LR and Keppel collaborate to enhance semi-submersible designs
Co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the project will use LR's ‘NewWave’ simulation tool and Keppel's in-house semi-submersible model test data to develop 'Numerical Wave Basin' in order to improve both safety and performance of new semi-submersible designs, the company said in its press release.
LR's Global Technology Centre in Singapore and Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre (KOMtech) have engaged in a joint research and development project (JDP) to develop advanced numerical simulation capabilities, using high performance computing, to predict semi-submersible behaviour in waves.
LR has developed a numerical tool using 'NewWave' which has been applied on fixed offshore structures to simulate wave-in-deck loading. Adapting this tool with KOMtech’s deepwater know-how and both parties’ strength in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the JDP aims to build advanced capability in the prediction of semi-submersible behaviour in extreme waves through development of 'Numerical Wave Basin'. KOMtech’s deepwater know-how and extensive in-house data from model tests carried out on semi-submersibles will be used to benchmark and validate this new developed technology.
The accurate prediction of motion and air gap requirements, between maximum wave height and the underside of a platform deck, for the design of deep water semi-submersible platforms for operations in harsh environments and extreme weather conditions is crucial. This is especially the case for operations in areas such as the Arctic, North Sea and Western Australia and other deep sea frontiers.
Keppel Offshore & Marine is a leader in the design and construction of deepwater rigs and is the only global offshore and marine group to possess a suite of in-house designs.
Real ocean states are complex and difficult to define numerically due to their irregular wave patterns, strong non-linearity and non-Gaussian statistics. This is further complicated by the response of the floating body to the actual wave, making the accurate prediction of the required motion and air gap for the safe operation of a semi-submersible a real challenge.
Current methods make use of model testing to help resolve these issues. This method is time-consuming and requires multiple test runs in attempts to fully capture all possible combinations of the waves and headings. This numerical method allows fast and efficient way for simulating these conditions.
