Design a Towing Tank

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by deanlife, Sep 17, 2012.

  1. deanlife
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    deanlife Junior Member

    Hello, it's my first post here.
    I'am doing a research at college, and I need to find some companies which offer the service of design towing tank.
    My college want to buy one because it doesn't have the technology for desing one. Does anybody knows a companie who offer this service facilitie?

    Thanks.
     
  2. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    1 person likes this.
  3. FMS
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    FMS Senior Member

  4. MikeJohns
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    MikeJohns Senior Member

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2012
  5. Eric Sponberg
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    Eric Sponberg Senior Member

    I would recommend Oceanic Consulting Corporation in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.

    http://www.oceaniccorp.com/

    They run studies at the Institute for Marine Dynamics at Memorial University of Newfoundland, one of the best facilities of its kind in North America. They would have the engineering expertise to help you.

    Eric
     
  6. Crag Cay
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    Crag Cay Senior Member

    The tank itself is quite basic - the bigger the better is the golden rule! However there are limits on how small you can go before the errors become totally unhelpful. From the size of boat you want to test, you then work out what is the best / most cost effective sized model, and from that the clearances you need below and either side of the model, etc. There's quite a lot of literature about these aspects.

    Then there's some practical considerations around wave damping how quickly you can repeat runs, etc. Agains lots of papers and makes a huge difference to the commercial viability of a facility.

    But the real 'difference' between towing tanks is the sophistication of their carriages. Each tank has developed this and its data logging capability because this gives each tank it's 'unique selling point'. Even university tanks are in effect commercial enterprises and their ability to carry out any test project is a combination of lots of things including tank size, model making ability and above all, the capability of their carriage and their data interpretation skills. I don't think you'll find much detail or get much help about the finer details of some of this because test tanks are a cut throat business.

    You'll certainly get no more from me!
     
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  7. sottorf
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    sottorf member

    Stellenbosch University have a 100m tank with carriage that does 8 m/s. It is possible to arrange an exchange with your University so you can get that proven design at little or now cost. They can also provide you with an updated design based on their current experience.

    The tank itself is not the difficult part. THe trick is to get a good dynamomenter. Wolfson Unit supply good ones at hefty price tags. The University of Kiev in Ukraine also supply good dynamometers at much better prices which are good enough for academic work. if you need further assistance please send me your email address and I can help you.
     
  8. Ad Hoc
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    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    If i recall correctly the tank is only 2.3m deep?

    If so, the models should not be run at speeds above circa 3.5m/s
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2012
  9. deanlife
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    deanlife Junior Member

    Thanks guys. I'm just a studient yet, and at the moment I'm doing a research to try to find the better size for launchs and similar froude numbers.
    Do you guys have some literature which could help me?
     
  10. deanlife
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    deanlife Junior Member

    MikeJohns said that you are designing one ... Do you have some contact? because I didn't find any in your public profile.
    I would apreciate.
     
  11. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    I support Gonzo's suggestion. The ITTC has a comprehensive compendium of
    towing tanks, their dimensions, and other details.
     
  12. Ad Hoc
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    Ad Hoc Naval Architect


    I'm sure most of your queries could be answered, as Leo/Gonzo have already noted, via the ITTC database. But happy to assist either way. Just send me a PM. :cool:
     
  13. deanlife
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    deanlife Junior Member

    Has it a free acess? I mean, Can I have acess to all of those documents? Because I heard that this towing tank business is quite of secret and they don't like that other people build another towing tank because they see it as a business competition.
     

  14. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    If you had tried the web address Gonzo suggested you would have found a "Catalogue of Facilities".
    http://ittc.sname.org/Catalogue of facilities/index.pdf

    Click on the blue writing and it will show you drawings and other details.

    Maybe you shouldn't listen to those people any more.
     
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