Numerical and experimental study of oil boom motion response and oil-stopping effect under wave-current action

Abstract

Little research has been done on the failure of oil booms when wave-current coupling is present. This study investigates the motion response and oil-stopping failure of the oil containment boom experimentally and numerically. The oil containment effect under wave-current and the motion response of the oil containment boom were investigated through experiments. Using CFD software FLUENT for simulation, the study established a multiphase flow analysis model to simulate the oil containment of an oil containment boom and used the volume of fluid method (VOF) to track the oil-water interface. The study compares the experimental and numerical results, which are coincident with each other, and validates the validity of the numerical model. Numerical methods are used to analyze the effects of various working conditions (water flow rate, wave parameter, wave reversal, skirt height, and initial oil spill volume) on the oil containment effect of the oil containment boom. The results show that the presence of waves accelerates the oil containment failure; compared to the wave-current flowing in the same direction, wave-current reversal is better for oil containment, and the initial oil spill volume primarily affects the thickening of the oil layer, which provides an important reference for the design of an effective oil containment boom.