Theory

The power absorbed by airflow through an orifice is given

by:

PowQP
where:Pow = power absorbed, WattsQ = volumetric flow
rate of air through the orifice, m3/s
P
P is measured during the test and the volumetric flow
rate may be calculated a number of ways. Standard SI
units should be used throughout (remember to convert
pressure from mmH2O to N/m2). Using orifice theory, the
mass flow rate, m, across a venturi is given by:
where:
= pressure difference across the orifice, N/m2.

CDAvair = density of air kg/m3.

mCA 2P Dv air

= coefficient of discharge of the orifice, typically 0.5 =

cross-sectional area of the orifice, m2
The mass flow rate and the volumetric flow rates are
related by:
m
Q air

A second method by which the volumetric flow rate may

be found is to assume that the surface of the moonpool
remains level and acts like a piston. Under this condition:
where:Aowc = the cross-sectional area of the water column
= 0.058469 m2 v = the velocity of the water column m/s.
The velocity of the water column may be found by
differentiating the water column displacement time series.
Finally, to time average a signal, it is common to find the
root mean square (RMS) of this signal. The RMS of a time
series X (i ), comprising n samples is given by:

QA v owc

S
R i1

2
M n