Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

National Aerospace Laboratories

Propulsion

CSIR-NAL

Scramjet flame

Bump foil bearing

Wankel engine

AMB

TURBOMACHINERY
The division incorporates a number of research
groups and test facilities catering to various aspects
of turbo machinery. It has capabilities to design,
fabricate and test centrifugal/mixed/axial flow
compressors & axial flow turbines and also to
undertake advanced research in these areas.

Intermittent blow down

40 to 80 mm
5 to 15 kg/s
Up to 1.5 (Turbine)
Up to 0.85 (Compressor)
0.1 to 2.5 Millions
Transonic Cascade Tunnel (TCT)

Energy systems

Specifications of TCT:
Type
Blade chord
Mass flow
Outlet Mach number
Inlet Mach number
Reynolds number

MAV propeller

Rotor dynamics &

Mechanical aspects

Transonic Cascade Tunnel (TCT)

The Transonic Cascade Tunnel is a high speed wind
tunnel equipped to test linear cascade models of
compressor and turbine airfoils for aerodynamic
performance. The TCT can also cater for quasi 3D
studies with coolant flows, end wall secondary
flows, inlet boundary layers, inlet turbulence etc.

Centrifugal compressor Axial flow fan rotor

Combustion &
Heat transfer

Technologies and products

Distortion screens for aero engine intakes
Centrifugal and mixed flow compressors
Detection of stall in centrifugal compressors
CD airfoils for axial flow compressors
Stall control using air jets and casing treatment
in axial flow compressors
Reverse flow combustors and atomizers
Gas turbine cooling - film, effusion
and impingement
Afterburner, exhaust nozzle and thrust vectoring
Ramjet /Scramjet combustors
Bump foil & Active Magnetic Bearings (AMB)
Squeeze film dampers, composite rotor shafts
and shaft flexure control
MAV propellers & ultra light helicopter
Wankel and pulsejet engines
Endothermic and bio fuels
Micro gas turbine, High speed alternator

Turbo machinery

The Propulsion Division is involved in carrying out basic and applied research concerning critical areas of
gas turbine propulsion and aerothermodynamics. The division is known for its diverse research themes,
exceptional experimental facilities and core expertise. The divisions major areas of interest are turbo
machinery, combustion and heat transfer, energy systems, rotor dynamics and mechanical aspects of
turbo machinery. The Propulsion Division is also keen in research activities leading to development of
products. The division has contributed immensely to the National programmes of DRDO and ISRO and
has strong collaborations with several international agencies.

Propulsion
Axial Flow Compressor Research Rig (AFCR)
The Axial Flow Compressor Research Rig is a tool for
carrying out performance evaluation and parametric
studies on model compressor stages of gas turbines.
The AFCR is equipped with detailed instrumentation
for steady state and transient flow measurements.

Axial Flow Compressor Research Rig (AFCR)

Energy systems

Rotor dynamics &

Mechanical aspects

Combustion &
Heat transfer

Turbo machinery

Closed Circuit Centrifugal Compressor Test Rig

(CLOCTER)
The Closed Circuit Centrifugal Compressor Test Rig
is a high speed rotating facility equipped to carry
out aerodynamic studies on centrifugal and mixed
flow compressors. The rig incorporates a thyristor
controlled 375 kW, 3000 rpm DC motor and a step
up gear box that can cater for speeds up to 60,000
rpm. The rig can handle impeller tip speed of 550
m/s, mass flow rate of 10 kg/s and multiple flow
mediums.

Large Scale Rotating Rig (LSRR)

Salient Features of AFCR:

Tip speed, mass flow rate and pressure ratio up to
480 m/s, 27 kg/s & 2.0 respectively
Thyristor controlled DC motor - 1.15 MW, 333-1000
rpm with speed ratios of 1:18 or 1:30
1 or 2 stages with IGV, Hub-tip ratio of 0.35 - 0.85

Closed Circuit Centrifugal Compressor Test Rig (CLOCTER)

Large Scale Rotating Rig (LSRR)

The Large Scale Rotating Rig is a low speed suck
down type of a rig capable of testing both axial flow
compressor and turbine stages. It is equipped with
instrumentation to make steady state and transient
measurements in the stationary and rotating frames.
Research work on unsteady rotor-stator interaction,
hot streak migration, casing treatment, tip leakage
flow characterization, cavity gas path ingestion, end
wall leakage flows etc. can be carried out in this rig.

Versatile Turbine Test Rig (VTTR)

Versatile Turbine Test Rig (VTTR) is a hot flow
rotating rig being set-up in the division to cater for
the future R&D needs of high speed axial turbines.
Salient features of VTTR:
Constant power absorbing capacity up to 500 kW
Rotor speeds up to 50,000 rpm
Mass flow rates up to 9 kg/s
Turbine inlet pressures up to 10 kg/cm2
Turbine inlet temperatures up to 1300 K

Salient Features of TRSRR:

Rotor speeds up to 3200 rpm, mass flow rates up
to 4.5 kg/s & flow coefficient of 0.46
Flexibility to vary vane-blade axial gap

Turbine Rim Seal Research Rig (TRSRR)

Turbine Rim Seal Research Rig (TRSRR)

Turbine Rim Seal Research Rig is designed for
optimizing rim cavities, seals and purge flows. The rig
houses a single stage axial turbine with provisions for
internal purge and leak flows. It has instrumentation
for steady and unsteady pressure distributions in the
cavity and on the vane/blade platforms. CO2 tracermass transfer technique is used for characterizing the
cooling effectiveness.

COMBUSTION & HEAT TRANSFER

Propulsion

The division has a strong back ground in gas turbine

combustion, heat transfer and Ramjet/Scramjet
combustion with a number of experimental facilities
and research groups working on these areas.
Small Gas Turbine Engine Test Bed (GET)
The division recently set-up a small gas turbine
engine test bed to test engines up to 500 kgf thrust
capacity. This facility incorporates key features like
online smoke & emission analyzer, pneumatic & fuel
line systems, data acquisition system, ground power
unit, exhaust catch cone, CCTV camera etc.

Catalytic reactor in the combustion chemistry laboratory

High Speed Combustor Test Facility (HSCTF)

The High Speed Combustor Test Facility is first of
its kind in the country to design and evaluate
combustors for flight technology demonstrators
in the speed range of Mach 2-7. The group is
involved in design and evaluation of Ramjet/
Scramjet combustors with kerosene and
hydrogen fuels.

Energy systems

Mach 3.5 Semi-Free Jet Test Rig

Rotor dynamics &

Mechanical aspects

Capabilities of HSCTF:
Air Compressor : 200 bar, 17 Nm3/min
Storage vessels : 30 m3, 200 bar
Air system
: 20 kg/s, 8 bar & 300 K
: 30 kg/s, 40 bar & 300 K
Test rig
: Mach 2, 5-9 kg/s, 8 bar, 1950 K for 20 s
: Mach 3.5, 25 kg/s, 20 bar,1700 K for 12 s
(Semi-free jet)
: Jet size 350 X 350 mm
Kerosene system : 6 kg/s, 70 bar (6 control lines)
Oxygen system : 4kg/s @ 40 bar
Hydrogen system : 0.1 kg/s @ 40 bar
Nitrogen system : 0.2 kg/s @ 40 bar
Data acquisition : NI-PXI based
Analog Input (AI) : 320, AO: 36, DIO : 96 & Dynamic: 16
Safety system
: Statutory Licenses Obtained

Combustion &
Heat transfer

Combustion Chemistry Laboratory (CCL)

The combustion chemistry laboratory is involved in
development of endothermic fuels for scramjet
engines and testing of biofuels for aviation
applications. The lab also supports the wear metal
analysis of synthetic aviation lubricants. The lab
houses some of the state of the art facilities like
atomic absorption spectrophotometer, gas chromatograph, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, electrochemical
work station catalytic reactor etc.

Combustion Gas Dynamics Laboratory (CGDL)

The Combustion Gas Dynamics Laboratory is
involved in R & D of gas turbine combustor and its
components. The lab has expertise to develop
straight/reverse flow combustors, simplex atomizers
and axial flow swirlers. The lab houses test rigs that
can handle mass flows up to 8 kg/s, inlet pressures
up to 8 bar and temperature rise of 1000 C. The
lab incorporates a high pressure fuel line catering
for injection pressures up to 70 bar, a Malvern spray
analyzer to characterize sprays and instruments to
measure mass flow, pressure and temperature.

Turbo machinery

Heat Transfer
The heat transfer group is involved in R & D of film,
effusion and impingement cooling techniques for
turbine blades and combustor liners. An effusion
cooling research rig is set-up to study straight and
curved combustor liner plates. The rig can cater for
mainstream temperatures up to 90 C and velocities
up to 50 m/s. Film and impingement cooling studies
on turbine blades are carried out in a modified
subsonic cascade tunnel. Reynolds numbers and
coolant to gas density ratios can be simulated in
these rigs. Thermocouples and infrared thermo
graphs are used for temperature measurements.

Small Gas Turbine Engine Test Bed (GET)

Propulsion

Energy systems

Rotor dynamics &

Mechanical aspects

Combustion &
Heat transfer

Turbo machinery

ROTOR DYNAMICS AND MECHANICAL ASPECTS

The division has expertise to develop active
magnetic and foil bearings and squeeze film
dampers. Expertise is also available to carry out
mechanical design and to perform stress and
vibration analysis. The division has a National Test
Facility for Rolling Element Bearings (NTFFREB) for
qualification of aerospace bearings and lubricants.
The facility is certified by DGAQA.
Salient features of NTFFREB:
10,000 class clean room & metrological equipments
Fatigue test rig for testing bearings up to 300 mm OD
and speeds 25,000 rpm under real life situations
Rigs for testing static load capabilities, frictional
coefficients, axial/radial wobble and sphericity
Environmental chamber to test dimensional
stabilities
Atomic absorption spectrophotometer to evaluate
contamination levels of lubricant oils
Shear stability and four ball tester to evaluate extreme
pressure capability of lubricant oils

Rotary Engines and Ceramics Application

Laboratory (RECAL)
The RECAL is capable of developing and testing
Wankel engines of power range 1 to 120 hp. The lab
has successfully developed and flight tested a 55 hp
Wankel engine for the UAV Nishant.
Salient features of RECAL:
80 kW eddy current dynamometer test bed
Thrust test rig and motoring rig
Engine vibration measurement system
In-cylinder pressure measurement system
Engine exhaust gas emission analyzer

Wankel engine mounted in a thrust cradle

Bearing fatigue test rig

ENERGY SYSTEMS
Pulsejet Engine
The division has capabilities to develop and test
pulsejet engines for mini UAVs and MAVs.
Pulsejet engines of thrust 1.8 to 2.1 kgf have
been designed and tested. A successful flight of
a mini UAV with a pulsejet engine has been
demonstrated. A novel shadowgraph technique
is available to understand the unsteady flows
inside these engines.

Shadow graph flow visualization of pulsating flow

Computational Fluid Dynamics Activities

The division also has competence to carry out
CFD studies concerning turbo machinery, gas
turbine and high speed combustion, reacting
two phase flows, heat transfer etc. It has ANSYSFLUENT CFD tool hosted on a parallel computer
at CSIR-CMMACS.
Special purpose workshop
The division incorporates a well equipped
workshop with conventional machines, two and
three axes CNC machines, balancing machine,
heat treatment facilities and metrological
instruments to cater for its various fabrication
needs.

Collaborations
Defense: ADA,GTRE,VRDE, DRDL, ADE, CVRDE, HAL, NSTL & CEMILAC
Other Govt.: VSSC & LPSC - ISRO, IGCAR - DAE, IICT - CSIR, BHEL & IOC
OEMs: Pratt & Whitney - USA & Canada, Honeywell & GE
International: CAE-China & DLR-Germany
Academia: IITs, IISc, NITs, Aachen University - Germany, Swansea University - UK

For more information please contact:

Director, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, PB 1779, HAL Airport Road, Bangalore-560017, India.
Tel: +91-80-25086000, 25270584; Fax: +91-80-25260862; E-mail: director@nal.res.in; www.nal.res.in