Tiltrotor Test Rig
Tiltrotor Test Rig with cowlings open. For a sense of scale, the rotor shown is 26 feet in diameter and the rotor hub is 20 feet above the test section turntable.
The Tiltrotor Test Rig (TTR) is a NASA project, joint with the Army and Air Force, to develop a new new, large-scale proprotor test system for the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC). TTR is designed to test advanced proprotors up to 26 feet in diameter at speeds up to 300 knots. This combination of size and speed is unprecedented and is necessary for research into 21st-century tiltrotors and other advanced rotorcraft concepts TTR will provide critical data for validation of state-of-the-art design and analysis tools.
Bell Helicopter Textron and Triumph Aerospace Systems are under contract to NASA to design and manufacture the TTR and supporting equipment, including a calibration rig. The U.S. Army and Air Force are contributing funding and support. Additional funding is being provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The TTR will be used in both the 40- by 80- and 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnels. The TTR is a horizontal axis rig and rotates on the test-section turntable to face the rotor into the wind at high speed (300 knots), or fly edgewise at low speed (100 knots), or at any angle in between.
The TTR is designed to accommodate a variety of rotors. The first rotor planned for testing is the Bell/Agusta 609 (shown in the figure). For maximum accuracy, rotor forces will be measured by a dedicated balance installed between the gearbox and the rotor. Rotor torque will be measured by an instrumented drive shaft. The TTR will have four electric motors capable of 6000 hp total--enough to drive proprotors far more capable than any currently in existence at this scale.
Summary of TTR design capabilities:
- Wind speed - 300 knots axial, 180 knots edgewise (the exact limit is determined by dynamic pressure, hence atmospheric conditions)
- Rotational speed - from 126 to 630 rpm
- Rotor thrust - 20,000 lb steady; 30,000 lb peak
- In-plane force (resultant) - 5000 lb steady; 10,000 lb peak
- Moment (resultant) - 30,000 ft-b steady; 60,000 lb peak
- Shaft torque - 48,000 ft-lb steady; 72,000 lb peak
- Power - 6000 hp max (presently qualified for 2 hrs at 5000 HP)
- The force and moment limits given above are for the current rotor balance, referenced to the rotor hub. The structure is sized for larger hub moments and in-plane forces, given a different balance.
- Nominal rotor diameter is 26 ft; the actual limit depends on scale effects and test section (40- by 80-ft or 80- by 120-ft).
