120 foot Towing Tank

This tank is the workhorse of the Laboratory facilities. Ship models up to about six feet in length can be tested for seakeeping and resistance properties, and the tank is used extensively for demonstrations, midshipmen projects, and for research. The dual-flap wavemaker at the end of the tank is similar to the wavemaker in the 380 foot tank. Wavemaking techniques developed here can be reproduced in the larger facility. The tank is equipped to demonstrate constant force (gravity tow) and constant velocity (powered carriage) test methods. Data from the model are transmitted by a cable to recording equipment or to a networked computer workstation for processing.

120 Ft Towing Tank	Model Setup	Shallow Water Testing

DESCRIPTION OF CARRIAGE:

unmanned

TYPE OF DRIVE SYSTEM AND TOTAL POWER:

cable drive motor, 7 HP digital speed control, manual/computer controlled

WAVE GENERATION CAPABILITY:

regular, irregular, and transient water waves, wave frequency range 0.25 to 1.25 Hz

WAVEMAKER TYPE AND EXTENT:

dual flap servo-hydraulic control, manufactured by MTS

BEACH TYPE AND LENGTH:

7 layer of rectangular bars, 16 ft long on 1-to-3 slope

INSTRUMENTATION:

15 bit A/D converter, variable reluctance force blocks for all force measurements, ultrasonic and resistance wave height gauges, acoustic doppler velocimeters, pressure gages, trailing cable for transmission of data from carriage to shore, general purpose resistance and seakeeping dynamometer

TESTS PERFORMED:

resistance in calm water and waves, seakeeping tests, various test of ocean structures, hydrodynamic forces on submerged bodies, flow visualization, basic wave propagation

OTHER REMARKS:

gravity towing capability

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