Manchester
Hydrodynamics Lab
The Manchester Hydrodynamics Lab offers something unrivalled internationally at this scale: the ability to produce waves and realistic turbulent currents in combination or separately.
Located in the University of Manchester’s new Engineering building the lab is one of the largest non-commercial hydrodynamics labs in the UK.
Replicating the complexities of the ocean, not only can we simulate real-world environments – we also optimise and de-risk offshore renewable energy systems.
Our experts are at the very forefront of fundamental wave energy and offshore renewable energy research, driving the technologies that will harness its immense potential. Our labs allow us to test wave energy converters, floating wind platforms and arrays of tidal stream turbines in complex combinations of environmental conditions.
Our specialist facilities allow for integrated model testing, including whole systems in real-world simulated environments, complete with force-feedback wavemakers and an innovative beach providing minimal undesired wave reflections.
We can determine and de-risk interactions of different devices as part of an array, and better understand how the performance of different devices are impacted.
Alongside, our two relatively narrow wave flumes are ideal for teaching and demonstration, supporting the next generation of offshore renewable energy engineers.
We can assess tidal turbines, moorings for wave energy converters and floating offshore devices. Instrumentation will measure surface elevations with wave gauges, flows velocities with ADVs, and capture six degrees of freedom floater motions with an infrared camera system and accelerometers. The team are actively researching novel measurement techniques to enhance our capabilities.
Led by Professor Tim Stallard, our team specialises in applying the latest fundamental research on wave physics to test offshore renewable energy devices, de-risk technologies and avoid the oversimplification of real-world applications. We’re growing our understanding of wave breaking and rogue wave formation, and continually expanding our capabilities with novel techniques.
Please note that the labs are non-commercial and can't currently support enquiries from industry.
Our impact
Offshore renewable energy is the greatest potential renewable contributor to the world’s energy mix. We’re finding the most effective ways to harness the potential.
Speak to our experts
Professor Tim Stallard
Professor of Offshore & Renewable Energy Engineering
- Offshore renewables including tidal stream, wave energy and offshore wind
- Loading and response of tidal stream and wave devices to unsteady and extreme loads
- Interactions amongst arrays of devices
Professor Peter Stansby
Professor of Hydrodynamics
- Environmental flows: tidal flows, pollution dispersion, sediment transport
- Coastal hydrodynamics: wave mechanics, surf zone processes, flooding
- Shallow-water hydrodynamics: numerical model development, flooding, dam breaks
- Offshore hydrodynamics: wave forces, flow-induced vibrations, slam forces
- Numerical modelling and experimental verification of above areas
Dr Samuel Draycott
Senior Lecturer in Ocean Engineering
- Wave dynamics: nonlinear waves, extreme waves, wave-current interaction, wave breaking, directional waves
- Offshore hydrodynamics: wave-structure interaction, wave energy converters, tidal stream turbines, extremes
- Experimental and numerical modelling of the above