Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • QinetiQ adds cavitation tunnel to its ship testing capabilities

Defence

QinetiQ adds cavitation tunnel to its ship testing capabilities

QinetiQ has announced the reopening of its newly upgraded cavitation tunnel to both military and commercial customers.

The historic propulsion testing facility is the larger of only two operational cavitation tunnels in the UK. 

The reopening completes QinetiQ’s International Maritime Consultancy and Software (IMCS) testing capability, which combines state-of-the-art physical and virtual hydrodynamic testing with naval architecture advice and QinetiQ’s advanced ship design software, Paramarine. The facilities include Europe’s largest hydrodynamic testing tank, used to test ship and submarine seakeeping and manoeuvring, and a 270-metre-long towing tank, used to test ship and submarine resistance and propulsion.

Advertisement
Advanced Engineering RT

Samantha Hill, Test and Evaluation Business Manager for International Maritime Consultancy and Software at QinetiQ, said: “We have reopened our cavitation tunnel in response to a demand from our customers to provide a comprehensive set of test and evaluation facilities all under one secure roof. Furthermore, regulatory and economic factors have driven a need for quieter and more efficient ships.”

“Cavitation around a poorly designed propeller can damage a ship, increase fuel bills, and generate noise and vibration that disturbs marine life and causes discomfort for passengers and crew.  Physical testing is an indispensable tool to observe and measure cavitation and to reduce its effects.  Coupled with our strong computational fluid dynamics capability, QinetiQ can provide a full propeller optimisation service.

“The reintroduction of the cavitation tunnel further provides the final piece in our naval architecture consultancy service, which enables customers to design vessels and test them for seakeeping, manoeuvring and propulsion in a single secure location.”

Advertisement
Advanced Engineering RT

Housed inside a three-story listed building at QinetiQ’s Haslar site in Portsmouth, the Haslar tunnel contains 180 tons of water, circulated by an impeller to speeds of up to eight metres-per-second. The testing section measures 5.35m in length by 2.4m width and 1.2m in height allowing it to accommodate models of up to five metres in length. 

Cavitation is the formation and collapse of bubbles around a moving fast-moving component in the water, leading to vibration, erosion and decreased efficiency. Before a specific propeller design is cleared for production, it needs to be tested in model scale in the cavitation tunnel either on its own or behind the aft model of the ship.
 

Advertisement
General Atomics LB
Survitec secures contract with Babcock for Type-31 Frigate survival technology

Defence

Survitec secures contract with Babcock for Type-31 Frigate survival technology

27 March 2024

Survitec has been awarded a significant contract to supply its Survival Technology to five Type 31 Frigates being built by Babcock for the Royal Navy.

Leonardo secures presence at Bahrain International Airshow

Aerospace Defence Events

Leonardo secures presence at Bahrain International Airshow

26 March 2024

Italian aerospace, defence and security firm, Leonardo has secured its presence at the Bahrain International Airshow for the seventh year.

C3IA Solutions strengthens commitment to British Armed Forces

Defence Security

C3IA Solutions strengthens commitment to British Armed Forces

26 March 2024

Dorset cyber security company C3IA Solutions has re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant in a ceremony at Blandford Camp.

Teledyne FLIR Awarded by Northrop Grumman for Supplier Excellence

Defence

Teledyne FLIR Awarded by Northrop Grumman for Supplier Excellence

25 March 2024

Northrop Grumman Corporation has recognised Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, during the company’s Supplier Excellence Awards.

Advertisement
Advanced Engineering RT
RTX

Defence

RTX's Raytheon LTAMDS detects and engages complex target

25 March 2024

The Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) has continued to advance through its US Army test programme with another successful live-fire event.

MBDA

Defence

MBDA's EPIC proposed for EC funding

25 March 2024

As MBDA continues to ramp-up its production, the production ramp-up for ENFORCER missiles – ENFORCER Production Increase Campaign (EPIC) – has been proposed for funding within the European Commission’s ASAP programme.

Advertisement
Marshall RT 2