University of Washington – Harris Hydraulics: Alice C. Tyler Flume

The Alice C. Tyler flume is a free-surface water channel with independent control of flow speed (up to 1.1 m/s), water depth, and water temperature (10 – 35 oC). This allows the Reynolds and Froude numbers to be independently varied during turbine experiments. Turbulence intensity is relatively low (1-3%). The flume side walls and bottom are glass, providing optical access for flow diagnostics, including Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Using existing instrumentation and data acquisition, cross-flow turbine rotors and axial-flow turbine blades can be easily tested.

Capabilities include:

• Cross-flow and axial flow turbine performance and load characterization
• Flow-field quantification

Flume dimensions:

Length: 4.6m, Width: .76m, Height: .7m

Max depth: .6m

Click for more information.

Point of Contact:
Brian Polagye – bpolagye@uw.edu

University of Washington is affiliated with the Pacific Marine Energy Center.