Overview

The laboratory at Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT) has performed a broad range of testing needs for a large customer base. Supported by an engineering staff with many years of testing and analytical experience, FTT’s aero-thermal laboratory provides extensive aerodynamic and thermal testing capabilities, including the following (click on any link for additional information):

Airflow Testing
Water/Dye Injection
Transient Liquid Crystal (TLC) Thermography for thermal design verification

In evaluating our customers’ hardware and assemblies, aero-thermal services include, but are not limited to, analytical data matching, flow visualization, and flow/pressure drop characterization. These services allow for our customers to increase component durability and performance.

Airflow Testing Capability

FTT’s aero-thermal laboratory possesses a custom-designed airflow system to perform steady-state or transient/blow-down airflow tests. Airflow system measurement accuracy is determined through the use of NIST-certified Sonic Venturi Nozzles for airflow measurement in conjunction with dead-weight testing and thermocouple calibration to verify pressure and temperature measurement.

The following specifications apply:

NIST-certified Sonic Venturi Nozzle Accuracy: ± 0.5%
System Flow Measurement Accuracy: ± 1.0%
Heated Air Temperature range: 110 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Airflow testing performed for our customers includes:

Development and verification of manufacturing airflow fixtures and flow measurement devices including on-site determination of airflow measurement accuracy and fixture performance, airflow process development, and airflow personnel training.

Real-time measurement and data storage of mass-flow level and component pressures via pressure tap techniques to determine flow system pressure losses.

Water/Dye Injection

FTT’s aero-thermal laboratory possesses the capability to provide water/dye injection testing of components for internal flow system visualization. This testing technique identifies internal flow system characteristics that can have a direct impact on component durability and performance. Scaled-up stereolithographic models are often used to check a design in the preliminary stages in order to fine-tune the heat-transfer characteristics.

 

Transient Liquid Crystal (TLC) Thermography

FTT’s aero-thermal laboratory can provide internal flow systems analysis and testing using TLC thermography. Custom LabVIEW® frame-imaging software has been developed in-house to process aqueous liquid crystal transient changes in order to provide qualitative and quantitative system analysis. Using heated airflow, TLC thermography can be used for a wide variety of applications, including the investigation of internal flow systems, to determine heat transfer levels for product development and to identify flow anomalies that result in reduced component durability.