Experimental Method for the Measurements and Numerical Investigations of Force Generated on the Rotating Cylinder under Water Flow.

Teresa Abramowicz-Gerigk,Zbigniew Burciu,Barbara Stachurska,Jacek Jachowski,Piotr Szmytkiewicz,Oskar Kreft,Wojciech Sulisz,Dawid Majewski

doi:10.3390/s21062216

Abstract

The paper presents the experimental test setup and measurement method of hydrodynamic force generated on the rotating cylinder (rotor) under uniform flow including the free surface effect. The experimental test setup was a unique construction installed in the flume tank equipped with advanced flow generating and measuring systems. The test setup consisted of a bearing mounted platform with rotor drive and sensors measuring the hydrodynamic force. The low length to diameter ratio cylinders were selected as models of bow rotor rudders of a shallow draft river barge. The rotor dynamics was tested for the rotational speeds up to 550 rpm and water current velocity up to 0.85 m/s. The low aspect ratio of the cylinder and free surface effect had significant impacts on the phenomena influencing the generated hydrodynamic force. The effects of the rotor length to diameter ratio, rotational velocity to flow velocity ratio, and the Reynolds number on the lift force were analyzed. The validation of the computational model against experimental results is presented. The results show a similar trend of results for the simulation and experiment.

Highlights

IntroductionThe future application of the bow steering system for autonomous river barges is related to the development of an algorithm for the rotor angular velocity control based on the reliable model of the generated hydrodynamic force
The field experiments [1] of a self-propelled remotely operated river push barge model in 1:20 geometrical scale equipped with the bow steering system consisting of two rotating cylinders showed the significant enhancement of her motion control due to the rotor-generated hydrodynamic force
The future application of the bow steering system for autonomous river barges is related to the development of an algorithm for the rotor angular velocity control based on the reliable model of the generated hydrodynamic force

Summary

Introduction

The future application of the bow steering system for autonomous river barges is related to the development of an algorithm for the rotor angular velocity control based on the reliable model of the generated hydrodynamic force. The implementation of this algorithm in the ship-handling model along with the automation of main on-board systems and their control integration in a single communication channel is the first step of transition from level zero to level one of autonomy, e.g., remote vessel controlled by a human operator [4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion