Hydrodynamic cavitation tunnel

This infrastructure allows to study the resistance of materials to cavitation erosion. The tunnel can generate in a controlled way in a test section of 70x70 mm with a Venturi effect where the material samples can be installed. During the tests, vibrations and acoustic emissions can be recorded to develop systems for detecting erosive cavitation and quantifying its aggression. The tested samples can be observed under a microscope to measure the erosion produced by cavitation and the mass loss rate can be quantified through weight measurements in cases of advanced erosion.

This infrastructure belongs to the Barcelona Fluids & Energy Lab (I FLUIDS) research group of the Fluid Mechanics UPC´s department and it is located at the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB). In this group there are academics and researchers who work together in different areas around Fluids & Energy (https://ifluids.upc.edu/en/research) and have great experience in the field of hydraulic machinery. In recent years, the laboratory has expanded its scope to include new renewable energy sources and more transversal projects. This laboratory is very active in research, with experience in projects financed by national and European funds, and also in technology transfer, by long-term alliances with large and small companies.

AFC4Hydro Project

Active flow control system for improving hydraulic turbine performances at off-design operation (https://www.afc4hydro.eu/).

The AFC4Hydro project addresses the development of new technologies to improve the operation at off-design conditions of the hydro turbines by mitigating harmful flow phenomena. Innovative and affordable active flow control systems have been developed that allow efficient use of existing hydraulic turbines by extending their operating range beyond established limits to increase its efficiency in off-design operation, to face frequent transients and to reduce maintenance and operation costs.

H-HOPE Project

Hidden Hydro Oscillating Power for Europe (https://h-hope.eu/)

The H-HOPE project addresses the development and demonstration of innovative and sustainable energy systems capable of recovering hidden hydraulic energy from existing pipe systems, open streams and open channels. This new technology is based both on the use of piezoelectric materials attached to submerged bodies with deformed walls and electromagnetic regulators that absorb the transverse movement of oscillating bodies within the flows.

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Equipments

Instrumentation for the simultaneous measurement of pressures, temperatures, vibrations, acoustic emissions and flow during tunnel operation at high sampling rates.
Test section with transparent methacrylate walls that allows cavitation to be visualized.