China succeeds in TPS negative thrust wind tunnel test

File photo shows a wind tunnel test of China. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's first Turbofan-Powered-Simulator (TPS) negative thrust test achieved a complete success in a wind tunnel of 8 m * 6 m in the Low Speed Aerodynamics Institute (LSAI) of the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center (CARDC) on February 26, 2015.

Results show that this test technique works very well to simulate the various power output states of the engine, so as to study systematically the impact of the engine on the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft and acquire the precise data to meet the development demands.

The success of such test marks that China has been capable of conducting TPS positive and negative thrust wind tunnel tests, which is of great significance to China's research and development of aircraft, especially large aircraft.

It is learnt that the TPS is an indispensable experiment for large Turbofan engines. Since the power output of the engine has an impact on the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft, the wind tunnel test is internationally recognized as the best way to verify and optimize the design of the aerodynamic shape and engine of the aircraft.

The TPS wind tunnel test is the most complicated part of the low speed wind tunnel test technique. The LSAI of CARDC has been committed to such research since the end of last century, and has successfully completed China's first TPS positive thrust wind tunnel test in 2007.

Compared with the positive thrust simulation, the negative thrust simulation has more signals to test and monitor, so it has a higher requirement on the monitoring alarm system and the miniaturization of test instrument. With the approval of China's large aircraft project, the establishment of a matched set of TPS negative thrust wind tunnel test technique is a task of top priority.

The LSAI of CARDC started the TPS negative thrust research project in 2009. After 6 years' efforts, they finally succeed in completing the TPS negative thrust test in a wind tunnel of 8 m * 6 m now.