Newton's momentum principles could help design safer offshore facilities in extreme waves
Researchers have developed a novel model to accurately and efficiently predict the impact of "green water"—water washing onto the deck of an offshore facility during extreme wave conditions.
Researchers at The University of Western Australia have developed a new model to more accurately predict the effects of green water - water that washes up on the deck of offshore facilities during extreme wave conditions. TIDE researchers created a model for floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) facilities, which are used for hydrocarbon processing and house essential components such as separation systems, water treatment, gas compression, power generation, and living spaces.
By testing scale models in UWA's wave flume, they identified the maximum green water forces that occur during these events. Using Newton's principles of conservation of momentum, Ph.D. graduate Dr. Min Gao created an analytical model that predicts the impact of green water loads on topside structures using only information about the undisturbed flow on the deck, regardless of where the equipment is placed.
This new method, which has been validated through experiments and simulations, could enable faster, more efficient design processes for offshore facilities, leading to safer and more cost-effective structures.
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