CEPr - ECRI2008

ITEM 10
CEPr - Le Centre d’Essais des Propulseurs (Propeller Test Platform)
“Leader and reference partner in Europe for flight
power system assessment and expertise”
CEPr is an important element in the overall expertise and test capacity of the DE (Test and
evaluation directorate) of the DGA (French Armament Procurement Agency).
The origins of CEPr go back to the Chalais Meudon engine test station in 1916. Established in the Paris
area on the Saclay plateau in 1946, its dedicated fields are the design and execution of tests under
simulated flight conditions of air-breathing aerospace engines, their components, assemblies and subassemblies and associated equipment.
Figures:
• 530 employees
• 14 test facilities
• 4 research laboratories
• 5 certified calibration laboratories
THE “ONE IN EUROPE” TEST CENTRE
Testing engines at simulated altitude conditions is CEPr’s core of activity. CEPr offer powerful plants
enabling testing of air breathing engines and their components, including : temperatures from -70°C to
+800°C, pressures from 2.5kPa to 6000kPa, very high altitude, high Mach number, icing conditions.
We are the European leader in the field of air breathing propulsion, and propose test services to
engine manufacturers as well as co-operation programs with other research centres. Some of these
contacts have led to synergies through partnerships in the scope of European Framework Programs
since 2005.
Some strategic facilities are currently being upgraded, extending the range of services, tools and
facilities in order to get ready for next-generation engines.
CEPr’ certifications (ISO 9001v2000, ISO 14001) and accreditations guarantee a high quality service
to customers as well as a full respect of environmental rules. CEPr also support European engine
manufacturers’ efforts in developing low-emission, low-noise engine.
CAPABILITIES:
The military engines that can be tested range from small missile power plants of 0.1kN thrust to the
military combat aircraft in full reheat, delivering 100kN thrust.
To create the required flight conditions, powerful air plants supply up to 150kg/s to the largest test
cells in Europe.
The main advantages offered by CEPr are:
- accurate simulation and repeatability of flight and / or icing
conditions,
- hazardous tests performed with far less risk than in-flight tests,
- ready access to the test vehicle during the test period,
- highly instrumented test units (up to 1.500 lines).
Various types of prototypes can be tested:
• Turbo-engines
• Compressors and combustors
Altitude conditions test on turbo-propeller
• Icing protection systems
• Fuel systems
• Investigations on propulsion systems are also carried out in dedicated labs.
Cepra 19 facility
The anechoic windtunnel chamber Cepra 19 is located on the Saclay
DGA site. This instrument is operated by ONERA and is used for
acoustic and aerodynamic tests frequently within European programs.
Reducing noise in the vicinity of the airports is a key-challenge for the
European aeronautic companies. ONERA scientists are working with
Airbus, Eurocopter and Snecma research teams for identifying and
characterising these sources of noise.
The aeronautic and spatial research requires comparing the results
issued from virtual simulations and real experiments. In this purpose
researchers need heavy tools both in computing capacities and in real
conditions experiments. Only the comparison is able to let the
knowledge in energetic and acoustic sciences making significant progress. Thus the
computing capacity of ONERA teams should increase from 6,2 Teraflops in 2008 to 20
Teraflops in the next years.
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