tubular portion configured to protrude towards the engine, the bench comprises a wall across the passage supporting the tubular portion, the tubular portion protruding relative to the wall.

13 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter comprises a resilient envelope having an elasticity modulus between 1 MPa and 100 MPa.

14 . The test bench of claim 1 , wherein the shutter is a first shutter and the passage further comprising a second shutter able to cut off the circulation of air between the inlet and the outlet of the passage, the first and second shutters configured to define an enclosure around the engine and are structured and operable to suffocate a fire occurring in the passage.

15 . The test bench of claim 14 , wherein the passage comprises a fixing zone for the engine to be tested, the fixing zone being disposed between the first shutter and the second shutter.

16 . A test bench for an engine, said test bench comprising:
an inlet; an outlet; a passage allowing a circulation of air between the inlet and the outlet, the passage structured and operable to receive an engine during testing, the passage comprising at least one shutter, wherein the shutter includes air guides movable in to a closed position where shutter contact each other, thereby cutting off the circulation of air between the inlet and the outlet.

17 . A method for managing a fire in a test bench for a gas turbine engine, wherein the test bench comprises a passage in which the gas turbine engine can be fixed for testing of the turbine engine, and a shutter disposed in the passage, said method comprising:
deploying the shutter to close the passage in the event of fire within the passage.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising deploying the shutter in an open configuration, allowing a circulation of air through the passage, when in a normal operating state.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the shutter comprises an inflatable element, and the method further comprising deploying the inflatable element within the passage, via a continuously supplied inflation fluid, in the event of a fire within the passage.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein deploying the inflatable element comprises, filling the inflatable element with a neutral gas.

Assignees

• Techspace Aero Sa

Inventors

• Taccogna Gaetano

Classifications

• A62C2/10 Primary

  Fire-proof curtains · CPC title

• B64D27/16

  of jet type · CPC title

• F05D2260/12

  Testing on a test bench · CPC title

• F01D21/003 Primary

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title

• B64F5/0045

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic