Misplaced Pages

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68-639: The TP400 was originally selected by Airbus Military to power the A400M in December 2000. However, Airbus reopened the engine competition in February 2002, because the engine core, which is based on the Snecma M88 turbofan fighter engine, was too heavy and used too much fuel. By May 2002, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced a proposal involving a 12,000 shp (8,900 kW) turboprop with

136-411: A chart recorder or plotter . In addition to classification as absorption, motoring, or universal, as described above, dynamometers can also be classified in other ways. A dyno that is coupled directly to an engine is known as an engine dyno . A dyno that can measure torque and power delivered by the power train of a vehicle directly from the drive wheel or wheels without removing the engine from

204-542: A dynamometer to absorb and measure the power developed by the engine. During subsequent testing, the engine reached full power. On 28 February 2006, the engine was tested for the first time with the propeller installed. Europrop delivered the first TP400 engine for engine testbed flight testing on 19 November 2007. In June 2008, the TP400 had a first ground run on the inboard port wing of the C-130 K engine testbed, and integration

272-457: A DC/AC inverter - can feed AC power back into the commercial electrical power grid. Absorption dynamometers can be equipped with two types of control systems to provide different main test types. The dynamometer has a "braking" torque regulator - the power absorption unit is configured to provide a set braking force torque load, while the prime mover is configured to operate at whatever throttle opening, fuel delivery rate, or any other variable it

340-641: A contract in December 2004 to flight test the TP400 engine on a Lockheed C-130K Hercules aircraft, targeting flights in mid-2006 and hoping for a first flight in April of that year. Other testbed airframes considered were the Ilyushin Il-76 and what was thought to be the favorite, Airbus's own A340-300 testbed aircraft, because, unlike the C-130, it could reach the A400M maximum cruise speed. The TP400 large propeller would still have enough ground clearance with

408-412: A conversion constant may be required, depending on the units of measure used. For imperial or U.S. customary units, For metric units, A dynamometer consists of an absorption (or absorber/driver) unit, and usually includes a means for measuring torque and rotational speed. An absorption unit consists of some type of rotor in a housing. The rotor is coupled to the engine or other equipment under test and

476-544: A core based on its PW800 turbofan, a 53–89-kilonewton (5,400–9,100-kilogram-force; 12,000–20,000-pound-force) regional jet engine under development that had a geared fan at the time; the concept would later be called the PW180. In 2003, around the 30 April decision deadline, Airbus Chief Executive Noel Forgeard told reporters that the P&;WC proposal was 20 percent cheaper than for the TP400, and that he would have chosen to give

544-535: A diameter of 5.33 m (17.5 ft). The reversible, variable-pitch propeller holds eight blades, each having a carbon spar enclosed by a composite shell and a polyurethane coating. Its blades have a scimitar shape that results in a sweep angle of about 55 degrees at the blade tips, which have a helical speed of 290 m/s (951 ft/s; 1,044 km/h; 648 mph) at the A400M's cruise speed of Mach 0.68. The propeller has four rotational speed settings: 655, 730, 842 and 860 rpm . The 655 rpm setting

612-438: A fixed inertial mass load, calculates the power required to accelerate that fixed and known mass, and uses a computer to record RPM and acceleration rate to calculate torque. The engine is generally tested from somewhat above idle to its maximum RPM and the output is measured and plotted on a graph . A 'motoring' dynamometer provides the features of a brake dyno system, but in addition, can "power" (usually with an AC or DC motor)

680-411: A hydraulic pump (usually a gear-type pump), a fluid reservoir, and piping between the two parts. Inserted in the piping is an adjustable valve, and between the pump and the valve is a gauge or other means of measuring hydraulic pressure. In simplest terms, the engine is brought up to the desired RPM and the valve is incrementally closed. As the pumps outlet is restricted, the load increases and the throttle

748-563: A maximum power output of about 8,000 kW (11,000 hp). Reduction occurs in two stages: a first-stage offset design , followed by a second-stage planetary system . The total reduction gear ratio is about 9.5:1. The maximum gearbox output torque is 100 kilonewton-meters (74,000 pound force-feet). Early prototype gearbox cases were made using aluminum alloy, but magnesium alloy is used for production engines to reduce weight. Two slightly different gearbox designs are required on each aircraft to make two propellers turn in one direction and

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816-400: A more cost-effective solution is to attach a larger absorption dynamometer with a smaller motoring dynamometer. Alternatively, a larger absorption dynamometer and a simple AC or DC motor may be used in a similar manner, with the electric motor only providing motoring power when required (and no absorption). The (cheaper) absorption dynamometer is sized for the maximum required absorption, whereas

884-510: A particular purpose. A 'brake' dynamometer applies variable load on the prime mover (PM) and measures the PM's ability to move or hold the RPM as related to the "braking force" applied. It is usually connected to a computer that records applied braking torque and calculates engine power output based on information from a "load cell" or "strain gauge" and a speed sensor. An 'inertia' dynamometer provides

952-531: A quick load change rate for rapid load settling. Most are air cooled, but some are designed to require external water cooling systems. Eddy current dynamometers require an electrically conductive core, shaft, or disc moving across a magnetic field to produce resistance to movement. Iron is a common material, but copper, aluminum, and other conductive materials are also usable. In current (2009) applications, most EC brakes use cast iron discs similar to vehicle disc brake rotors, and use variable electromagnets to change

1020-492: A speed regulator (human or computer), the PAU provides a variable amount of braking force (torque) that is necessary to cause the prime mover to operate at the desired single test speed or RPM. The PAU braking load applied to the prime mover can be manually controlled or determined by a computer. Most systems employ eddy current, oil hydraulic, or DC motor produced loads because of their linear and quick load change abilities. The power

1088-407: A torque arm. The housing can be made free to rotate by using trunnions connected to each end of the housing to support it in pedestal-mounted trunnion bearings. The torque arm is connected to the dyno housing and a weighing scale is positioned so that it measures the force exerted by the dyno housing in attempting to rotate. The torque is the force indicated by the scales multiplied by the length of

1156-446: A variable frequency drive and AC induction motor, is a commonly used configuration of this type. Disadvantages include requiring a second set of test cell services (electrical power and cooling), and a slightly more complicated control system. Attention must be paid to the transition between motoring and braking in terms of control stability. Dynamometers are useful in the development and refinement of modern engine technology. The concept

1224-567: Is 25:1. The IP compressor has a pressure ratio of 3.5:1, and the HP compressor a pressure ratio of 7:1. The low pressure turbine (LPT) is provided by Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), and it is derived from the LPT of the Rolls-Royce BR715 regional turbofan. This free-power turbine drives the propeller through a third coaxial shaft and a reduction gearbox. The Avio -produced gearbox has

1292-477: Is a device for simultaneously measuring the torque and rotational speed ( RPM ) of an engine , motor or other rotating prime mover so that its instantaneous power may be calculated, and usually displayed by the dynamometer itself as kW or bhp . In addition to being used to determine the torque or power characteristics of a machine under test, dynamometers are employed in a number of other roles. In standard emissions testing cycles such as those defined by

1360-531: Is calculated as the product of angular velocity and torque . A motoring dynamometer acts as a motor that drives the equipment under test. It must be able to drive the equipment at any speed and develop any level of torque that the test requires. In common usage, AC or DC motors are used to drive the equipment or "load" device. In most dynamometers power ( P ) is not measured directly, but must be calculated from torque ( τ ) and angular velocity ( ω ) values or force ( F ) and linear velocity ( v ): Division by

1428-410: Is desired to test. The prime mover is then allowed to accelerate the engine through the desired speed or RPM range. Constant force test routines require the PAU to be set slightly torque deficient as referenced to prime mover output to allow some rate of acceleration. Power is calculated based on rotational speed x torque x constant. The constant varies depending on the units used. If the dynamometer has

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1496-435: Is driven by an IP turbine, is designed by MTU Aero Engines and has five stages. The high-pressure compressor (HPC) is designed by Rolls-Royce and has six stages, the first two of which are variable. Design lessons learned and experience gained on previous engine programs are incorporated in the design of the TP400. Snecma supplied the combustor , which is based on the combustor of its M88 turbofan fighter engine. To drive

1564-495: Is for low-altitude cruise, 730 rpm for normal cruise, and 842 rpm for takeoff and special maneuvers. The propeller converts the engine power into 110 kN (11,000 kgf; 25,000 lbf) of thrust . Data from EASA type certificate data sheet for TP400-D6, issue 07, page 6 Related lists Airbus Military Airbus Military was a business unit of Airbus , which was part of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) from 2009 to 2013. The company

1632-424: Is free to rotate at whatever speed is required for the test. Some means is provided to develop a braking torque between the rotor and housing of the dynamometer. The means for developing torque can be frictional, hydraulic, electromagnetic, or otherwise, according to the type of absorption/driver unit. One means for measuring torque is to mount the dynamometer housing so that it is free to turn except as restrained by

1700-437: Is needed to carry away the heat created by absorbing the horsepower). The housing attempts to rotate in response to the torque produced, but is restrained by the scale or torque metering cell that measures the torque. In most cases, motoring dynamometers are symmetrical; a 300 kW AC dynamometer can absorb 300 kW as well as motor at 300 kW. This is an uncommon requirement in engine testing and development. Sometimes,

1768-399: Is simply opened until at the desired throttle opening. Unlike most other systems, power is calculated by factoring flow volume (calculated from pump design specifications), hydraulic pressure, and RPM. Brake HP, whether figured with pressure, volume, and RPM, or with a different load cell-type brake dyno, should produce essentially identical power figures. Hydraulic dynos are renowned for having

1836-545: Is to use a dyno to measure and compare power transfer at different points on a vehicle, thus allowing the engine or drivetrain to be modified to get more efficient power transfer. For example, if an engine dyno shows that a particular engine achieves 400 N⋅m (295 lbf⋅ft) of torque, and a chassis dynamo shows only 350 N⋅m (258 lbf⋅ft), one would know that the drivetrain losses are nominal. Dynamometers are typically very expensive pieces of equipment, and so are normally used only in certain fields that rely on them for

1904-445: Is under test (e.g. Pelton wheel ). The dynamometer must be able to operate at any speed and load to any level of torque that the test requires. Absorbing dynamometers are not to be confused with "inertia" dynamometers, which calculate power solely by measuring power required to accelerate a known mass drive roller and provide no variable load to the prime mover. An absorption dynamometer is usually equipped with some means of measuring

1972-466: Is used to blow air to provide engine load. The torque absorbed by a fan brake may be adjusted by changing the gearing or the fan itself, or by restricting the airflow through the fan. Due to the low viscosity of air, this variety of dynamometer is inherently limited in the amount of torque that it can absorb. An oil shear brake has a series of friction discs and steel plates similar to the clutches in an automobile automatic transmission. The shaft carrying

2040-765: The Airbus A400M project, taking over from the Euroflag consortium . In May 2003, the company was restructured as Airbus Military Sociedad Limitada (AMSL) prior to the contract being awarded and its headquarters moved to Madrid , Spain. The Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTAD) was a division of EADS which designed, manufactured and sold EADS-CASA light and medium transport aircraft, headquartered in Madrid , Spain. On 16 December 2008, EADS announced that MTAD and AMSL would be integrated into Airbus as part of Airbus Military . In February 2009, Domingo Ureña-Raso

2108-582: The United States Environmental Protection Agency , dynamometers are used to provide simulated road loading of either the engine (using an engine dynamometer) or full powertrain (using a chassis dynamometer). Beyond simple power and torque measurements, dynamometers can be used as part of a testbed for a variety of engine development activities, such as the calibration of engine management controllers, detailed investigations into combustion behavior, and tribology . In

Europrop TP400 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-483: The full authority digital engine control (FADEC) software to the satisfaction of the civil authorities. More specifically, Europrop determined in mid-2008 that the engine worked correctly, but the FADEC software still did not meet EASA requirements. Since the A400M was intended for humanitarian missions, the aircraft also needed to have a civil certification. Europrop did not realize that this meant that every change made to

2244-469: The "water brake housing" for cooling. Environmental regulations may prohibit "flow through" water, in which case large water tanks are installed to prevent contaminated water from entering the environment. The schematic shows the most common type of water brake, known as the "variable level" type. Water is added until the engine is held at a steady RPM against the load, with the water then kept at that level and replaced by constant draining and refilling (which

2312-475: The A400M design would have a "handed" propeller configuration, meaning that the pair of propellers on each wing would turn in opposite directions known as rotating "down between engines". Two different gearboxes are required, one with extra components to reverse the rotation of the propeller. This counter-rotating propeller design meant the TP400 engine would have to be certificated for two different gearbox/propeller configurations. Airbus awarded Marshall Aerospace

2380-524: The A400M, despite accusations of European protectionism. A member of Europrop claimed after the decision that the TP400 contract would only increase the costs of the USD$ 22.7 billion A400M program by about 1–2 percent compared to if the PW180 had been selected. The signing of the A400M contract between Airbus Military and the European defense purchasing agency OCCAR on May 27, 2003 marked the beginning of

2448-538: The FADEC software for the largest civil jet engine . Further problems arose in 2016 with the propeller gearbox. It showed abnormal wear and inadequate management of the heat generated in the reduction gearing which required premature servicing. This problem led to the German Air Force temporarily grounding two of its three A400M aircraft, and also resulted in a Royal Air Force aircraft suffering an inflight engine shutdown. An interim fix for this engine issue

2516-706: The HPC, Snecma designed the high pressure turbine (HPT), also using M88 experience. The MTU design for their IPT uses Turbo-Union RB199 and Eurojet EJ200 turbofan fighter engine experience. Both the Snecma HPT and the MTU IPT have one stage with unshrouded HPT blades and IPT blades with shrouds. The shaft connecting the IPC to the IPT rotates in the opposite direction to the HP shaft through which it passes. The overall pressure ratio

2584-475: The TP400, and on 13 March 2013 it granted a type certificate for the A400M aircraft. The aircraft and engine officially entered service on 30 September 2013 with the French Air Force. Several technical problems delayed the engine's certification test program and pushed the entire A400M aircraft program into further scheduling adjustments. The engine delays were primarily due to problems with completing

2652-446: The air gap between the rotor and the coil. The resulting flux lines create "chains" of metal particulate that are constantly built and broken apart during rotation, creating great torque. Powder dynamometers are typically limited to lower RPM due to heat dissipation problems. Hysteresis dynamometers use a magnetic rotor, sometimes of AlNiCo alloy, that is moved through flux lines generated between magnetic pole pieces. The magnetisation of

2720-427: The aircraft development program, which was planned to last 77 months (6 years, 5 months). At the 2003 Paris Air Show , Europrop signed a 300 million euro contract with former engine consortium partner Avio to supply the gearboxes. However, because of mechanical and aerodynamic problems that Lockheed Martin encountered on its C-130J Super Hercules upgrade, which used new engines and propellers that had half

2788-413: The back, grip, arm, and/or leg strength of athletes, patients, and workers to evaluate physical status, performance, and task demands. Typically the force applied to a lever or through a cable is measured and then converted to a moment of force by multiplying by the perpendicular distance from the force to the axis of the level. An absorbing dynamometer acts as a load that is driven by the prime mover that

Europrop TP400 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-433: The contract to P&WC, but government officials requested an extension for the companies to revise their bids. Before the final bids were modified, sources claimed that P&WC's offering, which had a European production percentage of 75 percent, was lower by USD$ 400 million. On 6 May, amidst pressure from European political and business leaders, Airbus awarded a USD$ 3.4 billion contract to Europrop to produce 900 engines for

2924-405: The dynamometer can receive payment (or credit) from the utility for the returned power via net metering . In engine testing, universal dynamometers can not only absorb the power of the engine, but can also drive the engine for measuring friction, pumping losses, and other factors. Electric motor/generator dynamometers are generally more costly and complex than other types of dynamometers. A fan

2992-489: The end of October 2007, 54 months (4 years, 6 months) into the engine program. The first test flight of the TP400-powered A400M would follow by the end of the next month, and engine certification with the baseline propeller would occur by the end of March 2008. Finally, the qualification test would finish by the end of January 2009. After a two-month delay, the engine first ran on 28 October 2005 using

3060-525: The engine installed on the A340 low-mounted wing. According to the engine master program presented in September 2006, the TP400 was to reach its first engine run by the end of August 2005, followed by the first combined engine and propeller run by the end of that year. The TP400 would fly on its own specialized testbed aircraft by the end of 2006, and the engine would be certified with the "handed" propeller by

3128-423: The frame of the vehicle), is known as a chassis dyno . Dynamometers can also be classified by the type of absorption unit or absorber/driver that they use. Some units that are capable of absorption only can be combined with a motor to construct an absorber/driver or "universal" dynamometer. Eddy current (EC) dynamometers are currently the most common absorbers used in modern chassis dynos. The EC absorbers provide

3196-468: The friction discs is attached to the load through a coupling. A piston pushes the stack of friction discs and steel plates together creating shear in the oil between the discs and plates applying a torque. Torque can be controlled pneumatically or hydraulically. Force lubrication maintains a film of oil between the surfaces to eliminate wear. Reaction is smooth down to zero RPM without stick-slip. Loads up to hundreds of thermal horsepower can be absorbed through

3264-399: The magnetic field strength to control the amount of braking. The electromagnet voltage is usually controlled by a computer, using changes in the magnetic field to match the power output being applied. Sophisticated EC systems allow steady state and controlled acceleration rate operation. A powder dynamometer is similar to an eddy current dynamometer, but a fine magnetic powder is placed in

3332-604: The maximum cruise speed to Mach 0.64 instead of the TP400 propeller's Mach 0.72 maximum. On 18 November 2009, an A400M test aircraft completed a ground run for the first time with all four TP400 engines, quickly followed by the A400M's first taxi trial on 23 November 2009. On 11 December 2009, the maiden flight of the A400M took place. The engine earned civil certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 6 May 2011. By April 2012, EASA certified Ratier-Figeac's FH385/FH386 propellers for

3400-436: The medical terminology, hand-held dynamometers are used for routine screening of grip and hand strength , and the initial and ongoing evaluation of patients with hand trauma or dysfunction. They are also used to measure grip strength in patients where compromise of the cervical nerve roots or peripheral nerves is suspected. In the rehabilitation , kinesiology , and ergonomics realms, force dynamometers are used for measuring

3468-416: The most useful technologies in small (200 hp (150 kW) and less) dynamometers. Electric motor / generator dynamometers are a specialized type of adjustable-speed drive . The absorption/driver unit can be either an alternating current (AC) motor or a direct current (DC) motor. Either an AC motor or a DC motor can operate as a generator that is driven by the unit under test or a motor that drives

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3536-403: The motoring dynamometer is sized for motoring. A typical size ratio for common emission test cycles and most engine development is approximately 3:1. Torque measurement is somewhat complicated since there are two machines in tandem - an inline torque transducer is the preferred method of torque measurement in this case. An eddy-current or waterbrake dynamometer, with electronic control combined with

3604-452: The operating torque and speed. The power absorption unit (PAU) of a dynamometer absorbs the power developed by the prime mover. This power absorbed by the dynamometer is then converted into heat, which generally dissipates into the ambient air or transfers to cooling water that dissipates into the air. Regenerative dynamometers, in which the prime mover drives a DC motor as a generator to create load, make excess DC power and potentially - using

3672-417: The other two in the opposite direction depending on their position on the wing. The difference in the gearbox is the addition of an idler gear so those without the idler gear turn in one direction and those with turn in the opposite direction. The respective engines are known as baseline and handed, either of which may also be fitted with a propeller brake. The propeller is designed by Ratier-Figeac and has

3740-414: The planned output of the TP400, Airbus retained the option to select the engine configuration and the propeller for itself. The TP400 development schedule, which was considered very ambitious, had the bench run of the engine targeted for within 27 months (2 years, 3 months) of the contract signing, or August 2005. In spite of Europrop's insistence that testing on a specialized engine testbed aircraft

3808-422: The power of large naval engines. Water brake absorbers are relatively common today. They are noted for their high power capability, small size, light weight, and relatively low manufacturing costs as compared to other, quicker reacting, "power absorber" types. Their drawbacks are that they can take a relatively long period of time to "stabilize" their load amount, and that they require a constant supply of water to

3876-478: The quickest load change ability, just slightly surpassing eddy current absorbers. The downside is that they require large quantities of hot oil under high pressure and an oil reservoir. The hydraulic dynamometer (also referred to as the water brake absorber) was invented by British engineer William Froude in 1877 in response to a request by the Admiralty to produce a machine capable of absorbing and measuring

3944-507: The required force lubrication and cooling unit. Most often, the brake is kinetically grounded through a torque arm anchored by a strain gauge which produces a current under load fed to the dynamometer control. Proportional or servo control valves are generally used to allow the dynamometer control to apply pressure to provide the program torque load with feedback from the strain gauge closing the loop. As torque requirements go up there are speed limitations. The hydraulic brake system consists of

4012-571: The rotor is thus cycled around its B-H characteristic, dissipating energy proportional to the area between the lines of that graph as it does so. Unlike eddy current brakes, which develop no torque at standstill, the hysteresis brake develops largely constant torque, proportional to its magnetising current (or magnet strength in the case of permanent magnet units) over its entire speed range. Units often incorporate ventilation slots, though some have provision for forced air cooling from an external supply. Hysteresis and Eddy Current dynamometers are two of

4080-423: The software in the FADEC had to be documented to enable traceability so EASA denied civil certification of the software. Because of this problem, the first A400M test aircraft, which was flight-ready by September 2008, was not permitted to fly. Europrop had to triple the size of its workforce to fix the issue, resulting in a FADEC system consisting of over 275,000 lines of code, which was four times more complex than

4148-400: The torque arm measured from the center of the dynamometer. A load cell transducer can be substituted for the scales in order to provide an electrical signal that is proportional to torque. Another means to measure torque is to connect the engine to the dynamo through a torque sensing coupling or torque transducer. A torque transducer provides an electrical signal that is proportional to

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4216-468: The torque. With electrical absorption units, it is possible to determine torque by measuring the current drawn (or generated) by the absorber/driver. This is generally a less accurate method and not much practiced in modern times, but it may be adequate for some purposes. When torque and speed signals are available, test data can be transmitted to a data acquisition system rather than being recorded manually. Speed and torque signals can also be recorded by

4284-414: The unit under test. When equipped with appropriate control units, electric motor/generator dynamometers can be configured as universal dynamometers. The control unit for an AC motor is a variable-frequency drive , while the control unit for a DC motor is a DC drive . In both cases, regenerative control units can transfer power from the unit under test to the electric utility. Where permitted, the operator of

4352-571: Was appointed chair and CEO of Airbus Military. On July 31, 2013, parent company EADS announced its reorganization as the Airbus Group . Airbus Military, Astrium , and Cassidian were merged and reorganized to form a new division: Airbus Defence and Space , marking the end of the Airbus Military corporate entity. Airbus Group's two other divisions are Airbus and Airbus Helicopters Dynamometer A dynamometer or "dyno"

4420-565: Was certified in July 2016. The gearbox issues persisted, and as of July 2018, the final fix was planned to be introduced by the end of that year. The TP400 has a three-shaft configuration, consisting of a two-shaft gas generator followed by a free-power turbine . It has a chin air intake , for its mass flow of 26.3 kilograms per second (3,480 pounds per minute). In the gas generator, the low pressure compressor, called an intermediate pressure compressor (IPC) by Europrop International because it

4488-457: Was completed onto the first A400M production aircraft. After 24 hours of ground runs and taxi trials, the first flight of a single TP400-D6 engine took place on 17 December 2008. Airbus and Marshall completed flight testing on the C-130K testbed aircraft completed on 30 September 2009 after 18 flights, 55 flight hours, and 61 hours of ground tests, although the design of the C-130K airframe limited

4556-542: Was formally created in April 2009 by the integration of the former Military Transport Aircraft Division ( MTAD ) and Airbus Military Sociedad Limitada ( AMSL ) into Airbus. In January 2014, former EADS divisions Airbus Military, Astrium , and Cassidian merged to form Airbus Defence and Space . The predecessor company, headquartered in Blagnac , was established in January 1999 as Airbus Military Company SAS , to manage

4624-501: Was unnecessary, Airbus pushed for such a program on the Airbus A300 or A340 starting 11 months after the first ground tests. The engine testbed program would cost Airbus an estimated €40 million. In July/August 2003, Airbus signed a contract worth up to USD$ 830 million with Ratier-Figeac to supply the propellers , which would be 5.33 meters (17.5 feet) in diameter and have eight composite blades. By May 2004, Airbus decided that

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