Development of an Experimental Capability to Produce Controlled Blade Tip∕Shroud Rubs at Engine Speed

Abstract

An experimental capability using an in-ground spin-pit facility specifically designed to investigate aeromechanic phenomena for gas turbine engine hardware rotating at engine speed is demonstrated herein to obtain specific information related to prediction and modeling of blade-casing interactions. Experiments are designed to allow insertion of a segment of engine casing into the path of single-bladed or multiple-bladed disks. In the current facility configuration, a 90deg sector of a representative engine casing is forced to rub the tip of a single-bladed compressor disk for a selected number of rubs with predetermined blade incursion into the casing at rotational speeds in the vicinity of 20,000rpm.