ENGINES
The Rolls-Royce High Altitude
Test Facility
A Description of the Large New Plant at Derby
T HE High Altitude Test Plant recently put
into commission by Rolls-Royce Ltd. at
Derby is the only privately owned engine
test facility of its magnitude outside the U.S.A.,
and as might be expected has a number of fea
tures of technical interest, apart from its size.
Circuit
The engine test circuit is open, air being drawn
in through electrostatic filters by a compressor,
passed through a cooler, refrigerator, driers, and
then through a cooling turbine to either of the
two test cells. Air may also by-pass the cooling
turbine, and by mixing these two flows tempera
December 1958
tures between -100 and +8 deg. C. can be ob
tained. Temperatures of up to 190 deg. C. are
obtained by passing air into the cell direct from
the input compressor. The input compressor is
driven by a 22,000 h.p. synchronous motor ar
ranged to start as a d.c. machine, and this arrange
ment is repeated in the four large exhauster sets.
The input compressor is however also coupled to
the refrigerating turbine, and a recuperating
turbine through which air in excess of the test
requirements is returned to atmosphere, with
corresponding power recovery.
The two test cells provide for one engine to be
prepared for test while the other is running and
cannot be run simultaneously. A by-pass round
the cells with hydraulically operated quick-acting
valves caters for fluctuating requirements during
engine acceleration.
From the cells air, now vitiated by the products
of combustion, passes through a diffuser and
breeches piece to a primary cooler similar to a
water-tube boiler. Downstream of this, and after
the cell by-pass has rejoined the circuit, is a multi-
vane (Venetian blind) valve which controls cell
pressure. The large secondary cooler comes next,
reducing the temperature to +40 deg. C.
The exhauster compressors, of which there are
five, each driven by 22,000 h.p. motors, are ar
ranged so that a variety of series or parallel con
nexions can be made. Four are similar to the input
compressor. The fifth is a high pressure machine
one-third of the volumetric capacity of the others.
Air from the exhausters finally passes to atmo
sphere through a silencer. A cross connexion is
also provided so that some of the exhauster sets
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can be used as input compressors, primarily for
augmentation of input mass flow, but also in case
of breakdown of the input set proper.
Associated with the plant is a compressor test
rig which draws air from a plenum chamber fed
from atmosphere or from the input circuit to the
main test cells. The compressor under test is
driven by a 15,000 h.p. air turbine supplied from
two of the exhauster sets in scries. The remaining
three exhauster sets can then still be used for their
main purpose.
An air line to a neighbouring site for combus
tion test rigs is supplied from two of the ex
hauster compressors in series as for the com
pressor test rig.
Test Cells
A bulkhead separates each cell into two parts,
the upstream part forming a plenum chamber,
and the downstream part housing the engine. In
the bulkhead is inserted a calibrated bell-
mouthed airmeter which leads straight to the en
gine intake. Some air passes through the bulk
head to provide cooling round the outside of the
368
engine. The jet exhaust is taken by an open-
ended water-cooled duct which also contains
water spray nozzles to provide a safety curtain.
The engine is carried on a floating cradle and
thrust is measured on a weighbridge under the
cell. Measurements up to 20,000 lb. can be taken,
and an accuracy of 5 lb. is achieved, the cali
bration being checked daily. The engine is pre
pared for test in a separate room where the in
strument leads from the engine are brought out
and secured to battery plates on the cradle. The
engine on its cradle is taken into the basement on
a special trolley from which it is lifted into the
cell area through a hatchway in the cell area floor,
and then lowered into the cell through the large
hinged door. There is, apart from this door, a
pressure lock through which staff can have access
to the cell when the main door is closed. Once in
the cell the engine controls and instrumentation
leads are taken to the permanent connexions in
the cell. No. 2 cell has an output shaft leading to a
dynamometer, making possible the testing of shaft
turbines. Jet engines can of course be accom
modated in both cells.
Air from the input circuit clears vitiated air
from the cells after a run, and brings them up to
a comfortable working temperature again.
Communication while engines are running can
be a problem, and headsets are provided which
are plugged into wall points. A flashing light
signal is used.
Controls and Recording
The main control room overlooks the ex
hauster house and from here the required circuit
is selected, and the necessary plant started up.
The Controller of the plant works here, and when
ready throws a permissive switch which allows
the Assistant Controller in the engine test control
room to take charge of the actual air conditions
at entry to the cell. Meanwhile the engine test staff
run the engine. Thermometers and manometers
are also housed in the engine test control room,
and are recorded photographically. Various other
automatic recording facilities are provided in
adjacent rooms.
Engine controls are mechanical, being in the
form of push rods with bell cranks on roller
bearings,
Selector valves in the air circuit are electrically
operated, by push button in the main control
room, but there are some hydraulically operated
valves where quick action is required, actuated
from either the main or engine test control rooms.
Circuit temperatures and pressures and com
pressor operation are controlled by hydraulically
Aircraft Engineering
powered valves, and these can be set for auto
matic working, in which case magnetic amplifiers
respond to the sensing instruments and initiate
action. Programme control is also available.
There is a separate control room for the com
pressor test house.
Because of the drastic effects of compressor
surge provision is being made for automatic
sensing of pressure ratio, a by-pass being
opened when the critical value is approached.

Structure
The ductwork between the refrigeration turbine
and the cell bulkheads is mainly of stainless steel
so that the material does not become brittle at the
low temperatures attained. The connexion from
the refrigerating turbine and the mixing box is
of welded light alloy, as high temperatures do not
have to be catered for as well in this case. As air
may be supplied at from 1 to 55 lb./sq. in. abso
lute, and the pressure downstream of the cell
bulkhead may be as little as lb./sq. in., the
construction is quite massive.
The temperature range to which the ducting is
subjected also makes necessary substantial ther
mal as well as acoustic insulation. The scheme speed control to 0 0 5 per cent. Permissible power consumption: For main
developed by the insulation contractors uses cal Circulating water pumps (three in number): compressor motors at 11,000 volts the maximum
cium silicate for the stainless steel parts of duct Double entry centrifugal; 975 r.p.m.; 10,000 permissible power is 60 megawatts. This is ample
work and cells, and sprayed Limpet asbestos over g.p.m. against 90 ft. head. for every purpose envisaged at present.
the rest of the. cells and much of the ducting.
Calcium silicate is also used for the concrete ple Precipitron electrostatic filters: Capacities: In
num chamber of the compressor rig. In each case put 160,000 c.f.m.; exhauster 320,000 c.f.m.; com Contractors and Consultants
a rendered finish of plastic asbestos cement is pressor test rig 224,000 c.f.m. The consulting engineers were McLellan &
applied over the insulation. Refrigerating plant: 160 lb./sec. of air from Partners in association with Merz & McLellan;
29 deg. C. to 2 deg. C.; cooling water: 2,400 gall./ R. T. James & Partners were the consulting civil
min.; charge of ammonia: 20,000 lb. engineers. The architects were Ramsey, Murray,
Plant Details Air drying plant: Capacity: 160 lb./sec. satur White and Ward. Other contractors are listed
Driving motors for all compressors: 22,000 h.p.; ated air at 55 lb./sq. in absolute and 2 deg. C. below:
50 c.p.s. synchronous; 11,000 volts; 1,500 r.p.m. dried so that no ice is formed when air is cooled
Large compressors: Eleven-stage axial flow; to 112 deg. C. at 0 9 lb./sq. in. absolute; ab Aiton & Co. Ltd. . . Circulating and spray
4,150 r.p.m.; 3 8 to 1 pressure ratio; 200 lb./sec. sorbers: four in number, each containing 16,000 water piping
mass flow with atmospheric inlet. lb. of drying agent; reactivation by heated air at British Brown Boverie Ltd. Compressors and
Small compressor: Ten-stage axial flow; 188 deg. C ; subsequent cooling by water, fol turbine sets
7,720 r.p.m.; 3 8 to 1 pressure ratio; 68 lb./sec. lowed by brine, down to 2 deg. C. John Booth & Sons (Bolton) Ltd.
mass flow with atmospheric inlet. Primary cooler: 6-drum water tube cooler Building steelwork
Air cooling turbine: Two wheel single stage; pressurized to 250 lb./sq. in. absolute with nitro Browne & Tawse Tubes Ltd. Fuel and oil sys
4,150 r.p.m.; 160 lb./sec. mass flow; minimum gen; thermal capacity: cools 105 lb./sec. of dry air tems pipework and equipment
outlet temperature 104 deg. C. at 5 lb./sq. in. absolute from 1,730 deg. C. to Chatwood-Milner Ltd. .. Air bulkheads
Input recuperating turbine: Two wheel single 107 deg. C. Communications Systems Ltd.
stage; 4,159 r.p.m.; 154 lb./sec. mass flow. Secondary cooler: Four in number matrices; Communication and Public Address system
Recuperating turbine in high pressure air cir thermal capacity: 105 lb./sec. of dry air at H. W. Cullum Ltd... Acoustic splitters at air
cuit: Two wheel single stage; 7,720 r.p.m.; 33 lb./sq. in absolute from 107 deg. C. to intakes and exhaust
181 lb./sec. mass flow at 155 lb./sq. in. absolute; 40 deg. C. Detuners Ltd. .. .. .. Silencers
57 lb./sec. mass flow at 485 lb./sq. in. absolute. Water treatment plant: Treats 71,300 gall./hr. Foster Wheeler Primary and secondary gas
Turbine for compressor test rig: Two wheel of water of total hardness 64 p.p.m. CaCo 3 and coolers and ancillary equipment
single stage; 15,000 h.p. at 9,000 r.p.m. with inlet reduces it to 3 p.p.m. CaCo 3 . Ferranti .. .. .. Transformers
pressure of 155 lb./sq.in. absolute; 3,000 h.p. at Cooling towers: 1,800,000 gall./hr. (as for Foxboro-Yoxall Ltd. Equipment for control
7,720 r.p.m. with inlet pressure of 485 lb./sq. in. water treatment plant); heat dissipation 504 x of air systems
absolute; 3,000 to 11,000 r.p.m. speed range; 106 B.T.U./hr. Gee, Walker & Slater Ltd. Civil engineering
G. A. Harvey (London) Ltd. Ducting and pres
sure vessels
Heenan & Froude Ltd. Dynamometer and
thrust measuring equipment
Head Wrightson Processes Ltd. Cooling tower
Herbert Morris Ltd. .. Travelling cranes
Johannes Erhard H.Waldenmair Erben Air valves
Johnson &Phillips Ltd. .. .. Cabling
John Thompson (Wolverhampton) Ltd.
Boiler plant
Keelavite Rotary Pumps & Motor Ltd.
Valve actuating equipment
Newalls Insulation Co Insulation
Norris Warming Co. Ltd. . . Heating and ven
tilating plant
Rashleigh Phipps & Co. Ltd. Electrical installation
A. Reyrolle & Co. Ltd. 33,000 V. switchgear
Serck Radiators Ltd. .. . . Air coolers
Silica Gel Ltd. .. .. Chemical air dryer
L. Sterne & Co. Ltd. . . Refrigeration plant
Sturtevant Eng. Co. Ltd. Electrostatic filtration
plant
Sigmund Pumps Ltd. Circulating water pumps
F. H. Wheeler & Co. Ltd.
Power and lighting installation
Wharton Crane & Hoist Co. Ltd.
Travelling cranes
Zimmerman & Jansen .. .. Air valves
December 1958 369