Simcenter Testing Solutions Simcenter Testlab Turbine Testing

In addition to storing all data synchronously on the server, users can monitor any data channel live from a remote visualization station.  Other users can start analyzing the data on the server while the test is still in progress.

While jet engine turbine tests are a common application for Simcenter Testlab Turbine Test, the solution can be used in any application where large amounts of data are acquired, and multiple analysts want to view and/or process data while the acquisition is in progress.  Other applications include acoustic arrays in wind tunnels, acoustic commissioning of large structures, etc.

This article has the following contents:
1.Master Control System
   1.1 Recording Setup
   1.2 Event Setup
   1.3 Measure
2. Recording Systems
3. Time Synchronization
4. Visualization Systems
   4.1 Visualization Setup
   4.2 Channel Setup
   4.3 Displays
5.    Alarming System
6.    Network Storage and Reporting
   6.1 Time Data Selection
   6.2 Time Data Processing
   6.3 Active Picture

1.    Master Control System

There is a single “Master Control System” used in a Simcenter Testlab Turbine Test system as shown in Figure 2.  
 

From this system, and operator can start and monitor all recording stations, visualization stations, and the central data storage.

The software for the master control system is started by launching “Turbine Test Recording Manager” from the Turbine Test folder of the Simcenter Testlab installation.

1.1 Recording Setup

In the “Turbine Test Recording Manager”, the “Recording Setup” workbook shows status of all system.  The status is green when all systems are running (Figure 3):
 

If any of the subsystems are not started, or went down during acquisition, the status will be red as shown in Figure 4.
 

When the Turbine Test Recording Manager software is initially launched, the recording systems will need to be started.  This is done by pushing the “Start Recording System” button in the upper left of the screen.

Data is continuously uploaded to the network storage for hours or days.  In the “Recording Options” in the lower left of the “Recording Setup” worksheet, a time duration can be specified.  For example, if set to 300 seconds, this means that every 300 seconds time data is uploaded from the recording systems to the network storage.  Analysts would be able to post process the data after a 300 second “delay” from the network storage location.  

During the acquisition, analysts to view data (time, frequency, orders, octaves, etc) in real time on Visualization stations (covered in upcoming section).

The “Recording Setup” worksheet also indicates how much storage is available on the server and how much longer recording can be done at the current data rates.

1.2 Event Setup

There is an “Event Setup” worksheet in the Turbine Test Recording Manager as shown in Figure 5:  
 

Events are defined by the operator.  Examples include:

As many events as desired can be entered.  These events will be monitored continuously.  Depending on the acquisition mode, one of two things happens:

1.3 Measure

Once the measurement is ready to be acquired, use the "Measure" worksheet to:

2. Recording Systems

A Simcenter Testlab Turbine test system may have several recording systems, each containing a single PC and corresponding SCADAS data acquisition hardware as shown in Figure 6.  
 

One system is needed for every 140 channels at 200 kHz sampling. If the sampling rate is lower, the number of channels can be proportionally higher.

The SCADAS data acquisition system (Figure 7) conditions transducers (accelerometers, strain gauges, etc) and performs analog to digital data conversion. 
 

On the recording system computer, the setup of the transducers is entered in an Excel like grid as shown in Figure 8.
 

Each row corresponds to one transducer. Information like conditioning (ICP, Voltage supply), channel name, sensitivity values, input range are all entered.

In the “Acquisition Setup” worksheet the sampling rate can be entered. It can also be set in the “Recording Setup” worksheet on the master control system.

More information on “Channel Setup” of a recording system:

3. Time Synchronization

In a Simcenter Turbine test system, dynamic data is acquired and streamed to a central server at rates up to 200,000 samples per second per channel.

All data collected is synchronized so there is no phase shift between channels.  One option to synchronize all the systems is an IRIG-B time code generator (Figure 9). 
 

An IRIG-B time code generator (Figure 10) is a device that produces an absolute time code signal with accuracies on the order of one microsecond.  IRIG-B is an acronym for Inter-range Instrumentation Time Group, designation B.
 

 

The signal is distributed to all subsystems using fiber optic links or coaxial cables.

In each recording system, in the upper right corner of the Channel Setup, there is a pulldown used to set the clock synchronization source as shown in Figure 11.  
 

The clock synchronization can accept either an analog or digital IRIG-B signal.

4. Visualization Stations

While a test is in progress, various groups of analysts or other concerned parties may want to view live data while the test is in progress.

This can be done with “Visualization Stations” (Figure 12) that are supported in the Turbine Test solution. 
 

Viewing on each visualization station is independent of the others.  For example, a group of combustion analysts might be viewing dynamic pressures on one visualization station while a different group of analysts monitors vibration on another station.

4.1 Visualization Setup

Visualization is setup and initiated from the “Visualization Setup” worksheet of the Turbine Test Recording Manager on the master control system as shown in Figure 13.
 

Viewing is not done on the master control system itself, just the initialization is performed from the master control.  Viewing is done on a remote client PC.

The visualization client has two worksheets: “Channel Setup” and “Monitor”.

4.2 Channel Setup

The “Channel Setup” worksheet of the visualization client allows users to select a subset or all of the channels they wish to visualize. Unlike the “Channel Setup” of the recording systems, channels can only be selected for viewing, no altering of the acquisition settings can be done from the visualization client.

This is done by clicking the checkbox “Enabled” on the channels desired to viewed as shown in Figure 14.
 

The channels that have been enabled are the available for viewing in the “Monitor” worksheet.

4.3 Monitor

The “Monitor” worksheet allows viewing of live data in different formats. Options include display options of time, frequency, XY, orbits, octaves, and colormaps (Figure 15).  
 

From the row of display icons in the upper right of the screen, displays are created. Data to be viewed is selected from the “Data Explorer” in the upper right of the screen.

After opening the “Data Explorer” drag and drop from the list of enabled channels into the displays as shown in Figure 16.
 

In addition to viewing the data, cursors can be used to interrogate the data in progress.

More on display options of Simcenter Turbine test:

5. Alarming Systems

Dynamic data, like vibration at critical locations, can also be monitored by Simcenter Testlab Turbine Testing.  If levels exceed critical limits, the test cell can be sent signals to perform a shutdown as shown in Figure 17.
 

If the vibration exceeds prescribed limits, the central test cell system will be informed so an orderly shutdown of the test can be performed. The alarming system is not a required part of a Simcenter Testlab Turbine test system, it could be done by a independent alarming system.

6. Network Storage and Reporting

All data acquired in the recording systems is stored ultimately on a central network data storage as shown in Figure 18.
 

Multiple analysts can start viewing and processing the data on the server, even while the test is in progress. 

6.1 Time Data Selection

Start “Simcenter Testlab Desktop” on any PC to view and process data.  The PC should have a network drive mapped to the data server.

After starting the “Simcenter Testlab Desktop”, go to “Time Data Selection” worksheet to access the data (Figure 19).
 

In the “Time Data Selection” worksheet, choose the “…” button in the upper left corner to change the data source.  Select “TBT Measurement”. TBT is an acronym for “Turbine Test”. Click on the “Browse…” button to select the data of interest.

After loading the data, click on the “View” checkbox on the left to visualize the data trace as shown in Figure 20.
 

The data trace shown is a reduced sampled trace.  It contains all the peak values of the data.  This trace is used to select the data to process.   

Using the peak overview avoids loading all the detailed data for data selection. This saves time when selecting the section of data to analyze.

Using the peak overview, select a time segment and the channels to be processed as shown in Figure 21.
 

In “Time Data Selection”, a segment and channels can be identified for processing:

Once the segment and channels are identified, click on the button “Duplicate channel segments into a new measurement”.  The corresponding high-resolution data will be downloaded from the server and displayed (Figure 22):
 

Now the data can be processed. More on using Time Data Selection:

6.2 Throughput Processing

With the high-resolution data in place the data can be processed.  Under “Tools -> Add-ins” make sure “Signature Throughput Processing” add-in is turned on.  A new worksheet called “Time Data Processing” will appear.

Go to “Time Data Processing” as shown in Figure 23.
 

In Time Data Processing, choose some processing options include:

More information on using Time Data Processing in the knowledge article: Simcenter Testlab Throughput Processing Tips.

6.3 Active Picture

When making reports in Simcenter Testlab, active pictures is an interesting option.  With active pictures, any graph made in a Word or PowerPoint report can be activated (double clicked on) to be able to change limits, change axes formats, apply cursors, etc (Figure 24).
 

Important information is also stored with the data in an active picture.  Information about how the data was processed and acquired.  For example, the calibration value used for the transducer is part of the report (Figure 25).
 

More information about active pictures in the knowledge articles: