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home | the buildings | cell 3 (630)
 

Cell 3 (630)

Built: 1961
Decommissioned: 2002

Cell 3 was the first testing cell built after plans in the early 1950s to expand the initial capacity of the site. Constructed at the same time as the Air House, it was designed as a general purpose cell to provide greater capacity than Cell 2 e.g. it could cater for the new larger engines with their improved performance, and could simulate higher altitudes, all within a wider range of engine entry temperatures.

The cell was 138 feet long. The working section, where the gas turbine under test was connected, was 56 feet long, the diffusing section (where hot exhaust gases were rapidly cooled) was 64 foot long, the cooler and frame trap sections were 90 foot long with the rest of the length comprising the connection to the suction mains manifold. The diameters of these components was also impressive with the working section having a diameter of 20 foot, with a removable section in the roof, and the diameters of the diffuser and cooler sections were 10 foot and 30 foot respectively.

Such a structure should've had a major presence, easily dwarfing the size of Cells 1 and 2 which it replaced. But to reduce unwanted emitted noise, the whole structure was submerged below ground level in a concrete trench. Therefore there was little outward appearance of this complicated engineering installation.


Cell 3, north western corner, as seen from Weir Road.
24|03|07 © Simon Cornwell 2007


Two buildings were constructed on top of this trench. The first was the main cell building which covered the working section. This steel framed building was typical of the austere, functional buildings of Pyestock. It was shuttered at its western end to allow gas turbines to be winched into the loading bay and then lowered in a well which contained the working section. The northern side was clad with glass to increase the natural lighting, whilst brick appendages on the north and south sides provided space for workshops, storage space and control rooms for icing tests.

A second building was constructed over another well which gave access to the exterior of the exhaust manifold. This was little more than a metal frame with steel cladding over its northern and southern sides.

The main control room for the cell was housed in the Computer Building over 700 meters away. A tunnel, called Monks Passage, was constructed to provide a connection path between the control room and its cell.

General view west across the whole of main external building of Cell 3.
24|06|06 © Simon Cornwell 2007


The cell was connected to the new air main and suction mains which were constructed along with the Air House. It used the Air House (and later the Parsons No. 9 and No. 10 exhausters) to produce altitude conditions (unlike Cells 1 and 2 which were driven by the ejectors). Compressed air was supplied by the Air House only, whilst exhausting conditions could be produced by all the plant.

It could simulate altitude conditions to 70,000 ft. at mach 2.2, with temperature ranging from -70 through to 250 degrees.

Cross-section of Cell 3 test plant


Temperature control was achieved by a separate heating plant (since removed), a separate cold air plant (produced by a pre-cooler and pressure dryer system housed in a neighbouring building) and ice making facilities (which could be found in the Cell 3 building). The four fuel systems connected to the cell could also be varied and set to different temperatures and pressures. Additionally the GEC sets could be configured to draw air through the Ceca Air Drying Plant so tests could be conducted with dry air.

Piping and connections for the water cooled diffuser section. Looking west.
24|06|06 © Simon Cornwell 2006


Cell 3 became one of the most used cells of the site, its positioning within the air and suction mains allowing a plethora of different connection strategies and options. Initially designed for testing large diameter engines and combat jet testing, it was later used for military engine testing. It could also be used for steady state performance measurement, control system evaluation, altitude relighting, the limits of combustion stability, the evaluation of engine performance in severe icing conditions and the tolerance to distorted inlet flows.

It only closed in 2002 when it was determined obsolete after over forty years of service. But its working life wasn’t quite over and the working section was dressed up for the feature film Sahara where the cell doubled-up as part of a futuristic toxic waste disposal facility.



Cell 3 Walkthrough...

A sign pointing the way to the Cell 3 Test Area Office. This will lead away from Cell 3 as the TAO is in the Computer Building. Looking south over the elevated section of Weir Road towards the main part of Cell 3 (on the left) and the covered section (on the right). North-western side of Cell 3 as seen from Weir Road. Whole northern side of Cell 3 as seen from Weir Road looking east. The northern side of Cell 3 as seen from Weir Road looking west. The supersonic section of Pyestock looking west: The Airhouse, Cell 3 (and its gantry going into the distance) and Cell 4 (just off picture). The western section of Cell 3 looking west from the covered section to the suction mains. The connecting building at the other end is Cell 3 West. Southern aspect and roof of Cell 3 looking north. South-western corner of Cell 3 looking across the roof of building 627. Looking west towards the covered section of Cell 3 from the main doors of Cell 3.
View east from the covered section of Cell 3 towards the main doors of Cell 3. Southern side of the covered section of Cell 3. View east inside the covered section of Cell 3 showing well access to the cell and tunnel. Looking eastward from an elevated position within the covered section of Cell 3. Looking west across the suction mains from the covered section of Cell 3. Looking east across the suction mains to the covered section and then to Cell 3. Looking east towards Cell 3 from the rising suction main of Cell 3 West. View of Cell 3 from the top of the main section of Cell 3 West. The view of the Cell 3 covered section and gantries joining it to Cell 3 West. Looking south-west. The testing room of Cell 3 looking east.
Looking east along the testing room of Cell 3. The working section of the testing chamber can be seen in the first well. Looking down into the testing chamber. Angled north-east. View west across the first well and the open testing chamber. General view west from the mid-section of Cell 3. Looking west along the Cell 3 by the third well. General view west across the whole of main external building of Cell 3. Looking south towards the stairs to the first and second stories. Elevated view westerly across the whole of the external building of Cell 3. View north-west across the Ice Plant Control Room. The Ice Plant Control Room looking north-east.
Elevated view easterly across the whole of the external building of Cell 3. View north of the stairs leading down from the second floor. Elevated view westerly across the whole of the external building of Cell 3. Looking east along the second storey of Cell 3. Detail of the gantry crane. Looking north-west. Looking east along the second storey of Cell 3. Elevated view down into the first well and the cell testing chamber. Angled north-west. Elevated view down into the third well and the air inlet. Angled north. Stairs down to the first basement floor along the cell testing chamber. Looking upwards and westerly. Looking north-east across the open roof of the working section.
First basement floor alongside the southern wall of the cell testing chamber. Looking east. Looking east across the open roof of the working section. The view down the various steps and walkways to the second basement level below the cell. Looking west along the southern wall of the cell testing chamber. The northern door opening into the working section. The northern door as seen from the interior of the working section. Looking north along the remnants of the thrust frame in the working section. Detail of the thrust frame and connection nozzle at the eastern end of the working section. Eastern view along the entire length of the working section. Elevated view across the working section and looking up to the roof of the cell.
The western view of the flimsy wooden doors added by Sahara set dressers. Looking east towards the working section from the start of the water cooled diffuser section. Looking east towards the working section from midway along the water cooled diffuser section. View west at the end of the water cooled diffuser past the inhibition torches into the exhaust gas cooler. Looking west towards the end of the exhaust gas cooler. The view east from the end of the exhaust gas cooler towards the flame traps and water cooled diffuser. Looking south-west and down into the third well and the air inlet. Elevated view south-west across the third well and the air inlet. View west along the third well. Second basement floor moving along the southern flank of the working section.
Moving westwards along the southern flank of the working section. Detail of piping and extensive labelling. Detail of engine fuel connection lines. Pressure gauges, fuel connections and other sensors connected to the underside of the working section. Looking north-east. Piping and connections for the water cooled diffuser section. Looking west. Detail of walkway and connections to the water cooled diffuser section. Looking west. Stairway leading west and upwards past the exhaust gas cooler. Looking west across the southern flank of the water cooled diffuser section. Detail of the igniter packs for the inhibition torches. The exhaust cooler as seen from the northern side looking west.
Elevated view of the water cooled diffuser section looking east. Climbing over the exhaust gas cooler to the well in the covered section. The end of the exhaust gas cooler as seen from the well in the covered section. Looking south-east. Sensors connected to the northern side of the exhaust gas cooler. The northern side of the exhaust gas cooler looking east. Pressure gauges for the inhibition torches. Found on the northern basement wall. On the second basement floor moving west past the exhaust gas cooler and towards the suction mains. Looking west along the first floor elevated walkway along the northern side of the exhaust gas cooler. View up from the second basement floor up to the well in the covered section. Looking west. The final section of the exhaust gas cooler seen from the second basement floor looking east.
Doorway through bulkhead on the second basement floor to the suction mains. Looking west. Stairs up the gully connecting the final sections of Cell 3 and Cell 3 West to the suction mains. Looking west. Elevated view east of the bulkhead door which leads to the second basement under Cell 3. Westerly view of the last section of Cell 3 and Cell 3 West as it connects to the suction mains. View looking up from the first basement level towards the covered section. Looking south across the last Section of Cell 3 between two pipes of the suction mains. Walkway south across the Cell 3 gully and two of the main suction main pipes. Detail of narrow crawls under the suction main pipes. Stairs to left lead down into the Cell 3 gully. View west across the suction mains back to the covered section and Cell 3.

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