| The University of Maine Tow Tank is located in the Aquaculture Research Building near the Maine Bound barn. The University of Maine wave/towing tank is 120ft long, 8ft wide and 4ft deep with a lexan underwater viewing window at the mid-point. It contains 25,000 gallons of freshwater continuously filtered and ozonated to prevent any biological growth. An aluminum carriage 8ft wide and 4ft long rides on tracks running the length of the tank and driven through a stainless steel tape drive by a 5.6kW (7.5hp) three phase motor digitally controlled by a programmable inverter. The system can provide a maximum speed through the water of 2.5 m/sec (approximately 5 knots). Maximum design drag force is 538 N (121 lbf) and is measured by strain gauge load cells between carriage and model, with the signal transmitted to the control room by a festooned instrumentation cable carried on a track on the ceiling. In the control room a wide range strain indicator and continuous chart recorder provide data acquisition. Flow velocity is measured with a Nixon Streamflo Probe (Novonic Instruments, Gloucester, England) with the signal carried in the instrumentation cable to an indicator in the control room. The system also has wavemaking capabilities (description from "Optimization of Tidal Upweller Design" Final Report to the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, John Riley and Dana Morse, MAIC Project # 99-12, Maine # 2999276). |
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The purpose of this project is to redesign the drive system to eliminate the contact between the drive belts and to update and expand the dynamometer capabilities of the tank. The proposed outcome of the project will be a new drive belt system that does not have the interference problem in the current system and a complete design of a dynamometer with appropriate levels of measurement.
Milestones
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| Proposal for modified milestones and initial deliverables: September 15, 2005 |
| Sketches of belt finished and reviewed by user 9/29/2005 |
| First Web Page Completed 10/4/2005 |
| Evaluation and report on current belt drive system |
| Proposal for new design of drive system including solid models and quotations for materials and part costs10/25/2005 |
| Solid Models finished 11/10/2005 |
| Presentation of first semester results including in water demonstration of operational machine: December 6, 2005 |
| Design sketches and performance specifications for new carriage dynamometer. |
| Quotation of materials and part cost 11/22/2005 |
| Presentation of results including a water demonstration 12/6/2005 |
| Assembly and test of new belt system |
| Solid model and parts drawings complete for dynamometer for at least 4 degrees of freedom. |
| Parts specified for instrumentation on new dynamometer. |
| Quotation to build from drawings including a complete drawing package that has been approved by at least two vendors as suitable for construction |
| Set up of projects for final review, Maine Day: May 3, 2006 |
| Open house, operational review of project: May 4, 2006 |
| Final Project Report due: May 10 2006 |