PHARE (rotating machinery platform for environmental risk control) is a Facility of Excellence and a unique project undertaken by international research laboratories. Its aim is to enable the design of tomorrow’s rotating machinery with controls for environmental risks. The platform comprises an innovative architecture with bearings that do not negatively affect the embedded smart systems satisfying high compactness requirements and operations under a broad speed range. This does not detract from its robust testing qualities under extreme stress.
Benefits of PHARE
PHARE facilitates experiments aimed at meeting industrial challenges in energy consumption, accidents and the development of new technology required for sustainable development that is controlled and environmentally friendly.
It also seeks to satisfy the social goal of improving the means of transport and energy production. Rotating machinery enjoy a primary role among these means; as such, their technology must constantly strive for and advance in energy efficiency, safety and a reduction in their environmental footprint.
Three test rigs
The platform is made of three test rigs installed at École Centrale de Lyon and INSA Lyon. It is operated by teams of experimenters and mathematicians, including those from ENS Lyon. Major business groups, like SAFRAN and EDF, are heavily involved in this project.
PHARE 1 - Structure, steered by the LTDS, can accept a level-1 aircraft engine (up to 3 metres in diameter), initiate its rotation at real speed in a vacuum and relay all vibration behaviour.
PHARE 2 - Multi-physical ECL B-3, led by the LMFA (Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics Laboratory) is a 3 MW test bench specially designed for the performance enhancement of aircraft engines.
PHARE 3 - Embedded machinery, guided by the LamCoS of INSA Lyon, is an embedded structure exciter that can place a strain simultaneously on six axes of 450 kg with a force of 62,000 newtons and within a frequency range of 0-250 Hz.
For more information, you can download the presentation on the installation of the facilities.
