Research for a Better World
PETAL aims to pioneer the transition to a world where propulsion and power generation is clean, for our children, through creative and rigorous research in high-speed internal flows in cooperation with US and international teams.
Our team combines expertise on measurement techniques, theoretical calculations, computational analysis, and experimental testing procedures, with a focus on research and development for turbines and novel thermal-based cycles.
Our facilities are located at the Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories, offering us access to large quantities of high-pressure heated air, testing facilities, and high-frequency data acquisition and control systems. An air plant provides a 5.5 lbm/s continuous supply of dry, clean compressed air at 3400 psia while simultaneous access to 155,000 lbm (also at 3400 psi) is available to support testing at higher mass flow rates. Main, secondary, and tertiary channels provide up to five independently controlled and metered air supplies. Two independent heat exchangers are available to preheat clean, dry (nonvitiated) high-pressure fluid supplies up to 1500 F at pressures up to 800 psia and flow rates up to 15 lbm/s. An equally capable inert gas system has also been integrated for experiment purges, pneumatic controls, and other unique system needs. Liquid nitrogen is pumped to 6000 psia at a rate of 3 lbm/s for continuous operation, while over 20,000 lbm of gaseous nitrogen boil-off is stored at 6000 psia for higher rates of consumption.
Our team operates two pressure-driven wind tunnels, both connected downstream to a 300 cubic meter vacuum tank. A 1000 Horsepower electric drive system allows testing of rotating turbine rigs up to 20,000 RPM. Our M250 turboshaft gas turbine serves as a platform for rapid technology demonstration, currently focused on novel turbine-rotating detonation configurations to advance next-generation propulsion concepts. Additionally, we operate one large low-speed wind tunnel and a water table.