AMC's Cavitation Tunnel

The Tom Fink Cavitation Tunnel is located on the Newnham Campus of the Australian Maritime College (AMC), Launceston. The facility is a closed, variable pressure, recirculating water tunnel used for the study of flow about such bodies as ship hulls and under water vehicles and general flow applications. Investigations may involve the study of cavitation and other two-phase flows, steady and unsteady flows, turbulence and hydro-acoustics.

Cavitation is the change of phase, from liquid to vapour, that occurs when static pressures in the liquid on or about a body are reduced below the vapour pressure. It is a complex phenomenon and places limitations on the performance of submerged machinery. It may cause thrust breakdown in propulsors, loss of efficiency, metal erosion, noise, vibration and ultimately destruction of machinery.

The cavitation tunnel is being developed to serve both national and international markets in the high speed craft and defence sectors. To date capabilities for investigating the performance of a range of under water bodies, propulsion devices and appendages have been developed including;

• Marine propellers;
• Remotely operated under water vehicles;
• Sonar tow fish;
• Active and passive control surfaces such as stabilisers, rudders and motion control devices for both surface and undersea vehicles; and,
• Waterjet propulsion devices.

Specifications

General
	Manufacturer		GEC Alsthom
	Height between centre lines		6 metres
	Width between centre lines		14 metres
	Honeycomb		0.15 metres thick x 6.35 mm hex mesh
	Contraction Ratio		7.11
Test Section
	Dimensions		0.6 metres x 0.6 metres x 2.6 metres
	Maximum velocity		12 metres/second
	Velocity spatial non-uniformity		< ±2% mean velocity
	Velocity temporal variation		< 1% mean velocity
	Max/min pressure		4.0/0.1 atmosphere absolute
	Pressure temporal variation		< ±0.004 atmosphere absolute
	Max/min cavitation number		5.5/0.2
Pump
	6 bladed impeller and 14 bladed stator
	Power		164kW
	Max rpm		1750
Control
	Automatic or manual control of pressure and velocity