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Accueil > Grands équipements > La plateforme tournante Coriolis > La force de Coriolis et ses plateformes

Le projet Coriolis II

Contexte

The Coriolis rotating platform is set for demolition at the end of 2011 in the frame of the ’plan campus’. It will be reconstructed in the opposite side of the city within the ’pole environment’ while a ’pole energy GRENER’ will be built on the present location.

This project Coriolis II is one of the top priorities of ’Grenoble Université de l’Innovation’ and Grenoble-INP. It has been selected among the 58 first realisations of the plan campus at the national level.

The new building has been designed by the architect agency ’Unanime’ and its construction is scheduled for 2011.

The new mechanical design has been performed by Henri Didelle and Jerome Lacipiere, with the support of SERAS/Institut Néel (CNRS).

La nouvelle platefiorme Coriolis II
La nouvelle platefiorme Coriolis II

Why rebuild ?

After 50 years of loyal service (25 years of applied research and 25 years of basic research), this equipment must be rebuilt for several reasons :
- Is the largest rotating platform in the world.
- The scientific community, especially in Europe, claims its services.
- This machine fits into the societal issues related to the environment.
- It is a wonderful training tool for scientific problems at a human scale.

Reconstruction is also an exceptional opportunity to renovate and improve the mechanical elements of the instrument that suffered 50 years of constraints without interruption.

How to rebuild ?

For this project has any chance of success it is necessary that its cost remains within reasonable limits. To do this we made several deliberate choices :
- Keep the main dimensions. Small change showed no obvious interest.
- Retain the mechanical principles which have been successful for 50 years.
- Use feedback to keep the good and eliminating evil.
- The maximum reuse of existing equipment, although it remained very limited.

Under these conditions, the reconstruction can be envisaged with short delay, limited cost (building + mechanical) content, and virtually zero risk.

What are the improvements ?

This reconstruction will provide a machine more powerful and more in tune with current concerns. We can already note some provisions of which the list is not exhaustive :
- The rotating part (roller, rail, pivot, control) has been revised.
- The experimental section (bearing structure and experimental vessel) will be much more functional.
- The portic of instrumentation will be reused with the possibility of differential rotation independent of the machine.
- The rotating assembly will be isolated from outside air to eliminate the practice of water in the tank.
- The dynamic performance of the whole are revised upwards : maximum rotation down to 10s, can rotate in both directions and oscillating around 0.
- It will be possible to add some equipment to unusual geometries such as a tall tank, an annular channel ....
- Security issues mainly related to the rotation has been completely redesigned.