Energy and Propulsion

Case Western University
NASA Glenn Research Center
The Ohio State University
Plum Brook Station
University of Akron
University of Dayton

Case Western University


Combustion Diagnostics Laboratory

  • Solid combustion chamber
    • Continuous fuel dispenser
    • Multi-sample ignition and upward flame spread insert
  • Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) test equipment burner
  • GIFFTS chamber-A chamber
    • Pressure control
    • Atmospheric composition control
  • TEOFF- low speed tunnel for sample preheat during ignition testing
    • Intumescent coating testing device
    • Particle Imaging Velocimeter

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NASA Glenn Research Center


Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR)

High-pressure, high-temperature combustion rig that simulates combustor inlet test conditions up to a pressure of 900 psig and temperatures up to 1300°F non-vitiated (no combustibles) at flow rates ranging from 5 to 50-lb/s

Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL)

  • Facility providing outstanding testing services in aircraft noise reduction, engine nozzle and fan components acoustic, and performance research
  • Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR):
  • Designed specifically for acoustic and aerodynamic testing of advanced nozzle concepts
  • Small Hot Jet Acoustic Rig (SHJAR):
  • Provides researchers with an all-in-one platform to economically evaluate thrust performance, acoustic performance, and plume turbulence characteristics of new nozzle concepts
  • Advanced Noise Control Fan (ANCF):
  • Test bed developed to test noise reduction concepts, noise measurement concepts, and provide a flexible and realistic aero-acoustic source for CAA code verification

Electric Propulsion Laboratory (EPL)

Supports research and development of spacecraft power and electric propulsion systems.

Electric Propulsion Research Building (EPRB)

  • Supports research and development of spacecraft power, electric propulsion, and space environmental effects.
  • Research that is initiated in EPRB on a concept or component level leads to a system or higher fidelity tests in facilities such as VF-5 (very high pumping speed), VF-6 (unique in its solar simulator capabilities and electric propulsion features), or SPF (world’s largest vacuum chamber). This ensures that these world-class facilities are effectively utilized and that research is done in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Engine Components Research Lab (ECRL)

  • Advanced Combustor Rig (ECRL-1B)
    • Used to evaluate various combustor and afterburner concepts in a realistic engine environment
  • Small Turbine Engine Rig (ECRL-2B)
    • Used for turbine engine research of mutual interest to the U.S. Army and NASA GRC
    • Can be operated as a ground level turboshaft facility or as an altitude facility for core engine tests

Engine Research Building (ERB)

Most aspects of engine development can be studied here with numerous facilities specializing in turbomachinery, tribology, flow physics, combustion, aerochemistry, mechanical components, and heat transfer.

Heated Tube Facility

Investigates cooling issues by simulating conditions characteristic of rocket engine thrust chambers and high speed airbreathing propulsion systems.

Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL)

  • Ground-based test facility that can provide true flight simulation for experimental research on air-breathing propulsion systems
  • Altitudes to 90,000 ft and Mach numbers to 3.0 in one cell and 6.0 in the other can be simulated continuously
  • Engine airflow is available to 480 lb/s at an inlet pressure of 55 psia or to 380 lb/s at 165 psia
  • Inlet temperature control is also available

Research Combustion Laboratory (RCL)

  • Develops aerospace propulsion technology by performing tests on propulsion components and materials
  • Separate test cells can provide a highly flexible matrix of test conditions to quickly tailor unique research goals
  • Common propellants include gaseous hydrogen and oxygen, liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and hydrocarbon fuels
  • Flow rates range from 0.1 to 7 lb/s Altitudes up to 90,000 ft can be simulated.

Small Multi-Purpose Research Facility (SMiRF)

Part of the RCL, evaluates the performance of the thermal protection systems required to provide long-term storage (of up to 10 years) of cryogenic propellants in space.
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The Ohio State University


OSU GTL Turbine Facility

  • Facility can operate in either shock tube or blowdown mode
  • Turbine stage
    • Design Reynolds number
    • Design flow function, corrected speed, & stage pressure ratio
  • Digital data acquisition system

Fan Spin Pit Facility

  • Operates at speeds up to 6,000 rpm
  • Can run fan with tip dia ≈ 70-inches
  • Has 200-channel slip ring for rotating measurements
  • Machine tool incursion mechanism with variable rate & depth

Gas Dynamics and Turbulence Laboratory (GDTL)

  • Heated jet facility for noise mitigation research in commercial and military aircraft using patented plasma actuators
  • High Reynolds number flow facility currently used for cavity flow control for military aircraft weapon bay application
  • Supersonic tunnel (for inlet flow control and Mauro-optics)

Jet Engine Simulators

  • Array of 1/12 Scale GE Engine Simulators for use in Jet Engine Test Cell Developments
    • Provides Scaled Correct Mass Flow and Thrust

Wind Turbine Gearbox Research of OSU GearLab

  • Simulated roller contact test methodology
  • Both gear and bearing contacts
  • Accelerated tests including the effect of run-in conditions

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Plum Brook Station


Cryogenic Propellant Tank Facility (K-Site)

  • Space-environment test chamber 25 ft in diameter with a 20 ft-diameter door
  • The design and construction of this facility allows large-scale liquid hydrogen (LH2) experiments to be conducted safely

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University of Akron


Gas Turbine Research Testing Facility

  • Aramis 3-D
    • Simultaneous 3D Measure
    • Measuring Sensitivity is 1/30,000 Field of View
    • High Dynamic Range: Microns-Millimeters/Step
    • Post-Processing
    • Static or High speed capacity
  • 2 CSZ Environmental Chambers
    • Chamber 1
      • Temperature and Humidity control
      • -73C to190C
      • Humidity 5% to 98% RH
      • 4’ x 4’ Chamber
  • Chamber 2
    • Temperature and Humidity control
    • -73C to 190C
    • Humidity 5% to 98%
    • 2’ x 2’ Chamber
  • Gas Gun
    • Projectile up to 4”radius
    • Speeds up to 700ft/sec
    • High speed imaging
    • High speed DIC strain measurements
  • 5 Load Frames
    • 400 kip load frame
    • 300 kip load frame
    • 100 kip load frame
    • 52 kip load frame
    • 20 kip load frame
  • Photron APX-RS High Speed Cameras
    • Full 1024 x 1024-pixels resolution up to 3,000 fps
    • 10,000 fps at 512 x 512-pixels
    • 250,000 fps at reduced resolution
  • Polytec Scanning Laser Vibrometer
    • Non- contact laser Doppler vibrometer analysis of structural vibrations.
  • Shearography Non-Destructive Testing
    • Local deformations from Applied load
    • Local relative weakness in material & structure
    • Sensitive to 1/10th micron displacement

Chemical Analysis

  • Chromatography Instrumentation
    • HPLC: Varian Model 240 High Pressure Liquid Chromatograph
    • GC: Varian CP-3800 Gas Chromatograph
    • GC/MS: Thermo Fisher Focus DSQII
    • GPC: Waters 515 Pump with 2414 Refractometer for THF/DMF/Toluene
  • Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy Instrumentation
    • Thermo Electron Nicolet 4700 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer
    • SensIR Technologies DuraScope ATR
  • NMR Instrumentation (available in collaboration with the Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory)
    • 1 – Varian INOVA 750 MHz (Solid + Liquid)
    • 2 – Varian NMRS 500 MHz (Solid + Liquid)
    • 1 – Varian INOVA 400 MHz (Liquids)
    • 2 – Varian Mercury 300 MHz (Liquids)
    • 1 – Varian INOVA 200 MHz (Solids)
    • 1 – Chemagnetics 200 MHz (Solids)
  • Miscellaneous Equipment
    • Mettler Toledo DL31 Water Analyzer
    • Buchi Rotavapor
    • Melt Flow Index Instrument
    • Brookfield Viscometers

Thermal Analysis

  • DSC: TA Instruments Q200 Differential Scanning Calorimeter
  • TGA: TA Instruments Q50 Thermogravimetric Analyzer
  • DMA: TA Instruments RSA3 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
  • DMA: Rheometrics Mark V Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analyzer
  • Melt flow index Dynisco Polymer Test

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University of Dayton


Fuel Science Testing

  • Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) systems for measuring fuel deposition, oxidation, and the affect of additives
  • Various gas chromatographic systems with atomic emission, mass spectrometric, and flame ionization detection
  • High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with uv-vis absorption, electrochemical, and refractive index detection
  • Scanning Brookfield viscometry
  • Low temperature optical microscopy
  • Differential scanning calorimetry
  • Solid-phase extraction techniques for preseparation of fuel components
  • Computational molecular modeling and molecular dynamics
  • Development of pseudo-detailed chemical kinetic models
  • Various thermal oxidation and pyrolysis fuel heat exchangers
  • Total carbon analyzer
  • Direct PCR analysis of biological contaminant organisms

Modeling and Simulation

  • Variety of general purpose commercial CFD codes for aerospace applications
  • In-house specialty CFD codes
  • CHEMKIN & REACT codes for chemical kinetics
  • Molecular modeling codes
  • Codes for dynamic system analysis
  • Laboratories for scaled fuel system component simulations and experiments
  • Access to supercomputing facilities
  • Development of pseudo-detailed chemical kinetic models
  • Laboratories for chemical analyses

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