US 12,492,977 B2Granted

System and method for testing

AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc

InventorsSeamus D Garvey, Christopher J Bennett, David Hills, James Rouse

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Abstract

A system for testing at least one test piece. The system includes a pressure vessel including a first chamber receiving a first fluid at a first pressure. The pressure vessel further includes a second chamber receiving a second fluid. The pressure vessel further includes an actuating membrane fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber. The system further includes a test vessel including an internal chamber disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber. The test vessel further includes at least one test wall coupled to the at least one test piece. The system further includes an actuator engaged with the actuating membrane and configured to apply a time-varying force on the actuating membrane while the first pressure is being applied by the first fluid on the actuating membrane.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for testing at least one test piece, the system comprising:

a pressure vessel comprising:
a first chamber receiving a first fluid (F1) at a first pressure (P1);
a second chamber fluidly separated from the first chamber and receiving a second fluid (F2);
and
an actuating membrane fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber, wherein the actuating membrane is configured to apply a second pressure (P2) on the second fluid (F2) within the second chamber in response to the application of the first pressure (P1) by the first fluid (F1) on the actuating membrane;
a test vessel comprising an internal chamber disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber and at least one test wall defining at least one boundary of the internal chamber, wherein the at least one test wall is coupled to the at least one test piece, wherein the internal chamber is configured to receive the second fluid (F2) at the second pressure (P2), and wherein the at least one test wall is configured to apply a first force (N1) on the at least one test piece in response to the application of the second pressure (P2) by the second fluid (F2) on the at least one test wall;
and
an actuator engaged with the actuating membrane and configured to apply a time-varying force (N4) on the actuating membrane while the first pressure (P1) is being applied by the first fluid (F1) on the actuating membrane,
wherein the at least one test wall is further configured to apply a second force (N2) on the at least one test piece in addition to the first force (N1) in response to the application of the time-varying force (N4) by the actuator on the actuating membrane, and wherein the second force (N2) is time-varying and is different from the first force (N1).

6 more elements

A method of testing at least one test piece, the method comprising:

providing a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel comprising a first chamber and a second chamber fluidly separated from the first chamber by an actuating membrane;
receiving a first fluid (F1) within the first chamber at a first pressure (P1);
receiving a second fluid (F2) within the second chamber;
applying a first pressure (P1), via the first fluid (F1), on the actuating membrane;
applying, via the actuating membrane, a second pressure (P2) on the second fluid (F2) within the second chamber in response to the application of the first pressure (P1);
receiving the second fluid (F2) at the second pressure (P2) within an internal chamber of a test vessel, the internal chamber being disposed in fluid communication with the second chamber, wherein the test vessel comprises at least one test wall defining at least one boundary of the internal chamber;
coupling the at least one test piece to the at least one test wall;
applying, via the second fluid (F2), the second pressure (P2) on the at least one test wall;
applying, via the at least one test wall, a first force (N1) on the at least one test piece in response to the application of the second pressure (P2) on the at least one test wall;
applying, via an actuator, a time-varying force (N4) on the actuating membrane while the first pressure (P1) is being applied by the first fluid (F1) on the actuating membrane;
and
applying, via the at least one test wall, a second force (N2) on the at least one test piece in addition to the first force (N1) in response to the application of the time-varying force (N4) on the actuating membrane, wherein the second force (N2) is time-varying and is different from the first force (N1).

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.