Evolution of Flexcom Capabilities |
 
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Evolution of Flexcom Capabilities |
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The current version of Flexcom possesses comprehensive coupled analysis capabilities. Earlier versions of Flexcom incorporated two basic options in terms of coupled analysis. The first of these, the CALM Buoy facility, calculates the high frequency response of a floating buoy subject to first order wave forces. The second option, the Moored Vessel capability, is designed to capture the low frequency response of a moored vessel subject to second order drift forces.
More recent versions also provide a more generalised Floating Body capability, developed by Wood (formerly MCS), with the support of Chevron, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, as part of a joint industry project on coupled analysis. The floating body model is a considerably more powerful facility than either of the earlier coupled analysis features:
(i)Floating body analysis is applicable to both the time and frequency domain solutions (both the CALM buoy and moored vessel facilities are restricted to the time domain).
(ii)First and second order forces can be applied to the floating body (loading on the CALM buoy is restricted to first order, while only low frequency drift forces may be applied to the moored vessel).
(iii)The characteristics of the floating body (e.g. added mass) and the applied loading (e.g. via force RAOs) is specified in terms of full three-dimensional 6x6 matrices, whereas the specification for both the CALM buoy and moored vessel facilities is restricted to simplified two-dimensional inputs.
(iv)The added mass and radiation damping coefficients may vary as a function of frequency, whereas the specification for both the CALM buoy and moored vessel facilities is restricted to frequency independent terms. For the floating body model, frequency-dependent added mass and inertia terms are calculated via a convolution integral approach in the time domain.
(v)Hydrodynamic coupling between adjacent floating bodies may be modelled.
(vi)An interface to WAMIT is provided, allowing hydrodynamic data to be imported directly into Flexcom.