WATER CIRCULATION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PORT ICE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Nowadays a lot of projects take place in cold arctic environment. Ice floe is significant obstacle for ports, docks and other coastal constructions in the arctic areas and areas with seasonal ice cover. To ensure continues operations of such ports and constructions heating is suggested by some scientists. Heating is a highly energy consumable process. To decrease the energy waste and therefore costs of the construction operations the heating can be performed by mixing of the water in the target water basin water with warmer water from the sea. The difference in the water temperatures can be only a few Celsius degrees; however, it can be enough to prevent ice formation at the considered water basin. In this case the energy is required only for the water transportation and therefore is more economically reasonable than direct heating. The amount of the water to be transported is estimated accordingly to the amount of thermal energy losses from the target basin. The key energy losses occur through the open water surface, and submerged constructions/vessels. If the water basin is relatively big then a big inflow of the energy with water is required and therefore significant currents can occur. Maximum allowable current at the considered basin establishes the limitation of the method. Water circulation at the closed basin can improve quality of ice management.

Keywords

• arctic construction
• arctic engineering
• ice cover
• port heating
• ice melting
• water circulation