MODEL TESTS FOR SMALL ICEBREAKER DESIGN USING AN ICE TANK

In icebreaker design the very important but difficult estimation of the required horsepower of the main engine and performance in ice is required. Model tests in an ice tank are useful to study these characteristics and have been used since the 1950s. From 1987 to 1991, IHI and MARC (Finland) jointly conducted systematic model tests on a small icebreaker in an ice tank. Besides standard resistance tests, the study included backing performance , turning capability and towing assistance to a merchant vessel. Minimisation of the propeller-ice interaction was also studied. Necessary comparative data were obtained to design a small icebreaker. results of the model tests are described in this article.