Performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydrodynamic turbine pump

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of aviation equipment maintenance technology, specifically to a performance testing platform for aircraft impeller fuel pumps and hydraulic turbine pumps. It aims to address the problems in existing technologies where the performance verification of RLB-33 impeller fuel pumps and RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pumps after maintenance lacks an integrated, dynamically coupled testing environment, leading to insufficient system performance matching, difficulties in transient response assessment, and incomplete fault identification. The platform includes: a test bench system, a power drive system, a pressure and flow regulation system, a measurement and control system, a working medium storage and processing system, a gas path control system, and a safety protection system. By adopting the above technical solution, this application can achieve integrated, dynamically coupled performance verification of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, significantly improving the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and reliability of the post-maintenance fuel pump verification, and effectively reducing flight safety hazards.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aviation equipment maintenance technology, and specifically to a performance testing platform for hydraulic turbine pumps used in aircraft impeller fuel pumps. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of aviation equipment, the fuel supply system is a core component ensuring aircraft power output and flight safety. Among them, the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump are key components of the system. The RLB-33 is responsible for fuel delivery and pressurization, and its output pressure and flow rate directly affect the stability of engine fuel supply. The RLB-34 uses the high-pressure fuel output from the RLB-33 as a power source to achieve secondary pressurization or flow regulation. The two work together to form the power transmission chain of the aircraft fuel system.

[0003] Due to the complex aviation environment, these two types of pumps may experience problems such as impeller wear, seal failure, and decreased pressurization efficiency after long-term use, requiring maintenance to restore performance. However, performance verification of the repaired product relies on a professional testing platform; otherwise, component performance may fail to meet standards, potentially posing flight safety hazards.

[0004] As the service life of aviation equipment extends, the maintenance needs of RLB-33 / 34 series pumps increase year by year. According to aviation equipment maintenance standards, repaired fuel pumps and hydraulic turbine pumps must pass three types of core tests before leaving the factory: the break-in test eliminates component assembly gaps and verifies the smoothness of moving parts by simulating low-load operation, thus avoiding premature wear; the performance test detects key parameters such as inlet and outlet pressure, flow rate, and boost value under rated and extreme operating conditions to ensure compliance with design requirements; and the evaluation test retest and factory acceptance test provide the final verification of maintenance quality and issue authoritative test data as the core basis for the product's return to the installation sequence.

[0005] Currently, traditional post-repair testing relies heavily on stand-alone testing or simple tooling, lacking an integrated testing solution for the RLB-33 / 34 series, which limits its accuracy, safety, and standardization. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a performance testing platform for aircraft impeller fuel pumps and hydraulic turbine pumps, aiming to solve the technical problems in the existing technology of insufficient system-level performance matching, difficulty in transient response assessment, and incomplete identification of potential failure modes caused by the lack of an integrated, dynamically coupled testing environment during the performance verification of RLB-33 impeller fuel pumps and RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pumps after maintenance. This invention constructs an integrated testing system that can accurately simulate the dynamic interaction of the two pumps under real flight conditions, realizing multiple testing modes such as break-in tests, performance tests, evaluation and testing retests, and maintenance delivery acceptance tests. It also reserves performance expansion test interfaces for similar series products and can be reused as a high-pressure fuel source, thereby comprehensively improving the performance verification level and flight safety of fuel pumps after maintenance.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following solution: A performance testing platform for a hydraulic turbine pump used in an aircraft impeller fuel pump is proposed, comprising: The test bench system is equipped with a mounting system for fixing the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, and provides connection interfaces for the fuel circuit and the hydraulic circuit. The power drive system is used to provide adjustable mechanical driving force for the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and to provide the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump with the high-pressure fuel power output by the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump required for its operation. The pressure and flow regulation system is installed in the fuel circuit to precisely regulate the outlet pressure of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the outlet flow and boost value of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump. The measurement and control system is used to collect various operating parameters during the test in real time, and to process, store, display, analyze, and automate the test process. The working medium storage and processing system is used to store, filter, cool, and stabilize aviation fuel and hydraulic oil required for testing; the gas circuit control system is used to realize the vacuum suction function of the fuel tank and the venting function of the pipeline. It also includes a safety protection system to monitor the operating status of the test platform and take coordinated protective measures in case of abnormalities.

[0008] Preferably, the test bench system includes an RLB-33 fuel pump test bench and an RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench; the RLB-33 fuel pump test bench is equipped with a product mounting base for mounting the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump, an oil collection tray, and a waste oil storage tank; the product mounting base is connected to the hydraulic motor of the power drive system via a coupling.

[0009] Preferably, the working oil tank of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench is equipped with an installation adapter for installing the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump. The working oil tank wall is equipped with multiple interfaces for pressure, temperature, and liquid level detection, as well as interfaces for vacuuming and venting. The fuel inlet of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump is located inside the working oil tank, and its fuel outlet is located outside the working oil tank.

[0010] Preferably, the power drive system includes an RLB-33 drive unit and an RLB-34 power supply unit; the RLB-33 drive unit includes a swashplate axial piston hydraulic motor and two parallel electro-hydraulic proportional load-sensitive piston pumps; the RLB-33 drive unit also includes an air-oil cooler and a precision return oil filter.

[0011] As a preferred option, the RLB-34 power supply unit directly utilizes the fuel outlet of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump as the power source input, and its pipeline is sequentially equipped with an explosion-proof pneumatic ball valve, a high-pressure precision filter, a flow meter display, and a pressure meter display.

[0012] Preferably, the working medium storage and processing system includes a main fuel tank and a hydraulically driven fuel tank, as well as a fuel processing unit; the main fuel tank is equipped with a heat exchange coil for regulating fuel temperature, an anti-foaming device for eliminating fuel foam, and high and low level alarm sensors.

[0013] Preferably, the fuel processing unit includes a refueling module, a draining module, a filtration module, a cooling module, and an oil-gas separation module; the refueling module includes a pneumatic diaphragm pump refueling trolley; the draining module includes a pipeline pump and multiple explosion-proof ball valves; the filtration module includes an RFA-800-5 type filter to ensure that the fuel contamination level meets the GJB420A-96 standard; the cooling module includes a stainless steel plate heat exchanger and a refrigeration unit to precisely control the fuel temperature within the range of 15℃ to 70℃; and the oil-gas separation module includes an oil-gas processor to ensure that the oil content of the separated fuel is no more than 10ppm.

[0014] Preferably, the pressure and flow regulation system includes an RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulating mechanism and an RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulating mechanism. The RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulating mechanism includes an electrically operated regulating valve installed on the outlet pipeline of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump, the valve opening of which is controlled by a measurement and control system using a PID closed-loop control based on the feedback signal from the fuel outlet pressure sensor. The RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulating mechanism includes a high-flow regulating valve and a low-flow regulating valve installed on the outlet pipeline of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, both of which achieve precise control of their valve openings through electrically operated actuators.

[0015] Preferably, the pneumatic control system includes an air compressor, a vacuum pump, and multiple explosion-proof solenoid valves; the rated discharge capacity of the air compressor is not less than 0.5 m³ / min, and the rated discharge pressure is not less than 0.8 MPa; the ultimate vacuum degree of the vacuum pump is not less than -0.095 MPa, and the pumping speed is not less than 10 L / s, used to evacuate the working oil tank in the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench.

[0016] As a preferred option, the safety protection system also features multiple distributed emergency stop buttons and integrates a user access control system.

[0017] Through the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This performance testing platform for aircraft impeller fuel pumps and hydraulic turbine pumps overcomes the limitations of traditional single-unit testing or simple tooling in simulating pump-to-pump interactions by constructing an integrated test bench. It enables dynamic coupling testing of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, realistically simulating the power transmission chain condition where the RLB-33 drives the RLB-34 for secondary pressurization. It effectively detects the flow matching, pressure transmission efficiency, and transient response characteristics of the two pumps working together, thereby identifying system-level hidden dangers that are difficult to detect in single-unit testing, and ensuring that the repaired components meet the power requirements of complex flight environments.

[0018] Based on this integrated architecture, this invention possesses comprehensive testing capabilities across the entire process and multiple modes. It covers break-in tests to eliminate component assembly gaps, rated and extreme condition performance tests to verify key parameters, and final evaluation, testing, and factory acceptance tests. This avoids the transfer of components between different devices, significantly shortens maintenance and testing cycles, and improves the support efficiency of aviation equipment. Simultaneously, in conjunction with a high-precision measurement and control system, it achieves automated control of the testing process and real-time data acquisition and processing, eliminating human error in recording and automatically generating standardized test reports, providing objective and authoritative data support for the product's return to the installation sequence.

[0019] To ensure test safety and equipment lifespan, this invention employs a sophisticated working medium storage and processing system to finely filter, cool, and stabilize the fuel and hydraulic oil, ensuring the medium is in optimal condition and preventing secondary damage to the precision pump body. Combined with the vacuum suction function of the gas path control system and multiple safety linkage protection mechanisms, it effectively eliminates the risk of cavitation and potential sudden malfunctions. Furthermore, this invention is designed with versatility and expandability in mind, not only reserving performance expansion interfaces for similar product series but also allowing direct reuse as an independent high-pressure fuel source, greatly improving the overall utilization rate of the equipment and effectively reducing the construction and maintenance costs of test facilities. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an overall system principle block diagram of a performance test platform for an aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic and fuel pipelines of a performance test platform for an aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structural layout of a performance test platform for an aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware architecture of the measurement and control system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Reference numerals: 1. Test bench system; 2. Power drive system; 3. Pressure and flow regulation system; 4. Measurement and control system; 5. Working medium storage and processing system; 6. Gas circuit control system; 7. Safety protection system; 11. RLB-33 fuel pump test bench; 12. RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench; 100. RLB-33 impeller fuel pump; 112. Oil collection tray; 121. Working oil tank; 200. RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump; 22. RLB-34 power source supply unit; 211. Hydraulic motor; 212. Piston pump; 223. Flow sensor; 224. Pressure sensor; 32. RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulation mechanism; 311. Electric regulating valve; 321. High flow regulating valve; 322. 41. Small flow regulating valve; 42. Hardware platform; 43. Software platform; 44.1. Industrial control computer; 45. Data acquisition card; 46. Programmable logic controller; 47. Industrial display; 48. Uninterruptible power supply; 59. Main fuel tank; 50. Hydraulic drive tank; 51. Fuel processing unit; 52. Heat exchange coil; 53. Defoaming device; 54. Liquid level sensor; 55. Filter module; 56. Cooling module; 57. Oil-gas separation module; 58. Heat exchanger; 59. Refrigeration unit; 50. Oil-gas processor; 60. Air compressor; 61. Vacuum pump; 72. Emergency stop button; 73. Transparent protective cover; 74. Leakage detection sensor; 75. Speed ​​sensor; 76. Safety valve; 77. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Given the extreme complexity and harshness of the aviation environment, the RLB-33 and RLB-34 series pumps inevitably encounter a series of performance degradation issues during long-term service, such as wear, corrosion, seal aging, and decreased pressurization efficiency. To ensure the continued airworthiness and flight safety of aviation equipment, periodic maintenance, refurbishment, and performance restoration of these core components are crucial. According to current aviation equipment maintenance standards, any refurbished fuel pump and hydraulic turbine pump must undergo a series of rigorous performance verification tests before being put back into service.

[0026] Performance verification tests typically include break-in tests, which aim to eliminate assembly gaps between components and verify the smoothness of moving parts by simulating low-load operation, thereby effectively avoiding premature wear; performance tests, which require precise detection of key operating parameters such as inlet and outlet pressure, flow rate, and boost pressure under rated operating conditions and even extreme operating conditions to ensure that they fully meet the original design requirements; finally, evaluation and testing retests and factory acceptance tests provide the final and authoritative verification of the repair quality and issue legally valid test data as the core basis for the product to return to the installation sequence.

[0027] Currently, traditional post-repair testing practices mostly rely on single-machine testing or simple tooling, which to some extent meets the verification needs for the basic functionality of individual components.

[0028] However, as aviation technology places increasingly stringent demands on system-level performance reliability, and given the increasingly tight dynamic coupling between fuel pumps and turbopumps, the inherent limitations of existing single-unit testing methods are becoming increasingly apparent. The underlying reason is that RLB-33 and RLB-34 are not independent entities, but rather highly interactive subsystems. The output characteristics of RLB-33 directly constitute the input conditions of RLB-34, thus profoundly affecting RLB-34's boost efficiency and regulation accuracy. In traditional single-unit testing environments, even when rigorous performance verification is performed on RLB-33 and RLB-34 separately, the test conditions are often based on idealized, static, or preset input parameters.

[0029] For example, when testing the RLB-34, its power source is typically provided by an independent, stable high-pressure fuel system, rather than simulating the dynamic, even slightly fluctuating, fuel output that the RLB-33 might produce under different speeds and loads during actual flight. While this decoupled testing method can verify the performance of individual components under specific conditions, it cannot fully reveal or predict potential secondary problems, performance degradation, or unexpected new failure modes that may occur when the two components work together as a whole under real flight conditions.

[0030] Specifically, the inherent limitations of separate testing manifest in several ways: First, it struggles to accurately simulate the transient response and dynamic interaction of the two pumps under complex variable load conditions. During takeoff, landing, climb, cruise, and maneuvering, fuel demand and engine speed change drastically, requiring the RLB-33 and RLB-34 to adjust their outputs quickly and stably. Standalone testing cannot capture how minute deviations in the RLB-33's output parameters are amplified or suppressed by the RLB-34 at the system level, nor can it verify the dynamic matching of the entire power transmission chain.

[0031] Secondly, due to the lack of a comprehensive assessment of energy conversion efficiency under actual coupled operating conditions, repaired components may perform well in single-unit tests, but after actual installation, their system-level boost efficiency or flow regulation accuracy may fail to meet expectations, leading to increased fuel consumption or unstable power output. This performance trade-off is subtle and difficult to detect in individual tests.

[0032] Furthermore, stand-alone testing or simple tooling has inherent limitations in terms of data acquisition synchronization, accuracy, and the realism of environmental simulation. This makes it difficult to establish a comprehensive database with high confidence that fully reflects the performance indicators of the RLB-33 / 34 series pumps during integrated operation. This not only restricts the accurate assessment of component health status but also hinders the further development of predictive maintenance and fault diagnosis technologies.

[0033] Therefore, how to construct a professional test platform that can accurately simulate the real dynamic coupling relationship between the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, realize integrated performance verification, and provide high-precision and high-reliability test data has become a key challenge and a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art.

[0034] This invention provides a performance testing platform for aircraft impeller fuel pumps and hydraulic turbine pumps, aiming to comprehensively improve the technical level of RLB-33 impeller fuel pumps and RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pumps during post-maintenance performance verification. This testing platform, by constructing an integrated, dynamically coupled testing environment, can accurately simulate the interaction between the two pumps under actual flight conditions, realizing multiple verification modes such as break-in tests, performance tests, evaluation and testing retests, and maintenance delivery acceptance tests. It also reserves performance expansion test interfaces for future similar product series and can be reused as a high-pressure fuel source. This effectively solves problems in existing technologies such as the lack of system-level performance matching assessment, difficulty in transient response assessment, and incomplete identification of potential failure modes, significantly improving the performance verification level of repaired components and flight safety.

[0035] like Figures 1-4As shown in the embodiment of the present invention, a performance test platform for a hydraulic turbine pump used in an aircraft impeller fuel pump is proposed, comprising: Test bench system 1 is equipped with a mounting system for fixing RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 and RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump 200, and provides a connection interface between the fuel circuit and the hydraulic circuit. The power drive system 2 is used to provide an adjustable mechanical driving force for the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 and to provide the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump 200 with the high-pressure fuel power output by the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 required for its operation. The pressure and flow regulation system 3 is installed in the fuel circuit and is used to precisely regulate the outlet pressure of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 and the outlet flow and boost value of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump 200. The measurement and control system 4 is used to collect various operating parameters during the test in real time, and to perform data processing, storage, display, analysis, and automated control of the test process. The working medium storage and processing system 5 is used to store, filter, cool, and stabilize aviation fuel and hydraulic oil required for the test; the gas circuit control system 6 is used to realize the vacuum suction function of the fuel tank and the venting function of the pipeline. And safety protection system 7, used to monitor the operating status of the test platform and take linkage protection measures in case of abnormality.

[0036] The test bench system 1 is not a single, universal workbench, but is designed in sections according to the structural differences of the objects being tested. Specifically, it is divided into the RLB-33 fuel pump test bench 11 and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench 12. The split layout ensures the independence and convenience of installing different pumps, while achieving system-level unity through the vibration-damping foundation at the bottom and the common pipeline corridor.

[0037] On the RLB-33 fuel pump test bench 11 side, taking into full account the high speed and high vibration characteristics of the pump as the main power source, a product mounting base made of thickened steel welded is set up. The base is precision machined with positioning pin holes and T-slots for quick and accurate fixing of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100.

[0038] To prevent fuel leakage from polluting the environment or causing fire hazards during testing, a stainless steel oil collection tray 112 is integrated under the mounting base. The bottom of the oil collection tray is connected to an underground waste oil storage tank via an oil guide pipe, enabling centralized collection and treatment of leaked media. The mechanical drive interface of RLB-33 is connected to the output shaft of the hydraulic motor 211 in the power drive system 2 via a high-precision flexible coupling. The coupling is equipped with a protective cover with quick-release function, balancing safety and ease of maintenance.

[0039] Unlike the mechanically driven RLB-33, the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump 200 is driven by high-pressure fluid and has specific requirements for the inlet pressure environment. Therefore, the main body of the test bench includes a high-sealing working oil tank 121, which serves not only as a fluid container but also as a simulated working environment chamber for the RLB-34. Inside the working oil tank 121, there is a specially customized installation adapter fixture that can accommodate the complex housing flanges of the RLB-34, securely suspending or supporting it at a specific height inside the tank.

[0040] The working oil tank 121 is made of high-strength alloy steel and can withstand the internal vacuum negative pressure. The wall has multiple standardized quick-connect interfaces distributed around it, which are used to connect the pressure sensor 224, temperature sensor 79, liquid level sensor 513, and the vacuum and exhaust pipes of the gas circuit control system 6.

[0041] The fuel inlet of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbopump 200 is placed directly below the fuel level inside the working fuel tank 121, simulating the fuel suction environment at the bottom of the aircraft fuel tank. Its fuel outlet extends to the outside of the working fuel tank 121 through a through-wall sealing structure and connects to the downstream test pipeline. This not only solves the problem of pump body heat dissipation, but more importantly, it can realistically simulate the low air pressure environment during high-altitude flight when combined with a vacuum system, thereby effectively verifying the pump's net positive suction head (NPSH) and fuel suction performance.

[0042] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the power drive system 2 includes an RLB-33 drive unit and an RLB-34 power supply unit 22. The RLB-33 drive unit is mainly responsible for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the RLB-33 to rotate. In order to achieve wide-range and high-precision speed control, this embodiment does not use the traditional variable frequency motor direct drive, but instead uses a hydraulic drive scheme.

[0043] The specific configuration is as follows: two parallel electro-hydraulic proportional load-sensitive plunger pumps 212 are used as the primary power source, which can automatically adjust the output flow according to the load pressure change, significantly reducing energy consumption and heat generation; the hydraulic oil is filtered through precision to drive the swashplate axial plunger hydraulic motor 211 to rotate, which has extremely low rotational inertia and excellent low-speed stability, and can simulate the idle state of the RLB-33 during the engine start-up phase and the full afterburner state during the take-off phase.

[0044] To ensure the long-term stable operation of the hydraulic system, an air-oil cooler and a precision return oil filter are connected in series in the circuit to ensure that the hydraulic oil temperature is maintained in the optimal working range of 40℃-60℃ and that the cleanliness meets the NAS16386 standard.

[0045] In traditional discrete testing, the RLB-34 is typically driven by a separate external pump station, which means the test results cannot reflect its actual operating conditions when matched with the RLB-33. In this embodiment, the RLB-34 power supply unit 22 directly utilizes the fuel outlet of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 as the power source input, forming a pump-pump cascade test architecture. The high-pressure fuel flowing from the RLB-33 outlet passes through a connecting pipe simulating the actual pipeline length and flow resistance characteristics of an aircraft, sequentially flowing through an explosion-proof pneumatic ball valve, a high-pressure precision filter, a high-frequency response flow meter display, and a pressure meter display, finally entering the turbine drive port of the RLB-34. This allows the output pressure fluctuations and flow pulsations of the RLB-33 to be accurately transmitted to the RLB-34, thereby enabling the detection of potential mismatches between the two in terms of resonant frequency, pressure wave transmission, etc.

[0046] To ensure that the physicochemical properties of the fluid medium remain constant throughout the test cycle, the working medium storage and processing system 5 includes a main fuel tank 51, a hydraulically driven fuel tank 52, and a fully functional fuel processing unit 53.

[0047] The main fuel tank 51 is made of 304 stainless steel, and its volume design meets the requirement of 5 minutes of circulation under maximum flow conditions to ensure sufficient heat dissipation and degassing time. The internal structure of the tank is complex, with labyrinthine baffles to extend the fluid path and promote bubble rise; the heat exchange coil 511 at the bottom can be heated by steam or hot water, or cooled by cooling water. The defoaming device 512 is located at the oil return port and adopts a multi-layer metal wire mesh structure to break up large bubbles generated by the oil return jet.

[0048] The fuel treatment unit 53 is a bypass circulation system, which includes a refueling module, a draining module, a filter module 533, a cooling module 534, and an oil-gas separation module 535. Among them, the filter module 533 uses an RFA-800-5 high-precision filter with a filter element precision of 5 microns, ensuring that the fuel contamination level strictly complies with the GJB420A-96 standard and preventing tiny particles from wearing the precision pump body mating surfaces.

[0049] The cooling module 534 consists of a stainless steel plate heat exchanger 5341 and an industrial chiller 5342. Through feedback adjustment of the temperature control instrument, it can accurately control the fuel temperature within a wide temperature range of 15℃ to 70℃ to meet the simulation test requirements under different climatic conditions.

[0050] The oil-gas separator 5351 in the oil-gas separation module 535 uses the principles of centrifugal separation and vacuum coalescence to separate the air and oil vapor mixed in the fuel, ensuring that the fuel after separation has an extremely low gas content and an oil content of no more than 10 ppm. This is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of flow measurement and preventing cavitation.

[0051] In the fluid circuit, the pressure-flow regulation system 3 is used to precisely control the test conditions. For the RLB-33, its outlet pressure is a key indicator for evaluating pump performance. Therefore, an RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulating mechanism is installed on the outlet pipeline, with the main actuator being a high-response electric regulating valve 311. The valve core of this regulating valve undergoes special hardening treatment to resist erosion. Its opening is not manually adjusted, but rather controlled by the measurement and control system 4 through a closed-loop PID algorithm based on the real-time feedback signal collected by the pressure sensor 224 in the pipeline. The steady-state control accuracy can reach ±0.05MPa.

[0052] For the RLB-34, the testing focuses on its boosting capacity and flow characteristics; therefore, an RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boosting value adjustment mechanism 32 was implemented. Considering the large range of test flow rates, a single valve cannot adequately handle the adjustment resolution; therefore, a parallel arrangement of a large-flow regulating valve 321 and a small-flow regulating valve 322 was adopted. The small-flow valve is used for fine adjustment of minute pressure differentials, while the large-flow valve is used for load simulation in the main flow path. Both are driven by electric actuators with position feedback, and with the help of system software, automated flow scanning testing can be achieved.

[0053] The pneumatic control system 6 provides the necessary auxiliary power and environmental simulation means for the test platform. The system integrates an air compressor 61 and a vacuum pump 62. The selected air compressor 61 has a rated discharge capacity of not less than 0.5 m³ / min and a rated discharge pressure of not less than 0.8 MPa. The high-pressure air generated is dried and separated from oil mist before being supplied to pneumatic components such as pneumatic ball valves and diaphragm pumps to ensure that the actuators operate quickly and powerfully.

[0054] Vacuum pump 62 is a key piece of equipment for RLB-34 testing, with an ultimate vacuum of no less than -0.095 MPa and a pumping rate of no less than 10 L / s. Before conducting the oil suction performance test on the RLB-34, vacuum pump 62 is started to evacuate the working oil tank 121 in the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench 12. By adjusting the vacuum level, the process of pressure reduction in the oil tank during aircraft climb is simulated, thereby verifying the RLB-34's fuel supply capability at different altitudes, which cannot be achieved by conventional atmospheric pressure test benches.

[0055] like Figure 4 As shown, the measurement and control system 4 adopts a host-server architecture. The host computer is a high-performance industrial control computer 411, running monitoring software developed based on LabVIEW or C#, providing a human-machine interface, and responsible for issuing test tasks, data storage, curve plotting, and report generation. The core of the slave computer is a programmable logic controller 413, which is responsible for low-level logic operations, safety interlocks, and PID loop control.

[0056] The data acquisition card 412, acting as a bridge between the sensor and the computer, features a high sampling rate and high resolution, enabling real-time acquisition of dozens of signals, including speed, torque, pressure, flow rate, temperature, and vibration. To ensure data accuracy and synchronization, the system employs a unified clock source. The software platform 42 incorporates various standard test programs, including break-in test programs, performance test programs, and durability test programs. Operators only need to select the corresponding product model and test type, and the system automatically adjusts the motor speed and valve opening to complete the test according to a predetermined curve, greatly reducing reliance on operator experience.

[0057] In addition, the system is equipped with an industrial display 414 for on-site monitoring and an uninterruptible power supply 415 to prevent data loss or equipment damage caused by sudden power outages.

[0058] The safety protection system 7 is integrated throughout the entire platform, forming a multi-layered protection network. First, there are the emergency stop buttons 71 at the hardware level, distributed in easily accessible locations such as the control console, both sides of the test bench, and the power station. In case of an emergency, pressing any button will cut off the main power supply and close all pneumatic shut-off valves.

[0059] Secondly, there is physical isolation and protection. Transparent protective covers 72 are provided for high-speed rotating parts and high-pressure pipeline areas, which can not only not affect observation but also block potential mechanical splashes.

[0060] For environmental monitoring, a leak detection sensor 73 is installed below the oil collection pan and pipeline joints, triggering an alarm immediately upon detecting fuel accumulation. A speed sensor 76 is used not only for measurement but also for overspeed protection; safety valves 77 are installed on all pressure vessels and pipelines as a final physical barrier to prevent overpressure explosions; and a temperature sensor 79 monitors oil temperature in real time to prevent overheating and subsequent fires. Furthermore, the introduction of a user access control system ensures that only authorized and trained personnel can modify critical control parameters, avoiding risks associated with misoperation.

[0061] The specific workflow of the test platform in the embodiments of the present invention is described in detail below, taking a typical verification test after joint maintenance of RLB-33 and RLB-34 as an example.

[0062] Before the test begins, the operator first performs preparatory work. They log into the system via the human-machine interface of the measurement and control system 4 and check if the fluid levels in the main fuel tank 51 and the hydraulic drive oil tank 52 are within the normal range. If the fluid level is too low, the system will prompt the operator to replenish fluid via the refueling module. Simultaneously, the system automatically performs sensor self-checks and valve zeroing operations, and enters standby mode after confirming there are no fault codes.

[0063] Next, the operator installed the repaired RLB-33 impeller fuel pump 100 onto the RLB-33 fuel pump test bench 11, connected the coupling and tightened the anchor bolts; installed the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump 200 into the working oil tank 121 of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench 12, connected the inlet and outlet pipelines and sensor interface, and closed the sealing cover of the working oil tank 121.

[0064] Entering the break-in test phase, to eliminate mechanical clearances after pump assembly, the operator selects the break-in mode on the software. At this time, the power drive system 2 starts, and the RLB-33 drive unit controls the hydraulic motor 211 to drive the RLB-33 to rotate at low speed. Simultaneously, low-pressure fuel output from the RLB-33 enters the RLB-34 power supply unit 22, driving the RLB-34 to rotate slowly. All regulating valves in the pressure and flow regulation system 3 are in a fully open or low-damping state, keeping the system in a light-load cycle. The control system monitors the bearing temperature and vibration values ​​in real time. If the values ​​remain stable and there are no abnormal noises within a specified time, the break-in is considered successful, and the system automatically increases the speed to enter the next stage until the rated speed break-in requirement is reached.

[0065] After the break-in period, the system automatically transitions to the performance testing phase, namely the dynamic coupling test. At this stage, the system simulates aircraft takeoff or cruise conditions. The RLB-33 drive unit accelerates the RLB-33 to its rated operating speed, and the PID controller intervenes, adjusting the electric regulating valve 311 of the RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulating mechanism according to the set operating parameters to stabilize the RLB-33 outlet pressure at the set value. This high-pressure fuel serves as the power source to drive the RLB-34 to rotate at high speed. Simultaneously, the measurement and control system 4 adjusts the RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulating mechanism 32, changing the load characteristics of the RLB-34 by controlling the opening of the large-flow regulating valve 321 and the small-flow regulating valve 322.

[0066] During this process, the data acquisition card 412 synchronously acquires parameters such as the RLB-33's rotational speed, drive torque, outlet pressure, and flow rate, as well as the RLB-34's turbine speed, pump outlet pressure, and boost value. The system software automatically calculates the matching efficiency and pressure transmission loss between the two, and plots the PQ (pressure-flow) characteristic curve. To verify the transient response, the system instructs the RLB-33 drive unit to perform a step-change in rotational speed (simulating engine acceleration and deceleration), observing the RLB-34's following response speed and pressure overshoot, thereby identifying system-level dynamic performance defects.

[0067] If an oil suction performance or high-altitude simulation test is required, the vacuum pump 62 in the gas path control system 6 is activated to evacuate the working oil tank 121 where the RLB-34 is located, reducing its internal absolute pressure to the air pressure value corresponding to the altitude. The above performance test procedure is then repeated, with a focus on monitoring the fluctuation of the RLB-34 outlet pressure. If the pressure drop exceeds the standard value, the cavitation performance is deemed unqualified.

[0068] After the test, the system entered the shutdown procedure. First, the RLB-33 speed was gradually reduced to idle speed, then the cooling module 534 was turned on at full power to reduce the oil temperature to a safe range. Subsequently, the hydraulic pump station was shut down and the fuel circuit was disconnected. The operator used the drain module in the fuel treatment unit 53 to open the pipeline pump and the explosion-proof ball valve to drain the residual oil inside the RLB-33 and RLB-34 and in the pipeline back to the main fuel tank 51 or the waste oil storage tank to prevent fuel spillage during disassembly. Finally, the measurement and control system 4 automatically generated a test report containing all test data, graphs, and pass / fail criteria, and stored it in the database for traceability.

[0069] This invention presents a performance testing platform for hydraulic turbine pumps used in aircraft impeller fuel pumps. Through the aforementioned structural design and logic control, it successfully overcomes the limitations of traditional single-unit testing. It not only serves as an independent high-precision test bench for both the RLB-33 and RLB-34, but more importantly, achieves true physical and hydraulic coupling between the two. This integrated testing environment allows maintenance personnel to accurately reproduce the complex power transmission process in the air from the ground, significantly improving fault identification rates and shortening maintenance cycles. Simultaneously, the system's comprehensive configuration in media handling, safety protection, and automated control ensures efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly testing, possessing high engineering application value and promising prospects for widespread adoption. Furthermore, the platform is designed with ample hydraulic and electrical interfaces, allowing for easy future expansion to test other fuel pump models in the same series, or direct use as an independent high-pressure, high-flow fuel source for the research and development of other aviation accessories, demonstrating excellent versatility and scalability.

[0070] This invention is not limited to the specific technical solutions described in the above embodiments. Besides the above embodiments, this invention may have other implementation methods. For those skilled in the art, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A performance testing platform for a hydraulic turbine pump used in an aircraft impeller fuel pump, characterized in that, include: The test bench system is equipped with a mounting system for fixing the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump, and provides connection interfaces for the fuel circuit and the hydraulic circuit. The power drive system is used to provide adjustable mechanical driving force for the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and to provide the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump with the high-pressure fuel power output by the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump required for its operation. The pressure and flow regulation system is installed in the fuel circuit to precisely regulate the outlet pressure of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump and the outlet flow and boost value of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump. The measurement and control system is used to collect various operating parameters during the test in real time, and to process, store, display, analyze, and automate the test process. Working medium storage and processing system, used for storing, filtering, cooling and stabilizing aviation fuel and hydraulic oil required for testing; The gas path control system is used to realize the functions of vacuum suction of the fuel tank and venting of the pipeline; It also includes a safety protection system to monitor the operating status of the test platform and take coordinated protective measures in case of abnormalities.

2. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test bench system includes the RLB-33 fuel pump test bench and the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench. The RLB-33 fuel pump test bench is equipped with a product mounting base, an oil collection tray, and a waste oil storage tank for installing the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump. The product mounting base is connected to the hydraulic motor of the power drive system via a coupling.

3. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, The working oil tank of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench is equipped with an installation adapter for installing the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump. The wall of the working oil tank is equipped with multiple interfaces for pressure, temperature and liquid level detection, as well as interfaces for vacuuming and venting. The fuel inlet of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump is located inside the working oil tank, and its fuel outlet is located outside the working oil tank.

4. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power drive system includes an RLB-33 drive unit and an RLB-34 power source supply unit; The RLB-33 drive unit includes a swashplate axial piston hydraulic motor and two parallel electro-hydraulic proportional load-sensitive piston pumps. The RLB-33 drive unit also includes an oil cooler and a precision return oil filter.

5. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 4, characterized in that, The RLB-34 power supply unit directly uses the fuel outlet of the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump as the power source input, and its pipeline is sequentially equipped with an explosion-proof pneumatic ball valve, a high-pressure precision filter, a flow meter display, and a pressure meter display.

6. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working medium storage and processing system includes a main fuel tank and a hydraulic drive tank, as well as a fuel processing unit; The main fuel tank is equipped with a heat exchange coil for regulating fuel temperature, an anti-foaming device for eliminating fuel foam, and high and low level alarm sensors.

7. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fuel processing unit includes a refueling module, a discharging module, a filtration module, a cooling module, and an oil-gas separation module; The refueling module includes a pneumatic diaphragm pump refueling trolley; The oil discharge module includes a pipeline pump and multiple explosion-proof ball valves; The filtration module includes an RFA-800-5 type filter to ensure that the fuel contamination level meets the GJB420A-96 standard; The cooling module includes a stainless steel plate heat exchanger and a refrigeration unit, used to precisely control the fuel temperature within the range of 15°C to 70°C. The oil-gas separation module includes an oil-gas processor, which is used to ensure that the oil content of the separated fuel is no more than 10 ppm.

8. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure and flow regulation system includes an RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulation mechanism and an RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulation mechanism. The RLB-33 fuel outlet pressure regulating mechanism includes an electric regulating valve installed on the RLB-33 impeller fuel pump outlet pipeline. The valve opening is controlled by the measurement and control system using PID closed-loop control based on the feedback signal from the fuel outlet pressure sensor. The RLB-34 fuel outlet flow and boost pressure regulating mechanism includes a high-flow regulating valve and a low-flow regulating valve installed on the outlet pipeline of the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump. Both the high-flow regulating valve and the low-flow regulating valve achieve precise control of the valve opening through an electric actuator.

9. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic control system includes an air compressor, a vacuum pump, and multiple explosion-proof solenoid valves. The rated discharge capacity of the air compressor is not less than 0.5 m³ / min, and the rated discharge pressure is not less than 0.8 MPa; The vacuum pump has an ultimate vacuum of not less than -0.095 MPa and a pumping speed of not less than 10 L / s, and is used to evacuate the working oil tank in the RLB-34 hydraulic turbine pump test bench.

10. The performance test platform for aircraft impeller fuel pump hydraulic turbine pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The safety protection system is also equipped with multiple distributed emergency stop buttons and integrates a user access control system.

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