A CAD model for energy efficient offshore structures for desalination and energy generation

Abstract

This paper presents a ‘Computer Aided Design (CAD)’ model for energy efficient design of offshore structures. In the CAD model preliminary dimensions and geometric details of an offshore structure (i.e. semi-submersible) are optimized to achieve a favorable range of motion to reduce the energy consumed by the ‘Dynamic Position System (DPS)’. The presented model allows the designer to select the configuration satisfying the user requirements and integration of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The integration of CAD with CFD computes a hydrodynamically and energy efficient hull form. Our results show that the implementation of the present model results into an design that can serve the user specified requirements with less cost and energy consumption.

Keywords

• Computer Aided Design
• Semi-submersible
• Computational Fluid Dynamics; Design optimization; Response analysis