Developments
May 2013
In May, 2013, VHE conducted a laboratory towing tank test of the VIVACE converter at OHMSETT in Leonardo, New Jersey.
December 2012
On December 3, 2012, VHE conducted its third open water test of the VIVACE converter. The device was tested in the water channels of the Netherlands near Ulft.
September 2012
On September 20, 2012, VHE conducted its second open water test of the VIVACE converter. The device was tested in the St. Clair River at Port Huron, MI.
August 2010
On August 2nd 2010, VHE conducted an open water test of its latest VIVACE converter. The device was tested in the St. Clair River at Port Huron, MI.
April 2010
Vortex Hydro Energy was featured on the cover of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers magazine.
February 2010
This is the first 4-cylinder VIVACE Converter that has been fabricated. It is not optimized. Professor Michael Bernitsas directed three PhD students, Jim Chang, Eun Soo Kim, and Hongrae Park, in the design fabrication of a set of prototypes based on the current understanding of multi-cylinder galloping and the limitations of the MRELab.
The model behaves like a 4-cylinder reciprocating engine where water is all at once: the fuel, crankshaft, camshaft. Flow speed is 1.3m/sec = 2.6 knots and amplitude of each cylinder is about 3 diameters (total stroke of 6 diameters).
October 2009
Large scale VIVACE converter model operating in the University of Michigan towing tank.
Flow Speed: 2.0 knots (1.03 m/s)
The flashing light bulb displayed at the top right corner of the video is powered by the moving cylinders. The bulb is powered by a simple power takeoff system that was connected to the cylinders for demonstration purposes.