Abstract
Greenwater (splashing of water on the deck) loading is a classical problem faced by designers of ship-shaped vessels, which becomes even worse when the vessel operates in harsh weather conditions for an extended period of time. Installation of breakwaters on the deck can play a crucial role in minimizing this impact. However, research on the design and optimization of the breakwater is still in its infancy, and this study aims at shedding further light on this area by proposing and analysing the effectiveness of three breakwater designs on a fixed box-shaped vessel. The commercial CFD software ANSYS Fluent is used for this investigation. The design model (without breakwater) was validated at first against experimental results of greenwater splashing, before performing the actual simulations with the proposed breakwater design. A vertical plate is used as the deck structure, and the greenwater pressure at several locations on that plate is measured to compare the effectiveness of various breakwater designs. Overall, breakwaters with openings (perforations, grillages, etc.) were found to be more effective in minimizing the pressure generated by the greenwater. Nevertheless, there is significant room for improvement on breakwater designs, and some topics for further research are also suggested in this regard.
Highlights
With the increase of exploration activities at sea, mostly to exploit natural resources, including renewable energies, the development of various types of fixed and floating platforms for harsher and deeper offshore environments are facing newer challenges these days
The bow region of such platforms consists of various vital components, such as the flare tower, processing equipment, survey machinery and other topside erections. The operation of such platforms in calm weather conditions usually does not generate any significant problems, thanks to research and developments over the past decades. When these platforms are stationed in harsh offshore environments for an extended period, the long-term exposure to detrimental conditions, such as greenwater impact, can lead to significant structural and equipment damage which is of great concern with regards to the safety and operation of the platform
Three different breakwater designs are proposed to minimize the impact of greenwater splashing on deck structures for ship-shaped vessels
Summary
With the increase of exploration activities at sea, mostly to exploit natural resources, including renewable energies, the development of various types of fixed and floating platforms for harsher and deeper offshore environments are facing newer challenges these days. The bow region of such platforms consists of various vital components, such as the flare tower, processing equipment, survey machinery and other topside erections The operation of such platforms in calm weather conditions usually does not generate any significant problems, thanks to research and developments over the past decades. When these platforms are stationed in harsh offshore environments for an extended period, the long-term exposure to detrimental conditions, such as greenwater impact, can lead to significant structural and equipment damage which is of great concern with regards to the safety and operation of the platform. Minimizing the undesirable effects of greenwater on floating structures is a long-standing research issue, it is still developing new challenges as humankind is exploring harsher and deeper offshore environments compared with the past
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