A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of an Offshore Multipurpose Platform Under Wave Effects

Abstract

This project aims to bring a new perspective to the line of research in ocean engineering, particularly for the design and analysis of multipurpose platforms. This is to be achieved by analyzing some parameters on the Blue Growth Farm platform to contribute to the design and assessment process from a numerical point of view. This type of structure plays a fun- damental role in the initiatives towards the efficient use of the marine environment for clean sources to supply the ever-increasing energy and food demand. Moreover, they try to combine different mechanisms and systems to ensure maximum utilization of the ocean’s space and re- sources. The proposed research includes three work fronts: first, the analysis of the platform’s quasi-static behavior through the implementation of numerical simulations in transient states without the influence of waves to evaluate how changes in the computational domain and spa- tial discretization affect the results. Second, the proposal of a methodology for regular and irregular wave generation in a numerical wave tank when implementing wave-generation and absorption models. Third, the set-up and discussion around wave-structure interaction sim- ulations considering the moored platform under the influence of regular and irregular waves This is to be achieved by means of the finite volume method coupled with the in-house library FoamStar, which is based on OpenFOAM-5 and has similar capabilities to the InterFoam and Waves2Foam solvers. This work is framed within the Blue Growth Farm project within the framework of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Thus, the present research aims to present the second attempt to validate the experimental results from the BGF project with the use of numerical simulations. The aim is that the guideline into the software environment and its particularities allows future researchers to evaluate and assess the design of offshore structures towards the final goal of a successful recovery of energy and food to avoid or reduce undesirable effects in the marine environment.