Combined Effects of Waves and Currents on Offshore Pipeline Bundles

Author(s):  
M. H. Kamarudin ◽  
K. P. Thiagarajan ◽  
A. Czajko

It is common practice to accompany offshore pipelines by smaller diameter service lines or umbilicals to create a bundle. This gives rise to the so-called piggyback configuration. The flow behavior around the bundle is not well-known, leading to concerns on the stability of the configuration. This paper investigates the influence of the piggyback on the hydrodynamic loadings on the bundle in wave plus current condition using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Key parameters of the configuration that were investigated were the orientation of the smaller pipe with respect to the main pipeline and the flow conditions (different Keulegan-Carpenter numbers). The gap between the seabed and the main pipe was set to zero for all cases investigated. It was found that the hydrodynamic characteristics of the main pipe were significantly influenced by the presence of the piggyback. The numerical results also showed that the orientation of the piggyback plays an essential role in determining the drag, lift and inertia coefficients for the bundle. This phenomenon is explained by examining the vortex flow patterns around the cylinders. It is shown that the established industry practice of assuming the hydrodynamic characteristics of the bundle to be the same as an equivalent diameter cylinder may underestimate the forces on the bundle, and lead to a non-conservative design.

Author(s):  
Bassem S. Youssef ◽  
Mark J. Cassidy ◽  
Yinghui Tian

Offshore pipelines are increasingly being employed to transport offshore hydrocarbons to onshore processing facilities. Pipelines laid directly on the seabed are subject to a considerable hydrodynamic loading from waves and currents and must be accurately designed for on-bottom stability. Confidence in the stability of pipelines requires appropriate models for their assessment and, in this paper, particular emphasis is placed on achieving an integrated and balanced approach in considering the nonlinearities and uncertainties in the pipe structure, the reaction of the restraining soil, and the hydrodynamic loading applied. A statistical approach is followed by developing a response surface model for the pipeline maximum horizontal displacement within a storm, while including variability in parameters. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used in combination with the developed response surface model to calculate the extreme response statistics. The benefit of this approach is demonstrated and also used to investigate the sensitivity of the on-bottom pipeline simulation for a variety of model input parameters. These results provide guidance to engineers as to what uncertainties are worth reducing, if possible, before a pipe is designed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 263-266 ◽  
pp. 843-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Zhi Jiang ◽  
Jing Han

To research guide vanes' influences on flow fields of cylinder cage powder classifier at different angles, a study of guide vanes under 3 different angles is therefore undertaken examining air flow behavior. The investigation of these flow field characteristics made use of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate the air flow in the classifier. The results indicate that smaller angles of guide vanes can increase velocity but damage the stability of flow fields, and that those larger angles will reduce the velocity.


Author(s):  
Seung-Ho Yang ◽  
Jong-Jin Jung ◽  
Yun-Hak Kim ◽  
Woo-Seob Lee ◽  
Jong-Bae Kim

In recent years, requirement for the consideration of global buckling due to high pressure/high temperature (HP/HT) condition has increased in the detailed design of offshore pipelines on a seabed. The interaction between pipeline and seabed including support structures or sleepers gives a significant effect on buckling behavior. Global lateral buckling analysis has been carried out to assess the stability of offshore HP/HT pipelines considering the interaction between HP/HT submarine pipeline system/foundation structure and seabed. A non-linear finite element method is used in the present static analysis using the ABAQUS program. The FE model considers concrete sleepers as well as 3-D profile of the seabed. The stress distribution and lateral amplitude of the pipeline were evaluated and remedial measures were suggested to ensure that pipe stresses and strains are kept within allowable limits. Sleepers are designed as a buckle trigger which can provide artificial imperfection to allow pipe to move laterally and mitigate axial force. Comparative study could provide design strategy of pipeline related to sleeper supports.


Author(s):  
Xiaoxu Du ◽  
Huan Wang

The successful operation of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) requires the capability to return to a dock. A number of underwater docking technologies have been proposed and tested in the past. The docking allows the AUV to recharge its batteries, download data and upload new instructions, which is helpful to improve the working time and efficiency. During the underwater docking process, unsteady hydrodynamic interference occurs between the docking device and an AUV. To ensure a successful docking, it is very important that the underwater docking hydrodynamics of AUV is understood. In this paper, numerical simulations based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions were carried out for a 1.85m long AUV with maximum 0.2 m in diameter during the docking process. The two-dimensional AUV model without fin and rudder was used in the simulation. The mathematical model based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations was established. The finite volume method (FVM) and the dynamic structured mesh technique were used. SIMPLE algorithm and the k-ε turbulence model in the Descartes coordinates were also adopted. The hydrodynamics characteristics of different docking states were analyzed, such as the different docking velocity, the docking device including baffle or not. The drag coefficients of AUV in the process of docking were computed for various docking conditions, i.e., the AUV moving into the docking in the speed of 1m/s, 2m/s, 5m/s. The results indicate that the drag coefficient increases slowly in the process of AUV getting close to the docking device. When the AUV moves into the docking device, the drag coefficient increases rapidly. Then the drag coefficient decreases rapidly. The drag coefficient decreases with the increase of velocity when AUV enters the docking device. It was also found that the drag coefficient can be effectively reduced by dislodging the baffle of docking device.


Author(s):  
Melissa A. Fronzeo ◽  
Michael Kinzel ◽  
Jules Lindau

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is employed to study the fundamental aspects of the internal pressure within artificially ventilated, gaseous cavities in both twin- and toroidal-vortex closure modes. The results show that several pressure regions develop within the cavities, indicating that the common assumption that the cavity has a constant pressure breaks down when evaluated in high detail. The internal cavity pressure is evaluated using a probability density function (PDF). The resulting PDF plots show a clusters with multiple peaks. A mixture-of-Gaussians (MOG) method is employed to better understand the distributions of these peaks. These peaks are then mapped to the simulation results, where it is observed that these peaks correlate to distinct cavity regions (which vary depending on cavity type). Moreover, these varying pressure regions appear to align with cavity-radius growth and reduction and appear to be the driving force of the internal, circulatory flow. Lastly, the importance of these pressure regions are investigated with respect to predictions from semi-empirical theory of the cavity shape, showing a moderate impact depending on where the cavity is probed. Overall, these results provide physical insight into ventilated cavity flow behavior that is often ignored.


2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Shahin ◽  
Mohammad Asaduzzaman Chowdhury ◽  
Md. Arefin Kowser ◽  
Uttam Kumar Debnath ◽  
M.H. Monir

Purpose The purposes of the present study are to ensure higher sustainability of journal bearings under different applied loads and to observe bearing performances such as elastic strain, total deformation and stress formation. Design/methodology/approach A journal bearing test rig was used to determine the effect of the applied load on the bearing friction, film thickness, lubricant film pressure, etc. A steady-state analysis was performed to obtain the bearing performance. Findings An efficient aspect ratio (L/D) range was obtained to increase the durability or the stability of the bearing while the bearing is in the working condition by using SAE 5W-30 oil. The results from the study were compared with previous studies in which different types of oil and water, such as Newtonian fluid (NF), magnetorheological fluid (MRF) and nonmagnetorheological fluid (NMRF), were used as the lubricant. To ensure a preferable aspect ratio range (0.25-0.50), a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted by ANSYS; the results show a lower elastic strain and deformation within the preferable aspect ratio (0.25-0.50) rather than a higher aspect ratio using the SAE 5W-30 oil. Originality/value It is expected that the findings of this study will contribute to the improvement of the bearing design and the bearing lubricating system.


Author(s):  
Siva Kumar ◽  
Thilakavathi Ramamurthy ◽  
Bala Subramanian ◽  
Ahmed Basha

The present investigation attempts to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of the fluidized bed electrode. A core-annular flow model with a transfer of particles between core-annular layers has been proposed to describe the flow behavior of conducting particles in the fluidized bed electrode. The effect of individual parameters on the rate of the particle transfer across the layer and thickness of the core-annular has been critically examined and the model simulation has been verified with the data reported in the literature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  

Sediment and flow dynamics in a sand trap of Golen Gol hydropower project in Pakistan was evaluated using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. Sediment Simulation in Intakes with Multi Block Options (SSIIM) CFD model was used to simulate the sediment and flow behavior in the sand trap. Numerical simulation results demonstrated that the horizontal and vertical component of velocities at any region of settling basin was less than the designed critical flow velocity of the sand trap. The design with respect to dimensions and proportioning of the sand trap were found appropriate for inducing low flow velocities throughout the settling basin of the sand trap supporting the deposition of sediments. The results obtained from simulation further presented the 100% removal of the desired sediments (particle size class ≥ 0.205 mm diameter) could be achieved in the sand trap. All this verify the design of sand trap is in accordance with the desired designed sediment removal efficiency of the sand trap.


Author(s):  
Akshith Subramanian ◽  
Navid Goudarzi

Marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy resources with advantages such as predictability and less variability compared to other forms of renewable energies, have been drawing more interest in recent years. One important phase before commercialization of new MHK technologies is to conduct experimental testing and evaluate their performance in a real environment. In this work, a numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to study the fluid flow behavior within a designed water flume for MHK energy technologies. The water flume design parameters were given by the team collaborators at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Colorado School of Mines. The results from this simulation showed the flow characteristics within the test-section of the proposed water flume design. These results can be used for the follow on phases of this research that includes testing scaled MHK prototypes at different flow rates as well as optimizing either the water flume design to obtain more realistic flow characteristics within the test section or the MHK devices to obtain higher performance metrics at lower cost.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina S. B. Dutra ◽  
Elia Merzari

Abstract The study of coolant flow behavior in rod bundles is of relevance to the design of nuclear reactors. Although laminar and turbulent flows have been researched extensively, there are still gaps in understanding the process of laminar-turbulent transition. Such a process may involve the formation of a gap vortex street as the consequence of a related linear instability. In the present work, a parametric study was performed to analyze the spatially developing turbulence in a simplified geometry setting. The geometry includes two square arrayed rod bundle subchannels with periodic boundary conditions in the cross-section. The pitch-to-diameter ratios range from 1.05 to 1.20, and the length of the domain was selected to be 100 diameters. No-slip condition at the wall, and inlet-outlet configuration were employed. Then, to investigate the stability of the flow, the Reynolds number was varied from 250 to 3000. The simulations were carried out using the spectral-element code Nek5000, with a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) approach. Data were analyzed to examine this Spatio-temporal developing instability. In particular, we evaluate the location of onset and spatial growth of the instability.


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