Yiannis Constantinides

NUMERICAL PREDICTION OF BARE AND STRAKED CYLINDER VIV

The prediction of deepwater riser Vortex Induced Vibrations (VIV) is one of the most challenging areas in the offshore industry. Numerous experimental and numerical studies have been performed in an effort to improve the understanding and prediction of cylinder VIV behavior. This paper presents the numerical simulation of rigid circular sections, both bare and fitted with strakes, using a second order accurate finite element computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Two turbulence models are examined: the Spalart-Allmaras Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and the Detached Eddy Simulation (DES). Pragmatic high Reynolds number simulations of fixed and moving cylinders are presented and compared with laboratory experiments. Flow visualization provides insights on how strakes mitigate VIV. Comparisons between RANS and DES results are also presented and discussed.Copyright

Simulation of Riser VIV Using Fully Three Dimensional CFD Simulations

Fully three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions are combined with structural models of a tensioned riser to predict riser vortex induced motion. The use of three dimensional CFD solutions overcomes many of the shortcomings of combining a series of strip or two dimensional simulations to calculate the fluid forces on the riser. Three dimensional vortex structures are treated correctly and straked risers and variations in angle of attack can be studied directly. The proposed method uses finite element methods that are tolerant of sparse meshes and high element aspect ratios. This allows economical solutions of large fluid domains while retaining the important features of the large fluid vortex structures which drive risers. Long risers can be treated with readily available computers and examples of simulations of riser with L/D over 1400 are given and compared with previously published experimental data. These examples are used to illustrate several points regarding the effects of the treatment of the riser structure as well as the efficacy of rotating frame or pinned riser experiments used to simulate sheared currents. The method can also be extended to sheared currents whose heading varies with depth.

Fully Coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction for Offshore Applications

CAD integrated tools are accelerating product development by incorporating various aspects of physics through coupling with computational aided engineering (CAE) packages. One of the most challenging areas is fluid-structure interaction (FSI) of low mass bodies such as flexible marine risers/cables with vortex-induced vibrations. The focus of this work is on the application of a new Multi-Iterative Coupling (MIC) procedure to couple AcuSolve (fluid solver) with Abaqus (structural solver). The proposed new scheme has superior stability and convergence properties as compared to conventional explicit staggered schemes, especially for low mass-density ratios of structure to fluid. Demonstrations and validation of the scheme are presented and discussed along with additional challenges associated with FSI in production environments. The addition of an FEA solver enables the modeling of the nonlinear aspects of flexible riser VIV, namely, contacts with gaps, multi-body dynamics, seabed interaction, geometric and/or material nonlinearities.

Modeling Vortex Induced Motions of Spars in Uniform and Stratified Flows

This paper examines the vortex induced motions (VIM) of a spar type floating production platform in uniform and sheared currents. The large draft of modern production platforms means that in some of the extreme current events the flow past the platform is highly non-uniform along the hull. We discuss the simulation of these stratified flows associated with hurricane events and loop currents and the implications for experiments and numerical simulations. Model testing options are reviewed along with the potential effects of buoyancy due to temperature and salinity variations in the current. Comparisons are made between experimental test results and numerical simulations of VIM at small scale and projections are made to full scale behavior using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and detached eddy simulation (DES).

Benchmarking of Truss Spar Vortex Induced Motions Derived From CFD With Experiments

Floating spar platforms are widely used in the Gulf of Mexico for oil production. The spar is a bluff, vertical cylinder which is subject to Vortex Induced Motions (VIM) when current velocities exceed a few knots. All spars to date have been constructed with helical strakes to mitigate VIM in order to reduce the loads on the risers and moorings. Model tests have indicated that the effectiveness of these strakes is influenced greatly by details of their design, by appurtenances placed on the outside of the hull and by current direction. At this time there is limited full scale data to validate the model test results and little understanding of the mechanisms at work in strake performance. The authors have been investigating the use of CFD as a means for predicting full scale VIM performance and for facilitating the design of spars for reduced VIM. This paper reports on the results of a study to benchmark the CFD results for a truss spar with a set of model experiments carried out in a towing tank. The focus is on the effect of current direction, reduced velocity and strake pitch on the VIM response. The tests were carried out on a 1:40 scale model of an actual truss spar design, and all computations were carried out at model scale. Future study will consider the effect of external appurtenances on the hull and scale-up to full scale Reynolds’ numbers on the results.Copyright

CFD HIGH L/D RISER MODELING STUDY

Fully three dimensional fluid flow simulations are used with a simple structural model to simulate very long risers. This method overcomes many shortcomings of methodologies based on two dimensional flow simulations and can correctly include the effects of three dimensional structures such as strakes, buoyancy modules and catenary riser shapes. The method is benchmarked against laboratory and offshore experiments with model risers of length to diameter ratios up to 4,000. RMS values of vortex induced vibration motions are shown to be in good agreement with measurements. The resources needed to model ultra deep water drilling and production risers are estimated based on current computer technology.

CFD TRUSS SPAR HULL BENCHMARKING STUDY

Blind comparisons of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions are made against large scale experiments of a truss spar hull. The overall objective of the work is to try and mature CFD modeling capability related to motion and loads for offshore platforms. Specific goals include the testing of newly developed meshing techniques and seeking an understanding of how spar appurtenances interact. The key comparisons are illustrated in comparisons of the simple case of a spar hull with strakes alone against a second, far more complex case, involving multiple appurtenances. The latter exhibits very different vortex induced motion (VIM) behavior. The CFD predictions were made with knowledge of the as-built model details, but without access to the experimental results. The estimates were found to be in close agreement with the experiments or slightly conservative. We continue to observe that the better the model fidelity, the better will be the comparison with the benchmark. The computations show that high quality predictions are now feasible, given access to sufficient computational hardware and accurate meshing of the body in question. BACKGROUND

Guidelines for CFD Simulations of Spar VIM

Vortex-Induced Motion (VIM), which occurs as a consequence of exposure to strong current such as Loop Current eddies in the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the critical factors in the design of the mooring and riser systems for deepwater offshore structures such as Spars and multi-column Deep Draft Floaters (DDFs). The VIM response can have a significant impact on the fatigue life of mooring and riser components. In particular, Steel Catenary Risers (SCRs) suspended from the floater can be sensitive to VIM-induced fatigue at their mudline touchdown points.Industry currently relies on scaled model testing to determine VIM for design. However, scaled model tests are limited in their ability to represent VIM for the full scale structure since they are generally not able to represent the full scale Reynolds number and also cannot fully represent waves effects, nonlinear mooring system behavior or sheared and unsteady currents. The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate VIM can more realistically represent the full scale Reynolds number, waves effects, mooring system, and ocean currents than scaled physical model tests.This paper describes a set of VIM CFD simulations for a Spar hard tank with appurtenances and their comparison against a high quality scaled model test. The test data showed considerable sensitivity to heading angle relative to the incident flow as well as to reduced velocity. The simulated VIM-induced sway motion was compared against the model test data for different reduced velocities (Vm) and Spar headings. Agreement between CFD and model test VIM-induced sway motion was within 9% over the full range of Vm and headings. Use of the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES, Shur et al 2008) turbulence model gives the best agreement with the model test measurements. Guidelines are provided for meshing and time step/solver setting selection.Copyright

Numerical Modeling of Vortex-Induced Vibrations of Two Flexible Risers

Due to the complex interactions of vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) and downstream wake dynamics, the design of riser arrays has been an area of great uncertainty in the offshore industry. Numerical methodology can play an important role in predicting the hydrodynamic forces and motion of riser arrays from both design and operational standpoints. The focus of this study is to investigate the VIV response of two flexible risers in cross-flow using a CFD solver. Bare and straked geometries are simulated, and the results are successfully compared against experimental results. The basic hydrodynamic features are well captured and the numerical technique is an improvement over the existing empirical and experience-based methods.Copyright

Analysis of Turbulent Flows and VIV of Truss Spar Risers

Complex flows through riser arrays, such as the case of risers located in the truss section of a truss spar, are very difficult to describe and analyze. It is especially difficult predict and correct Vortex Induced Vibration (VIV) response using traditional tools that were meant to analyze single risers rather than arrays of risers. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers the designer the capability to properly analyze these complex problems, increasing the reliability of the design. In this study, a full scale truss spar with vertical risers is modeled using CFD. The VIV response of the risers is predicted and the effect of risers is correctly captured and compared with experiments.