Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE) Measurement Instruments

Tidal performance measurement requires a good understanding of the flow field through the water column. Stand-alone self-recording field instruments are required for both velocity and turbulence measurements. ADCPs will be supplied with seabed frames and moorings suitable for high flow rate environments.

Stand-alone self-recording field instruments are required for accurate reading of velocity and turbulence at a point close to the instrument, in 3 dimensions at high sample rate. This could be Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter or an alternative technology with the same accuracy.

For accurate reading of velocity and turbulence at a point close to the instrument within the Swansea University wave flume and other laboratory environments, purchase of velocity measurement systems with a smaller measurement head. This could be Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter or an alternative technology with the same accuracy. As these are laboratory instruments, there is no requirement to be fully waterproof. Options: As an alternative, please provide optional pricing for a “profiling” measurement of flow in the boundary layer.

Measurement of flow from a surface floating ADCP unit, the float should contain GPS and orientation measurement to accurately locate the measurement point. Stand-alone self recording field instruments are required for both velocity and turbulence measurements.

The Coastal Engineering Laboratory of the College of Engineering heavily contributes to marine renewable energy research and development by testing scale models of new, innovative marine energy devices and support infrastructure such as underwater cables. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the art wave channel, capacitance type wave gauges, Particle Imaging Velocimeter, a Laser Doppler Velocimeter and a bed profiler. However, the laboratory lacks the capacity to measure forces on marine energy devices, which is an essential component of marine energy device and infrastructure testing. We will purchase inertial measurement units to track movements and acceleration.

This device will expand the equipment available in the fluid labs for undergraduate and postgraduate students research for small experiments including waves and currents. The wave paddle will be included in the Armfield S6-MKIII Glass Sided Tilting current flume (cross section 300mm wide x 450mm max depth) available in the fluid laboratory (flow rate 38 l/s max). This laboratory lacks the capacity to measure waves in the flume, which is an essential component of some of the modules in the Faculty of Science and engineering. We will add this device to the pre-existent current flume available in the fluid lab.

The high-speed camera will be used to enhance measurement in a range of experiments relevant to marine renewable energy. The camera will be used to investigate platform motion for floating marine renewable devices; to investigate vegetated coastal areas as green coastal defences (high speed video camera will be used to capture flow field within vegetation); to investigate the dynamic deflection of fixed marine renewable energy related structure under wave loading and to investigate wave-structure interaction in very high resolution.

A device to measure sediment in suspension at laboratory scale and to do suspended sediment research. To be used to measure sediment profiles in vegetated coastal areas and measuring turbulence around breaking waves.