0n the Motion Characteristics of an Oil Boom in Waves

Abstract

In case of accidents of tankers and seaside oil refineries, oil control barriers are usually set on the sea surface to prevent spilled oil from spreading, and many types of the barriers ware developed so far. However, the existing oil control devices are not always effective for containing oil slicks on the actual sea surface. Hence, the improvement in the performance of barriers has been required especially for the high values of current velocity, wave height and wind velocity. The evaluation standard of the performance about C and D type of oil boom has been made and its development is now being proceeded. The combination system of air bubble type of oil boom and the conventional one have been investigated so far and the fundamental performance of the former in existance of waves and current has been mainly clarified by the authors. In the paper, the characteristics of motion of the buoyant type of oil boom are discussed. In calculating the motion of an oil boom, the research was performed so far by modelling its form as the cylinder or the plate. The modelling is somewhat different from the actual form. The calculation on the actual case using the source method is compared with the measured value in order to examine the propriety of the modelling. Moreover, the calculation followed by Milgram's method is also compared with that by source method. Supposing the case of the oil boom which is towed at the bottom of its skirt part, the hydrodynamic coefficient is calculated by the source method in cases of inclinations of the oil boom and falt plate.