DEPOLLUTED TURBOMACHINE TEST BENCH

Abstract

A depolluted test bench (I) for a turbomachine includes a channeled air duct with an air inlet and an air outlet to allow a flow of air between the air inlet and the air outlet. The channeled air duct includes a test chamber) for testing a turbomachine, the test chamber being located between the air inlet and the air outlet. A depolluting system is positioned in the air duct to depollute an air flow generated at least in part by a test of said turbomachine in the test bench. Control means control the depolluting system to allow the depolluting system to be switched on or off when a test of the turbomachine is started or stopped.

Claims

1. A depolluted test bench for a turbomachine comprising: a channeled air duct comprising an air inlet and an air outlet to allow an air flow to circulate between said air inlet and outlet, said channeled air duct further comprising a test chamber configured for a test of a turbomachine, said test chamber being located between said air inlet and said air outlet; a depolluting system positioned in said air duct and configured to depollute an air flow generated at least partially by a test of said turbomachine in the test bench; and means for controlling said depolluting system to enable to switch on or switch off the depolluting system when a test of said turbomachine is started or stopped.

2. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said depolluting system is positioned at said air inlet.

3. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said air duct further comprises an inlet portion positioned between said air inlet) and said test chamber, said inlet portion comprising smoothing means that obtains a laminar air flow towards said test chamber, and wherein said depolluting system is positioned between said smoothing means and said test chamber.

4. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said depolluting system is positioned at said air outlet.

5. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said air duct further comprises acoustic reduction means at said air outlet, said depolluting system being positioned at said acoustic reduction means.

6. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said air duct further comprises an outlet portion positioned between said test chamber and said air outlet.

7. The test bench according to claim 6, wherein said air duct further comprises an air flow pipe portion with a substantially circular cross-section positioned between said test chamber and said outlet portion.

8. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said turbomachine is an aircraft turbomachine.

9. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said depolluting system is configured not to induce any pressure drop to an air flow flowing through said test bench.

10. The test bench according to claim 9, wherein said control means are adapted to deactivate said depolluting system.

11. The test bench according to claim 1, further comprising a bypass fluidly connected to said air duct to allow an air flow to bypass said depolluting system.

12. The test bench according to claim 1, wherein said depolluting system comprises at least one of the following depolluting means: fine particle sensor, fine particle filter, by ionisation or mechanical, an air washing unit with a water flow, and filter for capturing greenhouse gases.

13. An air depollution method for a test bench of a turbomachine and comprising the following steps: a. providing a test bench according to claim 1, said test bench further comprising sensors connected to a control unit; b. providing and placing a turbomachine in the test chamber; c. starting said turbomachine to generate said air flow in said channeled air duct; d. activating said depolluting system to collect fine particles and/or pollutants to depollute at least partially an air flow generated at least partially by the turbomachine in operation; e. monitoring said turbomachine in operation and the depollution of the air flow of the previous step, and setting up a monitoring on the basis of signals transmitted from said sensors to said control unit, said monitoring allowing to pass to step f. according to the signals transmitted by said sensors; f. shutting down the turbomachine; g. deactivating said depolluting system; and h. discharging said collected pollutants.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0062] These and other aspects of the invention will be clarified in the detailed description of particular embodiments of the invention, reference being made to the drawings of the figures, in which:

[0063] FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 show embodiments of the invention.

[0064] The drawings of the figures are not to scale. Generally, similar elements are denoted by similar references in the figures. The presence of reference numbers in the drawings cannot be regarded as limiting, even when such numbers are indicated in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0065] FIG. 1 shows an example of an embodiment of the invention. The test bench 1 comprises a channeled air duct 2. The channeled air duct 2 is, for example, a duct of rectangular cross-section. The channeled air duct 2 allows the circulation of an air flow between an air inlet 3 and an air outlet 4. The air flow between the air inlet 3 and the air outlet 4 is generated by the operation of the turbomachine 6 under test. The turbomachine 6 is positioned so that in operation it creates a negative pressure at the air inlet 3 and a positive pressure at the air outlet 4. The turbomachine 6 is positioned in a test chamber 5 of the channeled air duct 2. The test chamber 5 is positioned between an air inlet portion 13 and an air outlet portion 14. The air inlet portion 13 preferably comprises air flow smoothing means 23 so that the testing of the turbomachine 6 is carried out under optimum laminar air flow conditions.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows three possible locations of the depolluting system 10 in the channeled air duct 2 of the engine test bench 1. According to a first embodiment, the depolluting system 10 is positioned at the air inlet 3, i.e. at an inlet opening of the air inlet portion 13. According to a second embodiment, the depolluting system 10 is positioned between the smoothing means 23 and the turbomachine 6. According to a third embodiment, the depolluting system 10 is positioned at the air outlet 4, i.e. at an outlet opening of the air outlet portion 14.

[0067] FIG. 2 repeats the elements of the test bench 1 described for FIG. 1. In addition, FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention in which an air flow pipe portion 7 is positioned between the test chamber 5 and the outlet portion 14. This air flow pipe portion 7 allows for better management of the air flow at the outlet so that the air flow exiting the turbomachine 6 does not disturb the air flow entering the turbomachine 6. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, acoustic reduction means 15 are positioned at the air outlet 4. According to the third embodiment described in FIG. 1, the depolluting means 10 are included in the acoustic reduction means 15. For example, the depolluting means 10 replaces the acoustic reduction means 15 because the depolluting means 10 allows a similar acoustic reduction as the acoustic reduction means 15.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows the elements of the test bench 1 described in FIG. 1. In addition, the elements described in FIG. 2 can be combined with the elements described in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the test bench 1 comprises sensors 12 connected to a control means 11. The sensors 12 are positioned on either side of the depolluting system 10 regardless of the depolluting system embodiment described in FIG. 1. Preferably, the sensors 12 comprise at least one sensor upstream and one sensor downstream of the turbomachine 6. Thanks to the sensors 12 connected to the control means 11, it is possible to detect the presence of an air flow passing through the depolluting system 10. This is of interest in order to be able to control the correct operation of the depolluting system 10 in order to be able to prevent a clogging of the depolluting system 10. This control system (control means 11 and sensors 12) also enables to evaluate the level of depollution of the air flow in order to adjust, for example, the level of activation of the depolluting system 10.

[0069] FIG. 4 shows the elements of the test bench 1 described in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the elements described in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be combined together or independently with the elements described in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the test bench 1 comprises a bypass 15 so as to allow an air flow with acceptable pressure drops to be maintained at the inlet of the turbomachine 6 when a malfunction of the depolluting system 10 occurs. A malfunction is, for example, a partial or total clogging of the depolluting system 10. Thus, in the case of the first and second described positions of the depolluting system, the bypass 15 ensures that there is no pressure drop upstream of the turbomachine 6 that causes a pressure difference of less than 15 mbar between the upstream test chamber and the air inlet 3 of the channeled duct 2. In the case of the third embodiment, when the depolluting system 10 is positioned at the air outlet 4, the bypass 15 enables to guarantee the correct evacuation of the air flow in the event of a malfunction of the depolluting system 10. Indeed, in the event of a clogging during the test of the turbomachine 6, an overpressure in the outlet portion 14 could hinder the correct conduct of the test and present risks of damage to the test bench 1.

[0070] The present invention has been described in relation to specific embodiments, which are purely illustrative and should not be considered limiting. In general, the present invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and/or described above. The use of the verbs “comprise”, “include”, “contain”, or any other variant, as well as their conjugations, can in no way exclude the presence of elements other than those mentioned. The use of the indefinite article “a”, “an”, or the definite article “the” to introduce an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The reference numbers in the claims do not limit their scope.

[0071] In summary, the invention may also be described as follows. A depolluted test bench 1 for a turbomachine 6 comprising: [0072] a channeled air duct 2 comprising an air inlet 3 and an air outlet 4 to allow an air flow to circulate between said air inlet 3 and outlet 4, said channeled air duct 2 comprising a test chamber 5 for a test of a turbomachine 6, said test chamber 5 being located between said air inlet 3 and said air outlet 4; [0073] a depolluting system 10 positioned in said air duct 2 to depollute an air flow generated at least partially by a test of said turbomachine in the test bench; [0074] means (11) for controlling said depolluting system (10) to enable the depolluting system (10) to be switched on or off when a test of said turbomachine (6) is started or stopped.