Water Flow Test Stand

The Water-Flow Test Stand is a water-only feed system designed for on-campus cold flow testing and component characterization. It streamlines flow validation by measuring pressure drop across a test article and mass flow using load cells beneath a catch tank, enabling calculation of flow and discharge coefficients with better than 1 percent accuracy. WFTS provides a lower-risk environment for evaluating fluid system behavior, gathering performance data, and validating test hardware, without using propellant.

The stand is used to evaluate injector spray patterns, validate cooling system performance, and test throttle functionality in a controlled, inert, non-cryogenic environment. The test stand operates through a controlled sequence of filling water tanks, pressurizing them, and flowing distilled water through a mounted test article while collecting sensor data throughout a cold-flow. WFTS includes an automatic control and data acquisition system and supports repeatable test campaigns for hardware validation, procedural development, and operator training.

As LPL’s most frequently utilized feed system, it serves as a primary platform for hands-on testing, data collection, and experimental validation across multiple propulsion subsystems.