Ground and in-Fligh Testing of Cooling Efficiency of Turboprop Engine Compartment

This article presents selected results of I-31T propulsion tests, obtained in the framework of EU project ESPOSA (Efficient Systems and Propulsion for Small Aircraft). I-31T aircraft, as a testbed, was fitted with 180 kW turboprop engine TP100. The scope of the work include results of ground and in-flight tests of engine compartment cooling suitability. The purpose of the cooling tests was to prove that temperatures of the propulsion components are within limits set by the engine manufacturer for the engine type in the most disadvantageous conditions on the ground and in flight up to aircraft maximum altitude, maximum ambient temperature and after standard engine shutdown. Engine oil cooling is beyond the scope of this work.