Experimental investigation of sloshing effect on the hydrodynamic responses of an FLNG system during side-by-side operation

ABSTRACT

This study experimentally examined the effect of sloshing on the hydrodynamic responses of FLNG (floating liquefied natural gas) systems during side-by-side operation. To determine the influence of sloshing, the vessels were ballasted with solid and liquid cargo. Wave probes were installed in the tanks to determine the free-surface elevation. The results show that sloshing has a pronounced effect on the roll motion and the relative sway motion. During side-by-side operation under this liquid ballast conditions, the ranges of the roll motion and the relative sway motion were reduced. The maximum tension on the hawsers or fenders and the collision frequency of the fenders also decreased. These results indicate that under this liquid loading condition, sloshing can have a beneficial effect on the motions and the induced loads of the connected system. This information will be helpful for carrying out the numerical calculation and also for optimising the operation of FLNG systems.

KEYWORDS:

• FLNG
• hydrodynamics
• sloshing effect
• side-by-side operation
• free-surface oscillation

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from a China National Scientific and Technology Major Project (Grant No. 2011ZX05026-006-05), and the State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University (Grant No. HESS-1404).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

China National Scientific and Technology Major Project [grant number 2011ZX05026-006-05]; State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin University [grant number HESS-1404].