Gas Turbine Research Facilities

National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
What the facility does

Develops and validates aerospace and energy sector technologies, helping clients meet environmental, safety, cost-reduction, performance and fuel flexibility requirements

Areas of expertise

The National Research Council Canada (NRC)’s world-renowned facilities provide cost-effective platforms to de-risk new technologies, advance technology readiness levels and perform certification tests. Our advanced facilities are equipped for custom tests to meet specific and challenging product requirements. We foresee the needs and challenges of industry to identify future outcomes that will drive our research and technology focus, and to determine our facility investments.

Our gas turbine facilities are registered to the ISO 9001:2015 quality standard, covering all critical business and technical processes. In addition, all instrument calibrations are traceable to appropriate national and international standards.

Research services
  • Advanced optical-based measurements
  • Alternative fuels for aviation and energy-production
  • Combustor and fuel nozzle development and evaluation
  • Diagnostics, prognostics and health monitoring (DPHM)
  • Engine and turbomachinery aerodynamics
  • Engine performance assessment and certification
  • Icing formation, detection and mitigation
  • Mechanical components and tribology (lubricants, bearings and gearboxes)
Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Clean technology
  • Defence and security industries
  • Energy (renewable and fossil)
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Forestry and forest-based industries
  • Transportation
  • Utilities

Specialized lab

Equipment

Function

Combustion and spray test facilities

High-pressure combustion test cells

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Combustion and spray test facilities

High-pressure spray facilities

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Combustion and spray test facilities

Low-pressure Optically-Accessible Combustion Rig (LOACR)

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Combustion and spray test facilities

High-pressure Optically Accessible Combustion Rig (OACR)

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Combustion and spray test facilities

Continuous Emissions Monitoring systems

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Combustion and spray test facilities

Non-intrusive, laser-based optical diagnostics

Research, testing and validation of low-emission, fuel-flexible combustion systems and fuel spray nozzles and injectors

Turbomachinery test facilities

Transonic Linear Cascade (TLC)

Supports gas turbine engine fuel-efficiency improvements through advancements in engine turbomachinery, engine inlet and exhaust systems; tests and validates the performance of engine probes

Turbomachinery test facilities

Subsonic Linear Cascade (SLC)

Supports gas turbine engine fuel-efficiency improvements through advancements in engine turbomachinery, engine inlet and exhaust systems; tests and validates the performance of engine probes

Turbomachinery test facilities

Subsonic Turbine Rig (STR)

Supports gas turbine engine fuel-efficiency improvements through advancements in engine turbomachinery, engine inlet and exhaust systems; tests and validates the performance of engine probes

Turbomachinery test facilities

High-Subsonic Probe Calibration Rig

Supports gas turbine engine fuel-efficiency improvements through advancements in engine turbomachinery, engine inlet and exhaust systems; tests and validates the performance of engine probes

Turbomachinery test facilities

Coaxial Subsonic Exhaust Rig (CSER)

Supports gas turbine engine fuel-efficiency improvements through advancements in engine turbomachinery, engine inlet and exhaust systems; tests and validates the performance of engine probes

Engine test cells

Engine test cells

Engine performance, operability and certification testing including icing, bird ingestion, blade-off, alternative fuel certification and endurance trials

Engine ingestion test systems

Icing Spray Masts

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Laser-based diagnostics for droplet diameter measurements

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Ice Crystal Icing System

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Bird Strike Cannon

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Hail Storm Simulator

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Iso-Kinetic Probe (IKP) for accurate total water content measurements

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

FAR 33.68 icing certification testing

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Engine ingestion test systems

Abradable Seal Rig

Supports engine icing certification testing and analysis, as well as development of icing detection and mitigation systems onboard aircraft and engines

Mechanical component test facilities

High-Speed Rolling-Element Bearing Rig

Supports tribological (friction and wear) testing, analysis and modeling (including mechanical equipment and rotating machinery)

Mechanical component test facilities

Journal Bearing Dynamic Rig

Supports tribological (friction and wear) testing, analysis and modeling (including mechanical equipment and rotating machinery)

Mechanical component test facilities

Oil-Free Bearing Rig

Supports tribological (friction and wear) testing, analysis and modeling (including mechanical equipment and rotating machinery)

Mechanical component test facilities

Journal Bearing Static Rig

Supports tribological (friction and wear) testing, analysis and modeling (including mechanical equipment and rotating machinery)

Mechanical component test facilities

Traction Motor Bearing Rig

Supports tribological (friction and wear) testing, analysis and modeling (including mechanical equipment and rotating machinery)

Research altitude test facility

Altitude chamber

Supports the testing of engines and related systems under simulated high-altitude (pressure, temperature and humidity) conditions

Research altitude test facility

Inlet air treatment (refrigeration) system

Supports the testing of engines and related systems under simulated high-altitude (pressure, temperature and humidity) conditions

Research altitude test facility

Air exhausters (2 MW / 5 MW)

Supports the testing of engines and related systems under simulated high-altitude (pressure, temperature and humidity) conditions

Title

URL

Bioenergy technology innovation

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/nrc-facilities/bioenergy-technology-innovation

Global Aerospace Centre for Icing and Environmental Research (GLACIER)

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/research-collaboration/global-aerospace-centre-icing-…

COPA Flight cover article on NRC effort to identify 100LL Fuel Replacement

https://copanational.org/sites/copanational.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/CF-Oct-16.pdf