Flume facility

A combined wave and tidal flume at Manchester University is available to engineering companies and consultancies looking to conduct physical tests of nearshore structures or renewable-energy devices.

Designed specifically for shallow hydraulic flows such as those found in coastal regions, the Joule Centre's Wave Flume allows simulation of realistic nearshore wave and current conditions and is particularly well suited to the evaluation of marine-energy devices and their environmental impact.

The Joule Centre, a partnership of north west universities, commercial organisations and others associated with the energy industry, was created by the Northwest Regional Development Agency. Among its many responsibilities, the centre is tasked with awarding grants to north west universities engaged in the area of energy research.

The availability of such a facility will be of interest to the growing number of companies developing technologies to harness either wave or tidal-stream energy.

Dr Tim Stallard, a lecturer at Manchester, said: 'There are very few flume facilities around the world that can simulate the effects of both current and waves, particularly directionally-spread waves. With UK wave-power levels among the world’s highest and accounting for more than half of Europe’s wave energy, the successful deployment of such technology could make a significant contribution to the UK electricity supply.'