Towing Tank
Parent Body: Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 2AG

Principal Functions
Towing of constrained models of ships, submarines, submersibles and other maritime systems. Forces acting on vessels are measured under steady state and oscillatory motion.

Subsidiary Functions
As above, but with models only partly constrained. Measurement of motion induced by waves in head seas and following seas.

General Details
An indoor body of clean fresh water 270m × 12.2m × 5.5m deep. The tank is spanned by a carriage which can travel along the tank. Carriage speeds of up to 2.25m/s are possible. Ship and submarine models can be suspended below the carriage. All six components of force and moment acting on the models in steady state or oscillatory motion can be measured. The tank will soon be equipped with a wavemaker, so that wave forces and the motions of the models can be measured. Pressure distributions over the model surfaces can be studied and flow velocities measured with a fibre-optic Doppler velocimeter.

Special Features
All facilities at DERA Haslar are equipped with minicomputer data acquisition systems. They are supported by drawing offices, workshops, instrumentation laboratories and operations staff. Models for testing in the facilities can therefore be designed, manufactured, instrumented and controlled for clients, or clients can supply their own models. DERA also has access to other testing facilities, including a 30m deep quarry, which are equipped so that the same models can be operated in them.

Availability
The facility is available to other bodies in both the private and public sector. There are no restrictions on the type of body that can apply to use the facility. Variable new facility bookings are fitted into the existing programme by agreement with the client. An ‘experiment contract’ is agreed between DERA and the client.

Charging Basis
Prices are agreed as part of the ‘experiment contract’. There is the possibility of negotiating an exchange agreement. The minimum hire period is half a day.

Site Access
The site has ready access for vehicles and local accommodation is available for the hirer’s staff.

Contact Information
Ian Grant, Commercial Manager
Centre for Marine Technology
Building 58, Room 114A
DERA Haslar
Haslar Road
Gosport
Hants, PO12 2AG
Telephone: 023 9233 5130      Fax: 023 9233 5012
E-mail:  idgrant@dera.gov.uk