Analysis of unsteady flow over Offshore Wind Turbine in combination with different types of foundations

Environmental effects have an important influence on Offshore Wind Turbine (OWT) power generation efficiency and the structural stability of such turbines. In this study, we use an in-house Boundary Element (BEM)—panMARE code—to simulate the unsteady flow behavior of a full OWT with various combinations of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic loads in the time domain. This code is implemented to simulate potential flows for different applications and is based on a three-dimensional first-order panel method. Three different OWT configurations consisting of a generic 5 MW NREL rotor with three different types of foundations (Monopile, Tripod, and Jacket) are investigated. These three configurations are analyzed using the RANSE solver which is carried out using ANSYS CFX for validating the corresponding results. The simulations are performed under the same environmental atmospheric wind shear and rotor angular velocity, and the wave properties are wave height of 4 m and wave period of 7.16 s. In the present work, wave environmental effects were investigated firstly for the two solvers, and good agreement is achieved. Moreover, pressure distribution in each OWT case is presented, including detailed information about local flow fields. The time history of the forces at inflow direction and its moments around the mudline at each OWT part are presented in a dimensionless form with respect to the mean value of the last three loads and the moment amplitudes obtained from the BEM code, where the contribution of rotor force is lower in the tripod case and higher in the jacket case and the calculated hydrodynamic load that effect on jacket foundation type is lower than other two cases.     

Three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction case study on cubical fluid cavity with flexible bottom

In this paper, we report our study on a numerical fluid-structure interaction problem originally presented by Mok et al.(2001) in two dimensions and later studied in three dimensions by Valdés Vazquez(2007), Lombardi(2012), and Trimarchi(2012). We focus on a 3D test case in which we evaluated the sensitivity of several input parameters on the fluid and structural results. In particular, this analysis provides a starting point from which we can look deeper into specific aspects of these simulations and analyze more realistic cases, e.g., in sails design. In this study, using the commercial software ADINATM, we addressed a well-known unsteadiness problem comprising a square box representing the fluid domain with a flexible bottom modeled with structural shell elements. We compared data from previously published work whose authors used the same numerical approach, i.e., a partitioned approach coupling a finite volume solver(for the fluid domain) and a finite element solver(for the solid domain). Specifically, we established several benchmarks and made comparisons with respect to fluid and solid meshes, structural element types, and structural damping, as well as solution algorithms. Moreover, we compared our method with a monolithic finite element solution method. Our comparisons of new and old results provide an outline of best practices for such simulations.     

Evaluating air emission inventories and indicators from cruise vessels at ports

This paper provides an estimation of air emissions (CO₂, NO_X, SO_X and PM) released by cruise vessels at the port level. The methodology is based on the “full bottom-up” approach and starts by evaluating the fuel consumed by each vessel on the basis of its individual port activities (manoeuvring, berthing and hoteling). The Port of Barcelona was selected as the site at which to perform the analysis, in which 125 calls of 30 cruise vessels were monitored. Real-time data from the automatic identification system (AIS), factor emissions from engine certificates and vessel characteristics from IHS Sea-web database were also collected for the analysis. The research findings show that the most appropriate indicators are inventory emissions per “port-time gross tonnage”, “port-time passenger” and “port time”. These emission indicators improve our understanding of cruise emissions and will facilitate the work that aims to estimate reliably and quickly the in-port ship emission inventories of cruise ports.     

Shared pilot passage plan and navigational safety during pilotage

Navigating in confined waters with a pilot aboard requires that the pilot’s intention and plan is understood by all present on the bridge. The present study investigates the effect of having a detailed route plan and monitoring it in the context of pilotage. The aim was to see how the presence of a shared pilot passage plan in the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) affects the identification and recovery from navigational errors made by a pilot. Twenty participants, 10 with a shared route plan and 10 without, participated as navigators in a simulator scenario involving pilotage in the Oslofjord. Participants were bachelor students in nautical science. The navigation scenarios involved the intentional error by the pilot just before a predefined way point. Three measurements of relevance to navigational safety were recorded: (1) the time it took the participant to express concern, (2) the time it took the participant to correct the error (‘time to recovery’), and (3) the number of groundings. The study revealed that time to express concern and time to recovery were significantly much shorter for the group with a shared pilot passage plan presented in ECDIS than for the group without such a plan. Providing a bridge team with a shared pilot passage plan in ECDIS during pilotage might improve the ability to identify and correct navigational errors.     

Response-based analysis for Tension Leg Platform

The typical industry practice for Tension Leg Platform (TLP) design focuses on a conventional short-term design recipe, which assumes that an N-year design environment leads to an N-year response. In the response-based design method, the TLP is designed to withstand N-year responses rather than respond to N-year environmental conditions. In this paper, we present an overview and a general procedure for the response-based design method and use a case study to compare the critical TLP responses between the two methods. The results of our comparison show that the conventional short-term design method often contains an element of conservatism and that the response-based design method can reduce the design conditions and thereby achieve cost savings.     

Response spectrum method for extreme wave loading with higher order components of drag force

Response spectra of fixed offshore structures impacted by extreme waves are investigated based on the higher order components of the nonlinear drag force. In this way, steel jacket platforms are simplified as a mass attached to a light cantilever cylinder and their corresponding deformation response spectra are estimated by utilizing a generalized single degree of freedom system. Based on the wave data recorded in the Persian Gulf region, extreme wave loading conditions corresponding to different return periods are exerted on the offshore structures. Accordingly, the effect of the higher order components of the drag force is considered and compared to the linearized state for different sea surface levels. When the fundamental period of the offshore structure is about one third of the main period of wave loading, the results indicate the linearized drag term is not capable of achieving a reliable deformation response spectrum.     

Numerical modeling of ground response during diaphragm wall construction

Construction of diaphragm wall panels may cause considerable stress changes in heavily overconsolidated soil deposits and can induce substantial ground movement. The 3D Lagrangian method was adopted to model the mechanical response of ground, including horizontal normal stress and shear stress, lateral ground displacement and vertical ground surface settlement, during the slurry trenching and concreting of diaphragm wall panels. Numerical results show that slurry trenching leads to horizontal stress relief of ground, reducing the horizontal stress of the ground from initial K0 pressure to hydrostatic betonite pressure. Wet concrete pressure lies between the hydrostatic bentonite pressure and the initial K0 pressure, so it can compensate partially the horizontal stress loss of the ground adjacent to the trench and thus reduce the lateral movement of the trench face as well as the vertical settlement of the ground surface.     

刚架拱桥的检测与承载能力评定

对某缺失资料的刚架拱桥进行了病害调查、无损检测及荷载试验,重点对荷载试验进行了分析.通过对结构加载模拟分析、加载等级与方式的确定、变形和自振频率的实测与分析,表明该桥的承载能力不满足规定的荷载等级,且动力性能较差,需要进行加固维修.此方法为该类桥梁的维护使用和加固改造提供参考.     

既有铁路桥梁声屏障的高速列车脉动风致响应

采用SAP2000有限元软件,建立了既有桥梁声屏障的有限元模型,混凝土插板与H型钢立柱之间的连接采用位移和转角弹簧模拟.探讨了脉动力采用多点输入和一致输入,跨度16,24和32 m的铁路桥梁声屏障的动力响应,分析了声屏障的位移峰值、弯矩峰值和动力放大系数的分布特征.结果表明,常用跨度铁路桥梁声屏障的行波效应系数均小于1;声屏障立柱的位移和挑梁弯矩的最大值随桥梁跨度增大而减小;声屏障挑梁刚度过小,跨度16 m的铁路桥梁声屏障立柱的最大位移达15.5 mm.     

同相牵引供电系统平衡补偿的最优模型

为消除同相牵引供电系统中的三相不平衡、滤除谐波、补偿无功,讨论了平衡变换的两种最优补偿模型:以波形质量最优为目标的波形畸变最小模型和以获得最佳负载为目标的最佳负载模型.通过仿真分析了系统电压畸变时两种补偿模型的补偿效果.结果表明,波形畸变最小模型使系统只提供负载所需要的基波有功电流,最佳负载模型将不对称的单相负载变成三相(或两相或四相)对称纯阻性负载.在三相系统电压对称无谐波时,两者补偿特性一致;当三相系统电压不对称有谐波时,两者补偿特性有区别.