Bringing Italian Skies Down to the Earth

360099

01/01/1936

Event
Pre-1964 SAE Technical Papers
Authors Abstract
Content
THE Fiat high-altitude aircraft-engine testing-plant can duplicate quickly, conveniently and accurately any combination of atmospheric conditions that may be found in an imaginary vertical column of air rising from sea-level to more than 6 miles. To compare results, the output of an engine is measured in “standard air”, which is characterized by a definite pressure, temperature and humidity.
The high-altitude testing-plant comprises the following:
  1. (1)
    An engine test-cell, with a volume of approximately 6000 cu. ft., which is thermally insulated and airtight.
  2. (2)
    The refrigerating plant, which comprises a refrigerating machine, the cooling surfaces which absorb heat from the air enclosed in the test-chamber, the air fed to the carburetor of the engine, and the exhaust gases flowing from the engine.
  3. (3)
    An air-pressure-reduction plant which includes a turbo-blower, an automatic altitude-regulator and an exhaust-gas cooler.
  4. (4)
    The artificial-wind plant which can supply up to a wind speed of 100 m.p.h. at a pressure corresponding to an altitude of 16,300 ft.
  5. (5)
    The apparatus for humidifying the engine intake-air.
  6. (6)
    The engine-test apparatus; hydraulic and electric power-brakes are used. The apparatus makes it possible to check the oil and the fuel consumption, and the water temperature at the inlet and outlet of the engine.
  7. (7)
    The central control-board was laid out so that the operator always has the entire test-plant under full observation and control.
The Fiat high-altitude testing-plant is the result of a long series of experiments and research work.
Meta TagsDetails
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/360099
Pages
14
Citation
Merriman, M., "Bringing Italian Skies Down to the Earth," SAE Technical Paper 360099, 1936, https://doi.org/10.4271/360099.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Jan 1, 1936
Product Code
360099
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English