Large Cavitation Channel News

After a career leading the modernization of U.S. ship and submarine technology, Dr. William B. Morgan, Head of the Carderock Division's Hydromechanics Directorate, is retiring December 30th with almost fifty years of service. During his career, the Iowa native brought computers into naval engineering, revolutionizing propeller design by shifting from empirical to theoretical, becoming the first in the world to put the theoretical propeller data into a computer. This dramatically reduced propeller noise, enhancing submarine and ship acoustic characteristics. For example, he and his associates developed the highly skewed propeller with its superior vibration and acoustic properties. His largely unheralded work helped the United States win the Cold War. Dr.

Maritime Surveys Ltd., Shoreham, Sussex, U.K., recently took delivery of the first SeaBat 8160 multibeam echosounder system from RESON A/S. The SeaBat 8160 was installed on one of Maritime's survey vessels, the Scotian Shore. Alastair MacDonald, managing director of Maritime Surveys, commented on the success of the sea trials: "The SeaBat 8160 delivered the highest quality multibeam survey data in a swath width of 1,300 meters at 3,000 meters water depth, even when experiencing a near 20 degree roll and 12 degree pitch. The excellent data quality combined with the system's portability makes the 8160 extremely valuable for our operations." During these trials the system was supported by GSE Rentals of Aberdeen who supplied a TSS POS M/V 320 system.

Senior naval officers and government officials will recognize the career of Dr. William B. Morgan in a 10:00 a.m. naming ceremony April 27 at the U.S. Navy's Large Cavitation Channel (LCC). This unique engineering test facility will bear the name of the former head of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division's Hydromechanics Directorate who retired in December after 50 years of service to the nation. The facility will be known as the William B. Morgan Large Cavitation Channel. The ceremony takes place ten years after the April 1991 dedication of the facility. Since that time, the LCC has provided almost 6,000 hours of advanced hydrodynamic and hydroacoustic testing. U.S.

The U.S. Navy has marked a critical milestone in ship research as it wrapped up a successful phase in the testing of a full-scale propeller for USS San Antonio amphibious transport dock ship. The tests verify a new compact design for the LPD-17 controllable pitch propeller meets the seven-year service life cycle requirements. The 17 million cycles completed show this new design exceeds requirements and the service life could be extended twofold. The Naval Sea Systems Command program could lead to a significant saving for the Navy in overhaul costs for the new propeller. The hub and blades, manufactured of nickel-aluminum-bronze and steel, constitute a unique design.

The U.S. Navy's drive during the past decade to become more efficient on both the ship contracting and life cycle management sides has proven to be much more than mere talk. The "new" Navy is embodied in the current LPD-17 project, and U.S. Navy senior officers and engineers recently marked a critical milestone in ship research on January 6, 2000, wrapping up a successful phase in the testing of a full-scale propeller for the USS San Antonio (LPD-17) Class amphibious transport dock ship. The tests verify that a new compact design for the LPD-17 CPP meets the seven-year service life cycle requirements. The 17 million cycles completed at the ceremony show that this new design exceeds requirements and that the service life could be extended twofold.

The new Advanced Electric Ship Demonstrator (AESD) is expected to participate in trials on Lake Pend Oreille at the Carderock Division's Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD), Bayview, Idaho in mid-November. Recently christened Sea Jet, the 133-foot test platform houses a Rolls Royce Naval Marine advanced waterjet propulsion system, the AWJ-21, to improve surface ship efficiency and maneuverability by reducing noise and wake. Capt. Charles Behrle, Commander of the Carderock Division, says his organization is truly gratified to be part of a major technological leap that the AESD brings to the U.S. Navy. The AESD resembles an early DD (X) design. The steel platform displacement is about 120 tons. It was built by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. (DCI), Anacortes, Washington.