Aerodynamic testing for offshore structures and vessels

Get aerodynamic assessments that clarify wind, current and airflow conditions for offshore structures.

Owners, operators and designers in the offshore industry need this service when a vessel or platform must be assessed in relation to wind, current or airflow conditions at sea. The need typically arises in the design and planning phase, where environmental conditions can affect operations, working areas and helicopter operations.

Documented basis for design decisions

The service is part of a suite of aerodynamic testing services, and provides documented input for evaluating offshore structures before the design is finalised. The results are used to assess loads, airflow conditions and operational implications for vessels and platforms, which influence the further development of the project.

Blue scale model of an offshore vessel positioned on a rotating platform beneath measurement equipment in a wind engineering test facility. — Scale model used for aerodynamic testing of offshore structures and vessels under controlled airflow conditions.

Challenges

When offshore structures face complex wind, current and airflow conditions, uncertainty can delay the design process.

Unclear load data delays design decisions

Without documented wind and current loads, teams may not have a reliable basis for evaluating propulsion, manoeuvring, dynamic positioning, mooring and stability requirements for vessels and platforms.

Smoke in work areas disrupts operations

Adverse wind conditions can reduce stack or funnel performance and leave outdoor working areas or ventilation inlets engulfed in smoke or noxious gases.

Helicopter conditions are hard to judge early

Where a platform or vessel includes a helicopter deck, unresolved airflow conditions make it harder to assess serviceability and operational risk under difficult wind and sea states.

Wind in open areas limits working time

Strong local winds in outdoor work or recreation areas can reduce crew comfort and create costly limitations on working time if these conditions are not understood during design.

Benefits

Get documented aerodynamic results that support design evaluation, operational assessment and correction of wind data.

Use load data in design evaluation

Wind tunnel studies provide load coefficients that are used to evaluate propulsion, manoeuvring, dynamic positioning, mooring and stability. The results form part of the design basis, where teams assess environmental loads against system requirements and operational conditions.

Assess smoke exposure in critical areas

Smoke dispersion studies provide a documented basis for analysing how exhaust plumes affect working areas and ventilation inlets. The results are used to evaluate layout implications and potential exposure in areas where personnel are present or air is drawn in.

Evaluate helicopter operations in the design stage

Airflow studies around helicopter decks provide input for assessing serviceability under varying wind and sea conditions. The results support decisions related to layout and operational limitations where helicopter use is required.

Assess wind conditions in open areas

Wind comfort studies provide data on local wind conditions in working and recreational areas. The results are used to evaluate how wind affects usability, presence and planning of activities during the design stage.

Let’s discuss aerodynamic testing for your offshore structure

Contact us to discuss aerodynamic testing for offshore vessels and platforms, including load assessment, smoke dispersion, helicopter studies and wind comfort.

Service scope

Aerodynamic analyses and studies

Provide wind tunnel tests for offshore vessels and platforms, including FPSOs, GBSs, SPARs, semi-submersibles, LNG terminals and wind turbine installation vessels. The delivery includes wind and current load coefficients for the design basis.

The above-water part of the model is exposed to a wind profile representing ocean wind, and the underwater part is exposed to a low-turbulence profile representing current. The coefficients are used to evaluate propulsion, manoeuvring, dynamic positioning, mooring and stability. DPLab uses load coefficients to analyse the holding capability of dynamic positioning.

Smoke dispersion studies for offshore structures and vessels give documented analysis of how local airflow conditions affect exhaust plumes, outdoor working areas and ventilation inlets.

In practice, the output is used to evaluate whether smoke nuisance or noxious gases may affect areas where people work or where ventilation air is taken in. The scope here is analysis of exhaust plume behaviour under offshore wind conditions.

Get wind tunnel testing for helicopter landing decks and helicopter operation zones, including winching zones. The delivery is a study of airflow conditions around the deck or operation area at an early design stage for offshore platforms and vessels.

In practice, the results are used to evaluate serviceability under difficult wind and sea states where helicopter operations are used for commercial, exploration or safety purposes.

This part provides flow field measurements and visualisations, wind comfort studies and anemometer calibration curves for offshore vessels and platforms. The delivery includes documented flow data, visual material, local wind data and calibration curves showing the relation between local relative wind and undisturbed true wind.

In practice, the output is used to assess wind conditions in open working and recreational areas and to correct wind data for helicopter operations, harbour manoeuvring, dynamic positioning and sea trials.

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Reach out to Jesper Grundsøe for more information.