RESEARCH FACILITIES
Completed: 1966
Tank dimensions: 400 m (L) x 18 m (W) x 8 m (D)
Towing carriage: Maximum speed of 15 m/s (54 km/h), the fastest in Japan for testing commercial ships
Wave generator: Separated plunger type; wavelength 0.5 to 15 m; maximum wave height of 0.3 m
Sub-carriage: It can be connected to the towing carriage
400-m Towing Tank is one of the world’s largest towing tanks capable of performing model tests for high-speed ships and large-scale model ships. It is used mainly for resistance and self-propulsion tests. ISO9001 certification for “propulsive performance tests” has been obtained for the purpose of improving the quality of tank tests.
Also, maneuverability tests and tests in waves can be performed.
Completed: 1971
Tank dimensions: 150 m (L) x 7.5 m (W) x 0 to 3.5 m (D, variable)
Towing carriage: Maximum speed of 6 m/s
Wave generator: Separated plunger type; wavelength 0.5 to 10 m; maximum wave height of 0.3 m
150-m Towing Tank can perform tests that simulate both deep and shallow waters. It can be used as a multipurpose tank for resistance and self-propulsion tests, tests in waves, tests for evaluating the friction resistance by ship paint, measurement of stern flow fields through PIV, and more. ISO9001 certification for “propulsive performance tests” has been obtained for the purpose of improving the quality of tank tests.
Completed: 2010
80 m (L) x 40 m (W) x 4.5 m (D)
All-round separated absorbing-type wave generator: 382 units
Blowers
X-Y-Ψ towing carriage system with main carriage (longitudinal X direction), sub carriage (transverse Y direction) and turntable (ψ direction around vertical axis)
In this basin, waves and winds encountered in the actual sea can be reproduced with its all-round wave generators and blowers.
Completed: 1977
Full-scale renewal of the towing carriage: 1996
Water tank: 44.5 m (L) x 27.1 m (W) x 2.0 m (max. D)
Towing carriage: The maximum speed of the main carriage is 0.7 m/s, the maximum speed of the running sub carriage is 0.5 m/s, the fixed sub carriage can be moved to any position, and both sub carriages can be moved up and down.
Wave generator: Piston type capable of making regular and irregular waves; period of 0.5 to 3.0 seconds; maximum wave height of 0.6 m
Current generator: Maximum flow rate of 0.3 m/s
Wind generator: Maximum wind speed of 12 m/s for the horizontal arrangement type and 10 m/s for the rectangular arrangement type
This basin is a large rectangular basin in which model tests can be conducted under the combined external forces of wind, waves and currents. Also, this basin has a variable water depth, making it possible to conduct model tests for shallow water areas (the only one in Japan).
Completed: 1993
Wind tunnel section: Goettingen-type horizontal circuit; capable of generating sinusoidally fluctuating wind
Closed type: 15 m (L) x 3 m (W) x 2 m (H); wind speed of 1 to 30 m/s
Open type: 3 m (L) x 3 m (W) x 2 m (H); wind speed of 1 to 30 m/s
Water tank section: 15 m (L) x 3 m (W) x 1.5 m (D)
Wave generator: Regular and irregular waves; flap type
Maximum wave height of 0.3 m; period of 0.6 to 4.0 seconds
Other items: Traverse device, turning table, 6-axis load cell, etc.
The behavior of ships and offshore structures in high quality wind, waves and current can be measured. This facility has a removable floor to conduct just wind tunnel tests without a water tank. It is possible to reproduce ocean conditions and measure the behavior of ships and offshore structures, focusing on wind characteristics. In such cases, wind load on the conventional ships, offshore structures, and high-speed vessels, and visualization of wind flow around structures can be conducted.
Completed: 2002
Maximum water depth: 35 m; upper section: diameter of 14 m, depth of 5 m
Pit section: Diameter of 6 m; depth of 30 m
Active Absorbing Wave Generator - Flap Type Snake System:
Current Generator:
・Wave Period: 0.5 - 4.0 sec Max. Wave Height: 0.5 m (2.0 sec)
・Max. Flow Velocity Upper (circular basin) 0.30 m/s
・Lower (deep pit) 0.15 m/s
Underwater 3-D Measurement System: 36 units
One of the world’s deepest model basins
Capable of artificially generating various waves, wind, and currents
Contribution to the development of deep-sea petroleum gas extraction and the establishment of utilization technologies for seabed minerals in Japan’s EEZ
Completed: 2002
Inner diameter: 1.1 m; height: 3.0 m
Pressure: Maximum pressure 60 MPa
Flow generator: Maximum flow velocity 0.1 m/s
Cooling unit: Controlling water temperature in tank in the range of 2℃ to room temperature
pH controlling unit: Controlling water temperature in tank in the range of pH 5 to 11
Other items: Underwater cameras, lights and a thermometer in the tank
Capable of reproducing deep-sea pressure environments up to water depth of 6,000 m
Capable of real-time monitoring inside the tank
Completed: 1975
Overall length of 18 m; height of 10 m
Type: Vertical closed-type variable-pressure circulating water tunnel; pressure range 5 to 200 kPa
No. 1 working section: Length of 2.25 m; circular cross section of 0.75 m diameter; maximum flow velocity of 20 m/s; maximum propeller diameter of 400 mm
No. 2 working section: Length of 8 m; rectangular cross section of 2 m x 0.88 m; maximum flow velocity of 6.5 m/s; maximum model ship length of 7 m
Large Cavitation Tunnel can be performed: Cavitation tests for propellers that simulate the cavitation number of full-scale ships in a sealed-type water tunnel with a decompression function; Detailed flow field measurement using LDV/PIV and visualization of flows. ISO9001 certification for “propulsive performance tests” has been obtained for the purpose of improving the quality of tank tests.
No. 1 working section is used for model propellers, rudders, and blades.
No. 2 working section is used for the measurement of fluctuating pressure at the stern by cavitation tests with a model ship set in the section.
* Cavitation: A physical phenomenon in which bubbles are generated and vanish in a short period due to pressure differences inside fluid. Cavitation is known to occur on the surfaces of propeller blades due to their rotation. Cavitation causes efficiency reduction, vibration, noise, and erosion of the blades.
The following tests can be performed:
Completed: 1995
Mobile-type loading system: 4 hydraulic servo-type actuators
Static loading capacity: ±1,200 kN; Dynamic loading capacity: ±1,000 kN; Stroke: ±100 mm
Stationary loading system: Vertical fatigue testing device, 1 unit
Static loading capacity: ±1,500 kN; Dynamic loading capacity: ±1,000 kN; Stroke: ±100 mm
Strong floor: 12 m (L) x 8 m (W) x 2 m (T)
Reaction wall: 4 m (H) x 8 m (W) x 2 m (T)
Capable of implementing static strength tests and fatigue tests by applying static loads or cyclic loads, which simulate the composite force acting on ships during navigation, by using relatively large structural test models or structural members used as test pieces
Implementation of static strength tests and fatigue tests to clarify the damage mechanisms of structural members subject to external wave forces and reflection of test results in the structural design of ships
Low Vacuum Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (LV-FE/SEM)
High spatial resolution: 1.5 nm (30 kV)
Magnification: x5-x600,000
Accelerating voltage: 0.5-30.0 kV
Low vacuum mode: 10-150 Pa
Large specimen chamber: 200 mmf
Equipped with an EDS analyzer and a CCD camera
Wavelength-dispersive (WD) X-ray fluorescence Spectrometer
X-ray Diffractometer
Gas chromatograph mass spectrometer
Ion source: electron impact (EI)
Mass analysis: quadrupole
Mass range: 1-1022 m/z
Liquid chromatograph
Three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometer
〈Analytical system for materials〉
Facilities equipped with analytical instruments for microstructural observation and structural analysis of various materials, such as electron microscopes and X-ray analysis
〈Chemical analysis system〉
Facilities equipped with analytical instruments for chemical substances contained in gases and liquids
Analysis and measurement methods to evaluate environmentally hazardous substances emitted from ships have been established, which are used for environmental assessments to reduce the environmental impact. Some of our research results have contributed to discussions and proposals at IMO and ISO.
Elucidation of the correlation between black carbon and particulate matter (PM) emissions in exhaust gas and engine operating conditions and fuel type
Research on measuring and analyzing methods for emissions when using next-generation fuels
Completed: 2023
Visual System:
Capable of reproducing realistic navigation environments for use in analyses of maritime accidents and risks; evaluation and development of navigation assistance devices; research on ship operators’ human factors; and preliminary evaluation of ship tests, including those having new hull forms in actual seas, among others.
Contribution to scenario setting for accidents; recording of detailed test results related to navigation, including physiological indexes of ship operators; enhancement of the safety and sophistication of navigation, including that for ship operators
Number of cylinders: 3
Cylinder bore: 230 mm
Rated power and speed: 257 kW, 420 min-1
Fuel: Distillate marine fuel/Residual marine fuel
Number of cylinders: 6
Cylinder bore: 190 mm
Rated power and speed: 750 kW, 1,000 min-1
Fuel: Distillate marine fuel/Residual marine fuel
Number of cylinders: 6
Cylinder bore: 155 mm
Rated power and speed: 400 kW, 1,800 min-1
Fuel: City gas
〈Diesel engines〉
〈Medium-speed marine diesel engines〉
〈Lean burn gas engine〉
〈Diesel engines〉
〈Medium-speed marine diesel engines〉
〈Lean burn gas engine〉