RDE Engine Testing

 On the Meyer Research Group, I have become the point of contact and primary test conductor for the air-breathing RDE stand, HAMR. I am responsible for the integration of different RDEs onto the stand, system checkouts, and ultimately testing of the engines on the stand. I know how to operate all the relevant fluid systems inside the test cell. These include the air, fuel, and nitrogen panels that take in bulk N2 and gaseous fuels from K bottles and distribute them to different systems inside the cell. The fluid then goes to the HAMR fluid panel, which I designed and built, which contains venturis and PTs/TCs for mass flow measurement and the run valves. The system is remotely operated from the control room via LabVIEW VI. I have run the VI for 5 test campaigns and supported 6 other campaigns by recording and saving test data, calculating set pressures to meet conditions, and writing down actual test conditions and results into the Test Operations Document. I have trained undergraduate and graduate students in how the systems in the test cell function and monitored them to ensure everything is brought up successfully. This role has given me a lot of responsibility over testing, even as an undergrad. I have gained lots of experience in operating these systems and lots of understanding in how the systems, such as the PTs, work at a fundamental level via troubleshooting.