• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.98-118
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• 2014

An auto weather-vaning system for a Dynamic Positioning (DP) vessel is proposed. When a DP vessel is operating, its position keeping is hindered by ocean environmental disturbances which include the ocean current, wave and wind. Generally, most ocean vessels have a longitudinal length that is larger than the transverse width. The largest load acts on the DP vessel by ocean disturbances, when the disturbances are incoming in the transverse direction. Weather-vaning is the concept of making the heading angle of the DP vessel head toward (or sway from) the disturbance direction. This enables the DP vessel to not only perform marine operations stably and safely, but also to maintain its position with minimum control forces (surge & sway components). To implement auto weather-vaning, a nonlinear controller and a disturbance observer are used. The disturbance observer transforms a real plant to the nominal model without disturbance to enhance the control performance. And the nonlinear controller deals with the kinematic nonlinearity. The auto weather-vaning system is completed by adding a weather-vaning algorithm to disturbance based controller. Numerical simulations of a semi-submersible type vessel were performed for the validation. The results show that the proposed method enables a DP vessel to maintain its position with minimum control force.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2021

Since the introduction of the mandatory energy efficiency design index (EEDI), several studies have been conducted on the maneuverability of waves owing to the decrease in engine power. However, most studies have used the mean wave force during a single cycle to evaluate maneuverability and investigated the turning performance. In this study, we calculated the external force in accordance with the angle of incidence of the wave width and wavelengths encountered by KVLCC2 (KRISO very large crude-oil carrier) operating at low speeds in regular waves using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We compare the model test results with those published in other papers. Based on the external force calculated using CFD, an external force that varies according to the phase of the wave that meets the hull was derived, and based on the derived external force and MMG control simulation, a maneuvering simulation model was constructed. Using this method, a weather vaning simulation was performed in regular waves to evaluate the course-keeping ability of KVLCC2 in waves. The results confirmed that there was a difference in the operating trajectory according to the wavelength and phase of the waves encountered.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.222-227
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• 2018

Most underwater acoustic arrays for low frequency operation are deployed vertically, but a mid-range frequency horizontal array system is being developed by the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO). The horizontal array platform is deployed underwater and kept in place by weather vaning mooring. This is essential because it is nearly impossible to keep a submerged body at a given position in the water without any external force. Hence, the horizontal array platform can maintain the desired position in the presence of a weak tidal current. The objective of this study is to design an underwater platform that can maintain its horizontal position in a weak current. First, the authors investigated various virtual models, selected one of the models, and performed a small model test of the selected model at a basin. We calculated the external forces associated with the 2D motion, and then we conducted a large basin test followed by a circulation water channel test for the manufactured array platform. The results of the simplified 2D motion calculation essentially matched the results of the underwater test.