Scope
| The Umberto Pugliese towing tank is one of the largest worldwide. It is 470 m long, 13.5 m wide and has a depth of 6.5 m. It is equipped with a towing carriage that can achieve a maximum speed of 15 m/s. The towing tanks have many applications, mainly concerning resistance and propulsion tests for performance evaluation of proposed design. The size of towing tank no. 1 offers excellent capabilities for the investigation of large, self-propelled models of high-speed vessels (mono- or multi-hull, semi-planing and planing craft, etc.). Equipment and methodologies for testing submarines and sail boats are available. Various unconventional marine vehicles are also designed and tested. Tests performed include: – Resistance and self propulsion in calm water – 3-D wake surveys – Vertical and horizontal planar motion experiments – Resistance, self propulsion and hydrodynamic forces on submerged bodies – Resistance, self propulsion tests for high speed marine vehicles – Upright, yawed and heeled sailing yacht tests – Tidal and current turbine tests |
Main characteristics
| Length | 470 m |
| Breadth | 13.5 m |
| Depth | 6.5 m |
| Description of carriage | Motor driven, manual control and automatic, manned |
| Drive system and power | Electric drive system with 4 pairs of drive wheels, each pair coupled to a DC main motor via a reduction gear. Electric main motors (92 kW × 4), electric secondary motors (5.5 kW × 2) |
| Maximum carriage speed | 15.0 m/s (accuracy 1 mm/s) |
| Other capabilities | The carriage supports the set up of the 6-component balance for submerged bodies or the Planar Motion Mechanism (PMM) for surface ships and submarines tests up to 5 m/s |
| Instrumentation | Force balance dynamometers; model propeller transmission dynamometers; Pitot tube rakes and five-hole Pitot tube for wake surveys; special test rig for sailing yacht tests; 6-component balance and model propeller transmission dynamometers for manoeuvring tests (PMM); three-components SPIV, t;wo-components LDV measurement systems |
| Model size range | Marine vehicles length: 1.5 m÷8.0 m; turbines diameter: up to 1.5 m |
Contact information
| Scientific point of contact | Massimo Falchi | +39 0650299 332 |
| Technical point of contact | Andrea Mancini | +39 06 50299 223 |
Location
| Rome HQ | Via di Vallerano 139, 00128, Rome, Italy |