The Notre Dame Turbomachinery Laboratory (NDTL) at the University of Notre Dame has entered into an 11-month agreement with Williams International (WI) to support jet engine testing using advanced instrumentation methods developed by NDTL researchers. Engine testing will occur in two phases with the first phase to begin in January 2018 at the WI campus in Michigan. After the test, NDTL will have supported its first full scale jet engine test.
The engine testing is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engine (VAATE) Advanced Engine Sustainment Technology (AEST) program, which is focused on the development of new technologies that reduce the costs of engine development, acquisition and sustainment. Design, analysis, fabrication and assembly of the instrumentation will take place at NDTL’s facility located at Ignition Park in South Bend, Ind. Engine integration will take place on the WI campus.
“Following our collaborative hardware and software design efforts with Williams International, NDTL is eager to begin testing with our jointly-designed instrumentation suite at the WI campus,” said Joshua D. Cameron, director of NDTL. “The opportunity to apply the knowledge we have acquired from scaled-rig testing to actual full scale engine testing is a big step forward for NDTL and aligns well with our strategic research vision.”
“Williams International is excited to engage with NDTL in the development of next generation instrumentation for the gas turbine industry,” said Tom Williams, Vice President of Advanced Design at WI.
Headquartered in Michigan, Williams International is the world leader in the design, manufacturing and support of small gas turbine engines. In addition to its world class reputation for customer support, Williams is also well known for establishing the most highly integrated and automated manufacturing facilities in the world to support high quality, high volume production and on schedule delivery of its rapidly growing family of commercial and military products. Ingot and other raw materials enter one end of these facilities and finished engines exit the other. For more information about the company, its products and support, please visit www.williams-int.com.
NDTL is focused on research, testing and workforce development for a wide range of applications that involve turbomachinery technology. NDTL’s new 28,000-square-foot, world-class facility in South Bend, Indiana offers experimental and numerical capabilities for the development of rotating machinery that requires high power levels and related specialized support. These capabilities create a shorter development path for new gas turbine engine technologies within any industry. For more information, please visit turbo.nd.edu.
Contact: Jasmin Avila, communications program manager, NDTL, 574-631-1821, javila4@nd.edu
Originally published by at turbo.nd.edu on January 11, 2018.