Abstract
A large-scale surface effect ship (SES) bow seal testing platform has been constructed by the University of Michigan and is presently being commissioned at the U.S. Navy’s Large Cavitation Channel (LCC) in Memphis, TN. Utilizing a recently installed (2008) free-surface forming gate, the test platform is capable of investigating the physics of the two-dimensional planing seal and three-dimensional finger-type bow seal in calm water conditions and at scales relevant to SES designers and numerical modellers. The LCC environment permits extended run times at high Reynolds number and provides unfettered optical access to the seal geometry and flow field. This paper describes the development of the testing platform and presents some preliminary results. The test platform is nominally 7.9 m long, 1.52 m wide and 2.0 m tall and is of welded and bolted steel construction. The seals are nominally sized similarly to those currently used by the U.S. Navy’s Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) class. An extensive measurement suite is integrated with the test platform. The goal is to provide numerical modelers a data set with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to validate their models of the experiment, and where appropriate, to develop new analytic models. The results of this effort demonstrate a feasible system for investigating surface effect ship seal physics within a large free surface water channel.
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