The aim of this project is to design a scale model of an oscillating water column to be tested in the GWK wave tank. Below is some information on these testing facilities:
'Grosser Wellenkanal' (GWK) - Germany
Great Wave Flume (Source:[1])
The 'Grosser Wellenkanal' or GWK is currently the largest publicly accessible wave flume in the world and is located at the 'Coastal Research Center' or FZK in Hannover, Germany. The center, established in 1996, is organised as a "Joint Central Institution of the Leibniz Universität Hannover and the Technical University of Braunschweig" [1]. The tank though was operational before this organisation was present, opening in 1983.
The goal of the Coastal Research Center and the Great Wave Flume is "to investigate hydrodynamic, morphodynamic and ecological processes at the coast and in front of the coast". They want to understand these processes and trends concerning potential changes in natural processes to be able to predict their impact. Experimenting and testing on large scale physical models to eventually develop scientific principles for the coastal environment [1][2].
The goal of the Coastal Research Center and the Great Wave Flume is "to investigate hydrodynamic, morphodynamic and ecological processes at the coast and in front of the coast". They want to understand these processes and trends concerning potential changes in natural processes to be able to predict their impact. Experimenting and testing on large scale physical models to eventually develop scientific principles for the coastal environment [1][2].
Technical Details of the GWK
With a hydraulically driven machine shaft (900 kW) with a maximum stroke of +/- 2.10 m, regular and waves in deep and shallow conditions can be simulated.
Dimensions- Length: 330 m (310 of which are usable)
- Width: 5 m - Depth: 7 m - Maximum water depth: 5 m |
Wave Characteristics- Maximum Wave Height (regular): 2.5 m
- Maximum wave height (natural sea state): 1.3 m - Wave period: 3 s - 20 s |