| Flagship to the National
Gas Machinery Laboratory at Kansas State University
is the Turbocharger Test and Research Facility (TTRF),
which is a state-of-the-art test facility that provides
the means to test operating performance of turbochargers
used on large-bore slow-speed reciprocating engines.
For the past 10 years, the natural gas transmission
industry has relied heavily upon the NGML to provide
accurate and independent turbocharger testing services.
Turbocharger/engine operating information is vital
to the sustained and reliable operation of an engine
system especially as operating margins continue to
close due to tighter emissions regulations and as
increased demand requires increased loads with little
room for unplanned outages.
This state-of-the art test cell meets ASME and SAE
test codes. A natural gas burner heats the air entering
the turbine and allows operators to change operating
conditions to field operating conditions while under
test. The TTRF can achieve 3-to-1 pressure ratios
as well as flow rates up to 30,000 scfm and 30 psig.
Between a unique rail system that allows the test
cell to be reconfigured and a large inventory of transitions
pieces, the TTRF can be used to test most models of
large turbochargers.
The TTRF data acquisition system meets Nuclear Regulatory
Commission requirements. This includes a vibration
system that records horizontal, vertical, and axial
vibration traces to identify abnormalities that a
1- or 2-channel vibration system could miss. The vibration
monitoring system operates in real time so the client
can monitor traces during the testing.
Data collection for speed, temperature, and pressure
parameters is recorded for a client-specified amount
of time and then averaged. This method assures that
the collected operating point is repeatable and not
a mere fluctuation. The NGML does not collect instantaneous
points. Quality control procedures and a software
interface ensure accurate, precise, and, most importantly,
meaningful data collection.
The TTRF continues to provide industry the ability
to test improved turbocharger designs that lower emissions,
improve efficiency, and increase reliability.
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