In the "pyramid" of gas turbine development, the pressure scanning valve is a precision measurement tool near its 

apex. By providing high-density, high-precision, and synchronized pressure field data, it directly supports core R&D 

activities like performance enhancement, safety boundary expansion, and design tool validation. Modern 

high-performance, high-reliability gas turbine development would be unimaginable without it.

The Pressure Scanning Valve (PSV), also known as an Electronic Scanning Pressure (ESP) system, is a critical, 

high-end test instrument that has revolutionized traditional point-by-point measurement, drastically improving 

test efficiency and data quality.

1. Application in Test Phases

PSVs are essential, particularly during detailed performance testing of core components and the whole-engine 

validation phase.

Core Component Testing:

Compressor Test Rigs: Measure steady and dynamic pressures before and after rotor and stator stages to map 

compressor characteristics (pressure ratio vs. flow, efficiency vs. flow).

Combustor Test Rigs: Measure pressure distribution and pulsations in the combustor head, liner, and exit section 

to analyze stability, thermoacoustic oscillations, and outlet temperature field quality.

Turbine Test Rigs: Measure pressure distribution on turbine nozzle and blade surfaces to assess aerodynamic 

loading, efficiency, and cooling effectiveness.

Whole-Engine Integration Testing:

Gas Turbine Engine Testing: Perform dense pressure measurements at key locations under real operating conditions 

to verify overall performance meets design targets and to study component matching.

PSVs are generally not used in early conceptual design (reliant on simulation) or later durability testing (focused on 

long-term structural effects, using more economical sensors).

2. Data Supporting Verification & Results

PSV data serves as the "gold standard" for design validation and optimization:

Performance Verification & Optimization:

Efficiency Calculation: Precisely compute isentropic efficiency and total pressure loss coefficients from inlet/outlet 

total and static pressures.

Load Distribution: Integrate dense surface pressures to determine aerodynamic loads on blades.

Aerodynamic Stability Assessment (Critical):

Surge/Rotating Stall Boundary Detection: Precisely identify stall inception by monitoring high-frequency pressure 

pulsations, defining the safe operating envelope.

Flutter Prediction: Analyze unsteady surface pressures to study aeroelastic issues and prevent catastrophic failures.

Combustion Stability Analysis:

Thermoacoustic Oscillation Monitoring: High-frequency response is key to diagnosing and suppressing damaging 

pressure oscillations coupled with heat release.

CFD Model Validation:

High spatial-resolution pressure field data provides the most direct experimental basis for calibrating and improving 

computational fluid dynamics models.

3. Implementation Details

Using a PSV is a systematic engineering process:

System Composition: Includes the PSV module (containing multiple silicon piezoresistive sensors sharing a 

reference vacuum), a Data Acquisition System, and pressure tubing connecting to probes or surface taps.

Installation & Layout:

The PSV's compact size is crucial in the confined spaces of a gas turbine. Units are mounted on or near the 

engine casing to minimize tubing length and maximize frequency response.

They are often housed in cooled protective shells to shield electronics from high ambient temperatures.

Calibration & Measurement:

In-situ Calibration: A known reference pressure is applied before testing to calibrate all channels, eliminating 

drift errors.

Synchronous Acquisition: All channels are sampled simultaneously, which is vital for analyzing unsteady phenomena.

Data Components: Measured data contains both steady (for performance) and dynamic (for stability) components, 

with frequency responses often reaching tens of kHz.

Data Analysis: Processed data generates pressure contour maps, spectrograms (FFT), and correlation functions for 

engineer diagnosis and decision-making.

Summary

In the pyramid of gas turbine development, the pressure scanning valve is an indispensable, high-precision tool. Its 

ability to deliver dense, accurate, and synchronized dynamic pressure field data is fundamental to core R&D 

activities aimed at boosting performance, expanding safety limits, and validating digital models. The development 

of modern, high-performance gas turbines relies heavily on this critical technology.