A combined wind and wave energy-converter concept in survival mode: Numerical and experimental study in regular waves with a focus on water entry and exit

A combined wind and wave energy converter concept, named STC concept was proposed. Model tests were performed in terms of operational and survival modes. Water entry and exit phenomena as well as green water on deck were observed during the survivability model tests. In this paper, a nonlinear numerical model based on a blended station-keeping potential-flow solver with a local impact solution for bottom slamming events and an approximated model for the water shipped on the deck is proposed to simulate these nonlinear phenomena. Physical investigation of the water entry and exit process was firstly carried out and uncertainty analysis of the model test results were performed. Numerical comparisons between the nonlinear solver and model test results are then performed in terms of mean, wave frequency and double wave frequency motion response components. The slamming and green water involved in the water entry process are specially investigated, in terms of the physical evolution and the effects on the dynamic motion responses. The validation work on the occurrence of slamming and water on deck as well as the slamming pressure are performed.     

Theoretical, numerical and experimental study on the problem of ergodicity and ‘practical ergodicity’ with an application to parametric roll in longitudinal long crested irregular sea

This paper addresses the problem of ergodicity of stochastic processes starting from a theoretical point of view, with the aim of obtaining a deeper understanding for practical applications. The problem is tackled bearing in mind the concept of ‘practical ergodicity’, that is, the possibility of obtaining reliable information about ensemble averages by using temporal averages. Some general analytical tools are given to address the problem of accuracy of temporal averages and an example of their use in a possible design of experiments is given. A series of Monte Carlo numerical simulations are performed by means of an analytical non-linear 1.5-DOF model of parametrically excited roll motion. The outcomes of such simulations are analysed to show the effect of ship speed and sea spectrum shape. The effect of wave grouping phenomenon is discussed with particular attention to the Doppler effect. Qualitative indications given by the numerical simulations are then compared with experimental tests showing a good agreement. Practical ergodicity of generated sea in towing tank is also briefly addressed.     

Forces on a pitching plate: An experimental and numerical study

A flat plate in pitching motion is considered as a fundamental source of locomotion in the general context of marine propulsion. The experimental as well as numerical investigation is carried out at a relatively small Reynold number of 2000 based on the plate length c and the inflow velocity U_∞. The plate oscillates sinusoidally in pitch about its 1/3 − c axis and the peak to peak amplitude of motion is 20°. The reduced frequency of oscillation k = πfc/U_∞ is considered as a key parameter and it may vary between 1 and 5. The underlying fluid-structure problem is numerically solved using a compact finite-differences Navier–Stokes solution procedure and the numerical solution is compared with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow field around the pitching foil experimental device mounted in a water-channel. A good agreement is found between the numerical and experimental results and the threshold oscillation frequency beyond which the wake exhibits a reverse von Kármán street pattern is determined. Above threshold, the mean velocity in the wake exhibits jet-like profiles with velocity excess, which is generally considered as the footprint of thrust production. The forces exerted on the plate are extracted from the numerical simulation results and it is shown, that reliable predictions for possible thrust production can be inferred from a conventional experimental control volume analysis, only when besides the wake's mean flow the contributions from the velocity fluctuation and the pressure term are taken into account.     

Time-domain numerical and segmented ship model experimental analyses of hydroelastic responses of a large container ship in oblique regular waves

Real sea conditions are characterized by multidirectional sea waves. However, the prediction of hull load responses in oblique waves is a difficult problem due to numeral divergence. This paper focuses on the investigation of numerical and experimental methods of load responses of ultra-large vessels in oblique regular waves. A three dimensional nonlinear hydroelastic method is proposed. In order to numerically solve the divergence problem of time-domain motion equations in oblique waves, a proportional, integral and derivative (PID) autopilot model is applied. A tank model measurement methodology is used to conduct experiments for hydroelastic responses of a large container ship in oblique regular waves. To implement the tests, a segmented ship model and oblique wave testing system are designed and assembled. Then a series of tests corresponding to various wave headings are carried out to investigate the vibrational characteristics of the model. Finally, time-domain numerical simulations of the ship are carried out. The numerical analysis results by the presented method show good agreement with experimental results.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of a freefall wedge vertically entering the water surface

Experiments and numerical methods are developed to investigate the water entry of a freefall wedge with a focus on the evolution of the pressure on the impact sides (the side contacting water) and the top side (the dry side on the top of the wedge), evolution of the global hydrodynamic loads, evolution of the air–water interface, and wedge motion. It is found that a typical water entry of a freefall wedge can be divided into slamming, transition, collapse and post-closure stages. A single-fluid numerical model is presented to simulate the first three stages. The results are compared to experiments and good agreements are obtained. A two-fluid BEM is proposed to investigate the influence of the air flow before the closure of the cavity created on the top of the wedge. It is found that for the closure of the 2D cavity, the air flow starts to play an important role just before closure but due to the short duration, the influence of air flow on the body velocity and configuration of the air–water interface is limited.     

Experimental and numerical studies on the development of a new wave absorber

This paper proposes a new wave absorber made of flexible net structures. To test the efficiency of the proposed water absorber, experiments were done on wave absorbers of various lengths of and the thicknesses of the wave absorber. To perform a numerical modeling of the proposed wave absorber, damping terms were introduced in linearized free-surface boundary conditions. The length and the thickness of the wave absorber were modeled by the length and the coefficient of the damping zones. The boundary element method was adopted to solve the system. Series of experiments were performed to obtain the data for the coefficients of the damping term needed in numerical calculations. The predicted wave heights agreed very closely with those of experiments when the lengths of the incoming waves were within the order of the length of the wave absorber.     

Flow-induced vibration analysis of elastic propellers in a cyclic inflow: An experimental and numerical study

In this paper, the flow-induced vibrations of marine propellers in cyclic inflows are investigated both experimentally and numerically. A Laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) system is used to measure the axial flow velocity distributions produced by the seven-cycle wake screen in the water tunnel. A customized underwater slip ring and a single axis accelerometer sealed by silicon sealant are employed to measure the acceleration responses of rotating propeller blade. Numerical simulations of pressure fluctuations on the blades are performed using large eddy simulation (LES), while the forced vibrations of the propeller blades are obtained by a combined finite element and boundary element method. Experimental and numerical results are presented for two model propellers with the same geometries and different flexible properties, which show that the propeller blade vibrates at a frequency which is seven times as large as the axial passing frequency (APF) in the seven-cycle inflow. Moreover, the propeller blades are observed to resonance when the 7 APF excitation frequency is equal to the fundamental frequency of the propellers. The results indicate that both the inflow feature and the modal characteristic of blades contribute to flow-induced vibrations of elastic propellers.     

An investigation on internal solitary waves in a two-layer fluid: Propagation and reflection from steep slopes

Experimental investigations on internal solitary wave (ISW) propagation and their reflection from a smooth uniform slope were conducted in a two-layered fluid system with a free surface. A 12-meter-long wave flume was in use which incorporated with: (1) a movable vertical gate for generating ISW; (2) six ultrasonic probes for measuring the fluctuation of an ISW; and (3) a steep uniform slope (from one of θ=30°, 50°, 60°, 90°, 120° and 130°) much greater than those ever published in the literature. This paper presents the wave profile properties of the ISW recorded in the flume and their nonlinear features in comparison with the existing Korteweg de Vries (KdV) and modified Korteweg-de Vries (MKdV) theories. Experimental results show that the KdV theory is suitable for most small-amplituded ISWs and MKdV theory is appropriate for the reflected ISWs from various uniform slopes. In addition, both the amplitude-based reflection coefficient and reflected energy approach a constant value asymptotically when plotted against the slope and the characteristic length ratio, respectively. The reflected wave amplitudes calculated from experimental data agree well with those reported elsewhere. The optimum reflection coefficient is found within the limit of 0.85 for wave amplitude, among the test runs from steep normal slope of 30° to inverse angle of 130°, and around 0.75 for the reflected wave energy, produced by an ISW on a vertical wall.     

Wave loads on a coastal bridge deck and the role of entrapped air

Wave loading on a coastal bridge deck due to nonlinear waves during a storm, where air may be fully or partially trapped between the girders, is studied through an extensive set of laboratory experiments. Wave cases tested cover a range of shallow-water to intermediate-water depth waves. A range of model elevations is tested to include conditions where the bridge may be partially inundated, to where the model is fully elevated above the still-water level (SWL). The model is constructed to include different percentages of air-relief openings, to capture a range of cases where no air can escape between the girders, to where all the air can escape and the wave can freely interact with the bottom of the bridge deck. Effects of the compressibility of entrapped air as well as the effects of the model scale are investigated through numerical calculations solving the compressible and incompressible Euler's equations, at both the model and prototype scales, by use of the open source CFD software, OpenFOAM. Along with coastal bridges, this research is applicable to other coastal and offshore structures, such as piers, submerged breakwaters and offshore platforms, in which wave loading or entrapped air is of concern.     

Influence of hydrocarbon injection on the compaction by pressure-solution of a carbonate rock: An experimental study under triaxial stresses

The preservation of good petrophysical properties (high porosity/high permeability) at great depth in carbonate rocks may lead to the existence of a deeply buried reservoir (DBR), a target of interest for the oil industry. One of the key processes controlling diagenesis of the burial environment is Pressure Solution Creep (PSC), an efficient compaction process responsible for the evolution of porosity and permeability in many carbonate reservoirs. In this experimental study, we examine the effect of i) the presence of oil in the pore space and ii) its timing of injection on the PSC process and the petrophysical properties of a carbonate rock. The experiments were performed using a flow-through high-pressure cell, allowing the simulation of the pressure/stresses and temperature conditions of a DBR. Multi-disciplinary data (mechanical, chemical, petrographical and petrophysical) demonstrate that, without oil in the pore space, the main diagenetic process is the PSC, a process reducing by three the initial porosity but having no influence on intrinsic water permeability. An early injection of oil prior to water circulation causes the inhibition of PSC by the coating of the grains, leading to the preservation of porosity. Conversely, a late injection of oil does not preserve initial porosity. The dataset obtained from these experiments show the importance of the timing of oil charging in a reservoir in the preservation of initial porosity at great depth by the inhibition of PSC. However, the coating of grains by hydrocarbons may also inhibit further diagenetic processes leading to a creation of secondary porosity at depth.     

An experimental study on the flow characteristics of a standing wave: application of FLDV measurements

The determination of the characteristics of a standing wave boundary layer, such as water particle velocities and shear stresses, is a vital issue in the prediction of sediment transport rate. Thus, an accurate measure of boundary layer characteristics is a key factor in the study of the wave boundary layer. In this study, a fiber-optic laser Doppler velocimeter (FLDV) is applied to directly measure the velocity profile in the standing wave boundary layer. As the experimental data presented in this paper, the antinode points of standing waves are found to move in the temporal domain. The previous second-order solution for a standing wave boundary layer is insufficient for the prediction of larger Ursell numbers.     

入海泥沙减少对黄河三角洲潮滩粒度特征的影响

为探究不同悬沙浓度下潮滩粒度特征的变化,对黄河三角洲潮滩进行了物理模拟实验。使用采自研究区的潮滩表层沉积物,设定与实际潮滩尺寸按比例缩小的室内水槽以及波浪潮汐动力模拟,对不同悬沙浓度条件（0～14.9 kg/m3）下的模拟“潮滩”进行粒度分析。结果表明,随着悬沙浓度的减少,潮滩粒度特征发生了明显变化。随着含沙量的减少,整个潮滩的细颗粒沉积物分布范围减小,总体上沉积物呈现粗化特征,但颗粒较大的极粗粉砂的分布同样减少;在不同含沙量条件下,分选系数、偏度和峰度均值总体呈现出潮下带上部高、潮间带和潮下带下部低的特征,反映了模拟的潮间带上部和潮下带前缘的分选较潮滩中部更好的特征。含沙量的变化同样影响了模拟潮滩的微地貌形态,随着含沙量的降低,潮滩微地貌逐渐侵蚀破碎。潮滩物理模型实验有助于快速再现潮滩冲淤形态和变化特征,使特定条件下潮滩的变化具备可预见性,从而为人类有针对性地进行生产活动提供参考。     

Denitrification-nitrification process in permeable coastal sediments: An investigation on the effect of salinity and nitrate availability using flow-through reactors

Permeable coastal sediments act as a reactive node in the littoral zone,transforming nutrients via a wide range of biogeochemical reactions.Reaction rates are controlled by abiotic factors,e.g.,salinity,temperature or solute concentration.Here,a series of incubation experiments,using flow-through reactors,were conducted to simulate the biogeochemical cycling of nitrate (NO_3~?) and phosphorus (P) in permeable sediments under differentNO_3~?availability conditions (factor I) along a salinity gradient (admixture of river and seawater,factor II).In an oligotrophic scenario,i.e.,unamendedNO_3~?concentrations in both river and seawater,sediments acted as a permanent net source ofNO_3~?to the water column.The peak production rate occurred at an intermediate salinity(20).IncreasingNO_3~?availability in river water significantly enhanced netNO_3~?removal rates within the salinity range of 0 to 30,likely via the denitrification pathway based on the sediment microbiota composition.In this scenario,the most active removal was obtained at salinity of 10.When both river and seawater were spiked with NO_3~?,the highest removal rate switched to the highest salinity (36).It suggests the salinity preference of theNO_3~?removal pathway by local denitrifiers (e.g.,Bacillus and Paracoccus) and thatNO_3~?removal in coastal sediments can be significantly constrained by the dilution relatedNO_3~?availability.Compared with the obtained variation forNO_3~?reactions,permeable sediments acted as a sink of soluble reactive P in all treatments,regardless of salinity andNO_3~?input concentrations,indicating a possibility of P-deficiency for coastal water from the intensive cycling in permeable sediments.Furthermore,the net production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in all treatments was positively correlated with the measuredNO_3~?reaction rates,indicating that the DOC supply may not be the key factor forNO_3~?removal rates due to the consumption by intensive aerobic respiration.Considering the intensive production of recalcitrant carbon solutes,the active denitrification was assumed to be supported by sedimentary organic matter.     

Detection of free gas and gas hydrate based on 3D seismic data and cone penetration testing: An example from the Nigerian Continental Slope

We present a new method to characterize free gas, gas hydrates and carbonate concretions occurrence which are considered as high-risk factors for sub-sea developments in the Niger delta. This method is based on the combination of 3D seismic data to the geotechnical site characterizations using piezocone CPTU tests (Cone Penetration Test with additional measurement of the pore water pressure). A special processing of the 3D seismic data has enabled the determination of the interval compressional velocity. Using the effective-medium theory, velocity anomalies (negative and positive) within the first 15 m were translated in gas hydrate and free gas distribution. The calibration of the P wave velocity anomalies was done thanks to in-situ geotechnical testing carried out during two oceanographic surveys (2003 and 2004). Comparison between in-situ testing, recovered cores and the prediction of the gas and the gas hydrate distribution based on the compressional wave velocity have shown that 3D seismic data is a valuable tool to identify heterogeneous areas but the use of the piezocone was essential to discriminate between gas hydrate occurrences and carbonate concretions' presence. Furthermore, in-situ compressional wave velocity (V_p) measurements have clearly demonstrated what it was suspected from the 3D seismic data, the co-existence in the study area between gas hydrate and free gas.     

不同流路时期黄河三角洲沿岸余流场的数值对比研究

黄河入海流路改道变迁频繁,有关不同流路时期沿岸余流场变化的认识将为理解入海泥沙输送特征的变动和沿岸泥沙动态提供重要的水动力基础,通过数值对比实验,以分处黄河三角洲北、东两岸的钓口和清水沟流路为例,对比研究了两个流路基本稳定后的初期黄河三角洲沿岸余流场结构及其流速的变化.结果表明,虽然两个不同流路时期沿岸流系的总体趋势存在一致性,但不同岸段的局部余流场结构、流速及其分布在不同季节都发生了程度不一的变化.在流场结构上,夏、冬季的差异很小,而春、秋季的差异相对较大,特别是在10m以浅的近岸海域的变化明显.高流速区分布,在钓口流路时期具有随各突出沙嘴而生的特点,清水沟流路时则是沿岸线走向、呈条带状延伸,且其分布范围更大、中心流速更高.沿岸余流流速在清水沟流路时期比钓口流路时期大很多,以清水沟口以南海域的流速增加最显著,北岸海域其次,清水沟口以北、神仙沟以南岸段的变化最小,在季节上以冬季增幅最明显.两个不同流路时期沿岸潮致余流场的总体特征也是基本一致的,分布于甜水沟沙嘴(清水沟口)南、北部的涡环结构在清水沟流路时期明显向东北方向移动,清水沟流路时期神仙沟和甜水沟等原沙嘴附近的潮致余流流速存在明显的减小.     

Influence of point sources on trace metal contamination and distribution in a semi-enclosed industrial embayment: the Ferrol Ria (NW Spain)

Concentrations of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn), particulate organic (POC) and nitrogen (PON), particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) and opal content were measured in 35 surface sediment samples taken in the Ferrol Ria (Galicia, NW Spain). This ria is a semi-enclosed embayment receiving inputs from industrial and urban effluents. The restricted water exchange between the ria and the shelf has led to a significant accumulation of contaminants within the embayment. Two main factors controlled the metal distribution and concentrations in the bay: (1) contamination point sources and (2) distribution of the organic-rich sediments. Zn, Cu and, to a lesser extent Pb, were the metals most contaminated in the bay, with average enrichment factors (AEF)—defined as the mean metal concentration in the bay divided by the background value reported for this ria—of 4.7, 5.5 and 2.7, respectively. The highest concentrations for these metals were observed in the vicinity of the point sources. Values found for Zn, Cu and Pb are comparable to other industrialized coastal areas in the world. For Ni, Fe, Cr and Co a negligible to low contamination was found (AEF = 1–2), with the highest concentrations found in the organic-rich sediments.