Influence of wave approach angle on TLP's response

The current study focuses on the response analysis of triangular tension leg platform (TLP) for different wave approach angles varying from 0° through 90° and its influence on the coupled dynamic response of triangular TLPs. Hydrodynamic loading is modeled using Stokes fifth-order nonlinear wave theory along with various other nonlinearities arising caused by change in tether tension and change in buoyancy caused by set down effect. Low frequency surge oscillations and high frequency tension oscillations of tethers are ignored in the analysis. Results show that wave approach angle influences the coupled dynamic response of triangular TLP in all degrees of freedom except heave. Response in roll and sway degrees of freedom are activated which otherwise are not present in TLP's response to unidirectional waves. Pitch and roll responses are highly stochastic in nature indicating high degree of randomness. Variation in surge, sway and heave responses are nonlinear and are not proportional to change in wave height for the same period.     

Dynamic behaviour of square and triangular offshore tension leg platforms under regular wave loads

Among compliant platforms, the tension leg platform (TLP) is a hybrid structure. With respect to the horizontal degrees of freedom, it is compliant and behaves like to a floating structure, whereas with respect to the vertical degrees of freedom, it is stiff and resembles a fixed structure and is not allowed to float freely. The greatest potential for reducing costs of a TLP in the short term is to go through previously applied design approaches, to simplify the design and reduce the conservatism that so far has been incorporated in the TLP design to accommodate for the unproven nature of this type of platform. Dynamic analysis of a triangular model TLP to regular waves is presented, considering the coupling between surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. The analysis considers various nonlinearities produced due to change in the tether tension and nonlinear hydrodynamic drag force. The wave forces on the elements of the pontoon structure are calculated using Airy's wave theory and Morison's equation, ignoring the diffraction effects. The nonlinear equation of motion is solved in the time domain using Newmark's beta integration scheme. Numerical studies are conducted to compare the coupled response of a triangular TLP with that of a square TLP and the effects of different parameters that influence the response are then investigated.     

Nonlinear coupled response of offshore tension leg platforms to regular wave forces

Among the compliant platforms, the tension leg platform (TLP) is a vertically moored structure with excess buoyancy. The TLP is designed to behave in the same way as any other moored structure in horizontal plane, at the same time inheriting the stiffness of a fixed platform in the vertical plane. Dynamic response analysis of a TLP to deterministic first order wave forces is presented, considering coupling between the degrees-of-freedom surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw. The analysis considers nonlinearities produced due to changes in cable tension and due to nonlinear hydrodynamic drag forces. The wave forces on the elements of the pontoon structure are calculated using Airy's wave theory and Morison's equation ignoring diffraction effects. The nonlinear equation of motion is solved in the time domain by Newmark's beta integration scheme. The effects of different parameters that influence the response of the TLP are then investigated.     

Stochastic Analysis of Short-Term Structural Responses and Fatigue Damages of A Submerged Tension Leg Platform Wind Turbine in Wind and Waves

In connection with the design of floating wind turbines, stochastic dynamic analysis is a critical task considering nonlinear wind and wave forces. To study the random structural responses of a newly designed submerged tension leg platform(STLP) wind turbine, a set of dynamic simulations and comparison analysis with the MIT/NREL TLP wind turbine are carried out. The signal filter method is used to evaluate the mean and standard deviations of the structural response. Furthermore, the extreme responses are estimated by using the mean upcrossing rate method. The fatigue damages for blade root, tower, and mooring line are also studied according to the simulated time-series. The results and comparison analysis show that the STLP gives small surge and pitch motions and mooring line tensions in operational sea states due to the small water-plane area. Additionally, in severe sea states, the STLP gives lower extreme values of platform pitch, slightly larger surge and heave motions and better towerbase and mooring line fatigue performances than those of the MIT/NREL TLP. It is found that the STLP wind turbine has good performances in structural responses and could be a potential type for exploiting the wind resources located in deep waters.     

Nonlinear Dynamic Responses of Tension Leg Platform with Slack-Taut Tether

The slack-taut state of tether is a particular adverse circumstance,which may influence the normal operation state of tension leg platform (TLP).The dynamic responses of TLP with slack-taut tenor are studied with consideration of several nonlinear factors introduced by large amphliude motions.The time histories of stresses of tethers of a typical TLP in slacktaut state are given.In addition,the sensitivities of slack to stiffness and mass are investigated by varying the stiffness of tether and mass of TLP.It is found that slack is sensitive to the mass of TLP.The critical curved surfaces (over which indicates the slack) for the increase of mass are obtained.     

Triangular Configuration Tension Leg Platform behaviour under random sea wave loads

This study investigates the dynamic response of a Triangular Configuration Tension Leg Platform (TLP) under random sea wave loads. The random wave has been generated synthetically using the Monte-Carlo simulation with the Peirson–Moskowitz (P–M) spectrum. Diffraction effects and second-order wave forces have not been considered. The evaluation of hydrodynamic forces is carried out using the modified Morison equation with water particle kinematics evaluated using Airy's linear wave theory. Wave forces are taken to be acting in the surge degree-of-freedom. The effect of coupling of various structural degrees-of-freedom (surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw) on the dynamic response of the TLP under random wave loads is studied. Parametric studies for random waves with different H_s and T_z under the presence of current have also been carried out. For the orientation of the TLP, surge, heave and pitch degrees-of-freedom responses are influenced significantly. The surge power spectral density function (PSDF) indicates that the mean square response is affected by the amplification at the natural frequency of the surge degree-of-freedom and also at the peak frequency of the wave loading. The PSDF of the heave response shows higher peak values near the surge frequency and near the peak frequency of the wave loading. Surge response, therefore, influences heave response to the maximum. Variable submergence seems to be a major source of nonlinearity and significantly enhances the responses in surge, heave and pitch degrees-of-freedom. In the presence of current, the response behaviour of the TLP is altered significantly introducing a non-zero mean response in all degrees-of-freedom.     

在平台振荡条件下TLP张力腿的涡激非线性响应

给出了预测张力腿涡激横向振动的时域分析,考虑了波浪、海流、张力腿平台的横漂与垂荡诸因素.张力腿平台的垂荡引起张力周期性变化,对张力腿的涡激横向振动起参数激励的作用,使其动力响应更为复杂.讨论了参数激励下涡激响应的共振条件;以尾流振子模型为基础,发展了分析张力腿在动张力作用下的涡激振动的工程方法,并分析了一座TLP实例,给出了在横漂周期内张力腿上质点的相对位移、弯矩、剪力幅值的时间历程.结果表明,平台垂荡使张力腿的涡激响应幅值升高、高频成分增加,因此它对张力腿的疲劳设计是重要的.     

Nonlinear Random Motion Analysis of A Tension Leg Platform Considering the Set-down Motion of A Floating Body

The dynamic analysis of a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) in random wave is investigated by considering the set-down of a floating body. The nonlinear restoring stiffness is derived with the set-down motion of a floating body and the coupled motion of the tension leg and platform and the differential equations of the motion are established. The study focuses on the influence of the set-down motion on the nonlinear response of the platform. By considering different significant wave heights and currents, motion responses of the platform are calculated and compared. The analysis shows that the set-down motion significantly increases the heave motion with low frequency and the equilibrium position of the heave motion with the set-down motion is much lower than that without set-down motion. The results in this paper indicate that the set-down motion has a major impact on the safety of the platform inproduction operation, and it is also a threat to the strength of tension legs and risers.     

Stability analysis of TLP tethers

Compliant offshore TLPs are essentially meant for deep oil/gas exploration and are usually constructed on the seashore and then towed down to the particular location for anchorage. They are connected to the sea bed by means of pretension cables. The increased use of TLPs in deep waters and necessity of reduction of usually high value of pretension make the effect of variable tension in the tether dynamics more significant. This work presents the dynamic analysis of tethers and TLPs considering the linearly varying tension along the tether length. The modal analysis considers a linear cable equation for tether modeling subjected to tension which varies along its length. A Mathieu stability analysis is then performed for TLPs of different shapes and different water depth vis-à-vis of 527.8, 872, and 1200 m respectively to obtain the amplitudes of tether vibrations. The unstable modes of vibration are also verified. The resultant modal forms for the tether's dynamic model are then obtained in form of Bessel's function. From the numerical studies conducted it is seen that increased tether tension not only leads to a stable platform but also improves the stability due to increased hydrodynamic loading contributing to added mass. From the studies conducted it is also seen that the triangular configuration TLPs with increased initial pretension are more stable compared to four leg TLP in the first mode of vibration.     

Marine tether dynamics: retrieval and deployment from a heaving platform

A tether management system of a winch module in a marine environment is proposed. For the purpose of this study the subsea body is considered as a mass attached at the free end of a long tether which is wrapped around a circular drum controlled by an external torque. The winch is considered mounted on a heaving platform. The effect of the heaving platform on the motions of the drum, tether and attached mass are studied with respect to the longitudinal vibrations of the tether in one dimension. The hydrodynamic effects are considered on the deployed portion of the tether and the tethered mass, both of which are assumed submerged in otherwise still water. The resulting nonlinear system of equations of motion is developed and solved numerically for an example of a marine tether system. The effect of the tether extensibility on the operation threshold of the system is identified. Comparison with an inextensible tether case is provided. The numerical results and their analysis for the retrieval/deployment of the system are presented.     

Adaptive second-order Volterra filtering and its application tosecond-order drift phenomena

This paper presents an adaptive second-order Volterra filter and its application to model-test data of a prototype tension leg platform (TLP). The least-squares approach of a second-order Volterra model and its adaptive filtering algorithm based on recursive least-squares are introduced. The second-order Volterra filter is applied to identify the linear and quadratically nonlinear relationship between irregular sea wave excitation and the surge response of a tension leg platform. Next, a deconvolution technique, based on the impulse invariance standard Z-transform, is utilized to recover the linear and quadratic forces exerted on the TLP     

Response Analysis of Tension-Based Tension Leg Platform Under Irregular Waves

Tension Leg Platform (TLP) is a hybrid structure used as oil drilling and production facility within water depths of 1200 m. The extension of this TLP concept to deeper waters is a challenge and warrants for some innovative design concepts. In this paper, a relatively new concept of TLP which is christened as Tension-Based Tension Leg Platform (TBTLP) and patented by Srinivasan (1998) has been chosen for study. Response analysis of TLP with one tension base under irregular waves for three different sea states has been performed using hydrodynamic tool ANSYS? AQWA?. Results are reported in terms of RAOs, response spectrums for surge, heave and pitch degrees of freedom from which spectral statistics have been obtained. The statistics of TBTLP have been compared with TLPs (without tension base) for two different water depths to highlight the features of the new concept. The effect of viscous damping and loading effects on the RAOs are also investigated.     

Response analysis of tension-based tension leg platform under irregular waves

Tension Leg Platform(TLP) is a hybrid structure used as oil drilling and production facility within water depths of 1200 m. The extension of this TLP concept to deeper waters is a challenge and warrants for some innovative design concepts. In this paper, a relatively new concept of TLP which is christened as Tension-Based Tension Leg Platform(TBTLP) and patented by Srinivasan(1998) has been chosen for study. Response analysis of TLP with one tension base under irregular waves for three different sea states has been performed using hydrodynamic tool ANSYS? AQWA?. Results are reported in terms of RAOs, response spectrums for surge, heave and pitch degrees of freedom from which spectral statistics have been obtained. The statistics of TBTLP have been compared with TLPs(without tension base) for two different water depths to highlight the features of the new concept. The effect of viscous damping and loading effects on the RAOs are also investigated.     

Coupling of linear waves and a hybrid porous TLP

An analytical solution has been developed in this paper to quantify the flow field and the surge motion of a porous tension leg platform with an impermeable top layer induced by linear waves. The porous layer of the TLP is considered to be anisotropic but homogeneous. The nonlinear form drag in the porous layer is replaced by a linear drag according to Lorentz’s hypothesis of equivalent work. The convergence of the series solution is verified. The dependence of the flow field, the surge motion of the platform, and its resonant frequency on wave and structure properties has been studied.     

Dragged surge motion of tension leg platforms and strained elastic tethers

This paper presents an analytical solution for the dynamic behavior of both the platform and tethers in the tension leg platform system when the platform system is subjected to the wave-induced surge motion and the flow-induced drag motion. Along with the analysis the coupling problem of a two dimensional tension leg platform interacting with a monochromatic linear wave train in an inviscid and incompressible fluid is being considered. The scattering problem and radiation problem are first solved independently and then combined together to resolve for all unknowns. The dynamic behavior of the platform and tethers was further solved based on these solutions. The material property and the dimensional effect for the tether incorporated in the tension leg platform system are both taken into account in the analytical analysis. Corresponding to the variation of material properties and tether dimensions, it was found that the dynamic behavior of both the tether of tension leg platform and the platform itself is closely related to the material property and the dimension of the tether.     

Hydrodynamic design of a TLP type offloading platform

The hydrodynamic aspects of a design study of a TLP type offloading platform, that will operate in the north-east of Marmara Sea are presented in this paper. The main scope of the paper is to discuss the general properties of the platform and environmental conditions prior to the calculation of hydrodynamic forces based on Morison’s equation and the resultant motion responses. The non-linear quasi-static effect is taken into account due to set-down phenomenon in the calculation of surge responses. Comparisons between the designs with two different drafts and the results of their spectral analysis are presented. With decrease in the draft of the platform, surge responses increase in the low frequency region. Since the differences between the surge responses of two different designs are not significant, the shorter platform has been adopted for the location due to its low cost. The non-linear set-down effect is not found to be significant because this platform has relatively short taut chains compared to those of conventional type.     

Effect of wave nonlinearity on fatigue damage and extreme responses of a semi-submersible floating wind turbine

Floating wind turbine has been the highlight in offshore wind industry lately. There has been great effort on developing highly sophisticated numerical model to better understand its hydrodynamic behaviour. A engineering-practical method to study the nonlinear wave effects on floating wind turbine has been recently developed. Based on the method established, the focus of this paper is to quantify the wave nonlinearity effect due to nonlinear wave kinematics by comparing the structural responses of floating wind turbine when exposed to irregular linear Airy wave and fully nonlinear wave. Critical responses and fatigue damage are studied in operational conditions and short-term extreme values are predicted in extreme conditions respectively. In the operational condition, wind effects are dominating the mean value and standard deviation of most responses except floater heave motion. The fatigue damage at the tower base is dominated by wind effects. The fatigue damage for the mooring line is more influenced by wind effects for conditions with small wave and wave effects for conditions with large wave. The wave nonlinearity effect becomes significant for surge and mooring line tension for large waves while floater heave, pitch motion, tower base bending moment and pontoon axial force are less sensitive to the nonlinear wave effect. In the extreme condition, linear wave theory underestimates wave elevation, floater surge motion and mooring line tension compared with fully nonlinear wave theory while quite close results are predicted for other responses.     

A single mooring system with sag-extensibility and flexural rigidity applied to offshore platform

Floating platform system has been extensively used in ocean exploitation, particularly for a tension-leg platform (TLP) system in deep water. Most of the TLPs are multi-mooring systems, where multi-joints are connected to the tension-legs so that the platform is not allowed to twist freely and may subject to enormous force induced by large incident waves in the weak-direction of the structure. This study aims to exploit a single moored offshore platform system that may attract less force and can be operated with less effort. In our analysis, in addition to mechanical properties of the tether, two important properties are also taken into consideration for the single mooring tether with expanded cross sectional dimension and utilization of stronger material, namely, the sag-extensibility and the flexural rigidity. Finally, the dynamic structural behavior produced by the mechanical effects on the new system is investigated and compared with that of traditional design while the wave-structure interactions of large body are also accounted for. Our study finds that the neglect of sag-extensibility or the flexural rigidity of large, strong mooring cable may result in a conservative but not necessarily safe design.     

Instability Assessment of Deep-Sea Risers Under Parametric Excitation

This study deals with the nonlinear dynamic response of deep-sea risers subjected to parametric excitation at the top of a platform.As offshore oil and gas exploration is pushed into deep waters,difficulties encountered in deep-sea riser design may be attributed to the existence of parametric instability regarding platform heave motions.Parametric resonance in risers can cause serious damage which might bring disastrous accidents such as environment pollution,property losses and even fatalities.Therefore,th...     

波流组合作用下SPAR平台垂荡-纵摇耦合运动研究

探讨SPAR平台在波流组合作用下的运动响应机理。运用Matlab程序分析了SPAR平台产生内共振的运动过程,运用刚体动力学理论建立了平台垂荡-纵摇耦合方程,对波流共同作用下Spar平台的垂荡、纵摇运动进行数值模拟,结果表明:流的加入对于内共振的影响并不明显;同时采用AQWA软件研究了流的加入对于纵荡二阶慢漂力的影响,研究发现,当波流同向时能大大增加Spar平台的纵荡运动,而波流反向时却能明显削弱纵荡运动。本文研究成果对于指导深海浮式结构设计开发具有一定的理论借鉴作用。