Flow Cell

"The Flow Cell is designed to simulate the fully developed turbulent boundary layer developing over the hull of high speed ships."

A smaller flume with similar capabilities to the MPF. The Flow Cell can be run with the same insert plates used in the MPF and ECT, but is also adaptable to accept small scale inserts. This makes the flow cell an efficient device for new concept development within coated surface hydrodynamics research.

Details

The Flow Cell was constructed in 2005 as part of the AMBIO project to investigate the use of nanotechnology in biofouling resistant coatings. The measuring section has recently been upgraded to allow a range of test plates to be used.

Instrumentation and equipment upgrades have kept the facility at the leading edge of research activity.

Microscope slides are covered with the trial coating and then different types of organisms are settled on them. The slides are introduced into the boundary layer and the wall shear stress is measured.

The Flow Cell has been used to measure the adhesion strength of cyprid barnacles in a salt water flow environment by simulating the boundary layers developing on a 140m vessel travelling at speeds up to 40 knots.

Specifications

Maximum water velocity	13.4 m/s
Maximum wall shear stress	256 Pa
Measurement section	1500 x 292 x 20 mm
Pump power rating	15 kW
Pump capacity	90 litres/s at 10m head
Operating temperature range	28 °C to 3 °C
Medium	Fresh and Salt water