ARL/PENN State Pump Test Loop

A new pump test facility has been designed and built at the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University (ARL/PSU). The loop, which complements the many other hydroacoustic measurement facilities at ARL/PSU, can accommodate a wide range of inflow piping, operating conditions, and pump configurations and has been constructed of high quality components to ensure its longevity as a world-class test facility. Measurements of pump hydrodynamic and hydroacoustic performance, as well as measurements of the characteristics of the turbulent flow entering pumps and other devices may be made in the facility. Measurements of the hydroacoustic character of passive devices, such as control valves, are also possible in the loop. The pump loop has been designed to minimize background noise contamination of vibration and fluid acoustic pressure measurements. Loop background noise levels measured with various sources in the building operating (compressors, motors, and other machinery) are extremely low and show that the noise control measures are effective. Wide optical access for Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) measurements allows for measuring space-time correlations of pipe flow turbulence. Sample measurements of turbulence spectra and space-time correlations downstream of a 90 degree elbow are shown, and are of excellent quality.