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Large-Scale Horizontal Rotating-Cylinder Facility

Here is a sketch illustrating the lab layout and the size of the new large-scale horizontal rotating-cylinder facility we built and then dismatled. The length of the rotating drum was 3.8m and its inner diameter was about 0.82m. The overall length and height of the apparatus were, approximately, 7m and 2m respectively. The goal of this research project was to investigate scaling properties in particle-laden two-phase flows using this new facility.

Photographs documenting the building of the facility.

  • Tuesday 12 April 2005: The metal for the base frame has arrived ...
  • Tuesday 12 April 2005: ... and a few minutes later, on the same day, the two large cylinders were delivered. The first photo shows the cylinders on the lorry of Blanson (Leicester) who manufactured them. The second photo shows the cylinders after having been taken into the School of Engineering .
  • Tuesday 12 August 2005: Building of the facility is in full swing! The components for the base structure have been welded: Photo 1 , Photo 2 , Photo 3 .
  • Tuesday 20 December 2005: The laboratory that will house the facility is completed: Photo 1 , Photo 2 , Photo 3 .
  • Friday 21 April 2006: The first unit for the support structure is complete and has been moved into the lab: Photo 1 .
  • Tuesday 25 July 2006: All three units for the support structure are completed. They have been assembled out side lab for testing purposes before being moved into their final position inside the lab in a little while: Photo 1 .
  • September 2007: The support structure has been assembled in its final place and most parts for the superstructure have been completed and assembly is nearing completion: Photo 1 , Photo 2 .
  • 20 November 2007: The cylinder parts have been lifted onto the support structure. We are nearing completion of the rig. The rather dramatic lighting in the following pictures was neccessary because there was not very much contrast between the transparent cylinder and the white wall of the laboratory behind the cylinder. Photo 1 , Photo 2 , Photo 3 .
  • 7 August 2008: The main cylinder facility is completed and rotates. Below are pictures and links to two videos showing the cylinder rotating Video 1 (5.5 MB) , Video 2 (11.4 MB) , Video 3 (6.0 MB) .

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