High Speed Compressor Facility R-4

Infrastructure
Description

The VKI R-4 test rig is a high speed compressor test bench with a closed loop system that can be pressurized from vacuum to 3 bars. This gives the possibility to modify independently the Reynolds number and then to test different operating conditions for an aero-engine (takeoff, cruise,…). The maximum shaft speed is 25 000 RPM. It has recently undergone a deep renovation phase mainly focused on a more efficient cooling system to stabilize the temperature even on high power regimes (500kW).

Main technical characteristics

Maximum Pressure: 3 bars

Maximum Shaft Speed: 25 000 RPM

Maximum Length: 1 m

Hydraulic diameter: 0.079 m

Vertical Rotating Disc: 2.5 m

Maximum Rotational Speed: 160 rpm

Contact Information

Fabrizio Fontaneto – Professor in turbomachinery and Propulsion Department
fabrizio.fontaneto@vki.ac.be

(Belgium)
EREA