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HAVBRUKS-Havbruk - en næring i vekst

Wave and current loads on net panels and net cages

Awarded: NOK 4.9 mill.

Project Number:

172485

Application Type:

Project Period:

2006 - 2009

SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFH) has over the last five years developed a numerical model (3dNet) of a three dimensional net structure exposed to waves and current. This activity has been financed by the Research Council of Norway through two projec ts: 3 Dimensional netpen movement and mooring of fish farms - 3dNot (2000-02) and Modelling and simulation of interaction between fluid and deformable net structures and aquacultural installations - 3dNot2 (2003-05). This funding has enabled SFH to establ ish a research group with emphasis on loads and behaviours of flexible net structures. This group has published several articles on the subject (Lader et al. 2003, Fredheim and Faltinsen 2003, Lader and Enerhaug 2005, Vikestad and Lien 2005, Moe et al. 20 05, Fredheim 2005), and has established a position as an international strongpoint on research on flexible aquaculture structures. It is important that aquaculture constructions have appropriate dimensions capable of withstanding environmental condition s (STANDARD NORGE 2003). At the same time, is it of vital importance for the industry that dimensions are not overestimated so that excessively heavy and expensive equipment are not used. This project will address this issue and increase the understanding of local and global wave and current loads, and develop improved and efficient methods for load calculations. SFH has recently started a cooperation with NTNU/Department of marine technology on more computer intensive methods (Computational Fluid Dynami cs - CFD) for calculating hydrodynamic loads on net structures. The present proposal is for a project that continues this work towards a better physical understanding of the processes involved when net structures interacts with a moving fluid, and through that a better model for net structure simulation and assessment of aquacultural installations at exposed locations.

Funding scheme:

HAVBRUKS-Havbruk - en næring i vekst