Key information
- Took place in April 2024. Scheduled again for Spring 2026
- Location: University of Plymouth
- Specialist access to the Coast Laboratory (Ocean Basin, Coastal Basin, Flumes), an introduction to the new UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test facility, Babbage wind tunnel and Hexapod.
Pricing
- Industry participant rate: £500 - Course materials and lunch included. Participants are responsible for the cost and organisation of their travel and accommodation.
- Early Career Researchers: Free - In line with EPSRC funding policy, the cost is covered for academic researchers who meet the definition of an Early Career Researcher (Post Doctoral Research Assistants (PDRAs), early career academic staff within the first three years of their academic appointment, or PhD students within 12 months of completion who are exploring a future career in the ORE sector), and are part of our network. There will be no charge for Early Career Researchers to attend a Masterclass, but they will be responsible for covering expenses such as travel and accommodation.
Included in your day
- Unparalleled access to the most up-to-date knowledge in a session created by academics at the forefront of ORE research and teaching
- Access to world-class facilities and hands-on demonstrations
- Electronic access to course material and presentations after the masterclass
- Networking opportunities
- Q&A session with Course Director(s)
- Morning, lunch and afternoon refreshments
- Electronic certificate of attendance
About the Masterclass
This 1-day Masterclass is designed to give a detailed introduction to the research and development support that physical modelling can provide for ORE. We focus on teaching the techniques needed to carry out experiments on scaled ORE systems. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the advantages of physical modelling, the limitations, and what needs to be considered when planning a physical modelling campaign. The programme will combine lectures -covering topics including an introduction to physical modelling and scaling, experiment design and numerical model validation, instrumentation and testing protocols - with hands-on activities exploring laboratory scale hydrodynamic testing of floating offshore wind, tidal and wave energy systems.
The course provides unique access to the world-class COAST Laboratory with the capability to generate short and long-crested waves combined with currents at any relative direction, sediment. Candidates will be introduced to the newly-installed UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test (UKFOWWT) facility.
Programme (subject to change)
08:30 - 09:00 Arrival and registataion
09:00 - 10:00 Introduction and lecture 1 - Introduction to physical modelling and scaling
10:00 - 11:15 Breakout session 1 - Ocean Basin
11:15 - 12:30 Breakout session 2 - Coastal Basin
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:30 Lecture 2 - Experimental design and testing standards
14:30 - 15:45 Breakout session 3 - Flumes
15:45 - 17:00 Breakout session 4 - Wind Tunnel
| Hands-on activities | |
|---|---|
| Location | Topics covered |
| Ocean Basin | FOWT testing (Froude vs Reynolds Scaling), regular and irregular testing, mooring truncation, optical tracking |
| Coastal Basin | Short design waves, wave gauges, 6 axis load cells |
| Flumes | Techniques for current measurements (including light box), porous disks |
| Wind Tunnel | Blockage effects and Reynolds scaling |
Masterclass Directors
- Dr Martyn Hann - Associate Professor in Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Engineering), University of Plymouth
- Professor Deborah Greaves OBE - Professor in Ocean Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Engineering), University of Plymouth
About the Masterclasses Series
World-class expertise
Funded by the EPRSC, the Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Hub offers research leadership to accelerate the development of wind, wave, and tidal energy. We are a collaboration of 10 UK Universities that are pioneering innovative ORE research. Drawing on this expertise, our Masterclass programme is a unique opportunity to learn directly from the country’s foremost specialists in offshore renewable energy.
Unique and specialist
Pivot your career by engaging with specialist ORE researchers and access cutting-edge facilities not found in standard commercial training. Study post-graduate content in highly specialised 1 or 2 day courses. Gain a unique advantage in your work by learning innovative solutions from researchers working at the forefront of ORE. This is a unique and limited opportunity to join the best UK-based specialists at world-leading testing sites.
Hands-on learning
Immerse yourself in a dynamic learning environment through a blend of lectures, live demonstrations, and engaging hands-on activities. Benefit from the knowledge and experience of industry-leading professionals.
