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Presentations
Please find the list of presentation abstracts listed below:
The Convergence of Energy and Information Technologies
Donald L. Paul, Vice President and CTO, Chevron (retired)
Executive Director, USC Energy Institute and William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources
President and Managing Director, Energy and Technology Strategies, LLC
Dr. Paul will speak on the business and technology factors driving the evolution of the energy system; the digital / energy technology intersection; and the expanding role that computing and simulation will play. Key specific application areas to be discussed include traditional areas such as oil and gas, the emerging alternate energy areas, and complex systems such as smart grids.
Computational Flow Assurance for Design and Development of Subsea Pipelines
Professor Simon Lo, Director for Chemical and Process
Flow assurance is a key engineering development and operational issue in subsea oil and gas. Simulation of flow assurance situations is making rapid advancement as 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) begins to augment the established productive use of 1-D methods such as SPT Group's Olga, when and where greater fidelity is needed. This presentation, and it's companion presentation later on the same day, will cover the advances made in accurately simulating multiphase flows, including stratified gas-liquid flow, slug flow, sand transport, heavy oil flow and thermal effects, in 3-D CFD.
Olga/DrillBench Transient Simulation
Dewayne Anderson, Principal Consultant, Flow Services, SPT Group
Simulation Benefits for Drilling & Downhole Engineering
Mike Wells, Director, R&D, Hughes-Christensen
Oil & gas engineers are continually faced with a wide range of challenges ranging from ways to improve everything from extraction; to addressing the challenges of producing in harsher climates and from greater offshore depths. To take on these issues engineers are increasingly relying on simulation, to gain insight on how fluid dynamics and thermal behavior can impact exploration, production and processing. This presentation will explore a variety of CFD Applications in Oil and Gas Drilling and Completions. Some of the topics covered include drill bit design and optimization, cementing, gas lift and well design to accommodate gas production in planned ESP completions.
CFD modeling used in the design of down hole tools and operations
for oil and gas wells
Kristian Brekke, Ziebel Tulsa LLC
Ziebel Tulsa LLC has through the last five years used CD-adapco and Star CCM+ for design and optimization of down hole tools and procedures for oil and gas wells. VFD modeling has shown to be an efficient aid in the characterization and design of complex flow equipment and as a compliment to flow testing in the laboratory. The presentation will go through some of the projects where we have used CFD modeling.
Probabilistic consequence modeling for the Oil & Gas industry
Ian Cowan, WS Atkins
CFD modeling is routinely used in the Oil & Gas industry to simulate the consequences of accidental process fluid (oil, gas) leaks, and in particular the dispersion of flammable and/or toxic gases, and the pool fires, jet fires and explosions that can occur if these leaks ignite. Whilst worst case analysis is sometimes employed, a more useful approach is to interpret the CFD results in a probabilistic frame-work, as part of the overall asset risk assessment. This presentation will provide an overview of how Atkins is routinely applying STAR-CD to this application, and will share some of our recent experiences of using non-deterministic (polynomial chaos) methods to optimize the accuracy whilst minimizing the computational effort involved in simulating a multi-parameter matrix of runs.
Multi-Fidelity Computational Flow Assurance: Linking SPT/Olga
and STAR-CCM+
Dewayne Anderson, Principal Consultant, Flow Services, SPT Group
Professor Simon Lo, Director for Chemical and Process
Building on the previous presentation by Simon Lo, and the strategic initiative announced by SPT Group and CD-adapco in 2008, this presentation describes the ongoing project between SPT and CD-adapco to link SPT's Olga and CD-adapco's STAR for industry-practical multi-fidelity computational flow assurance. The issues of data passing, one- and two-directional linking, co-simulation, and distributed/parallel computing implementations are all discussed. Examples are given of the significant progress made to date.
Accurate System Response Simulation of a Subsea Delivery System
Hari Vijay, Application Specialist, LMS
Oil and Natural gas industry has been using simulation tools for various applications for the past few years before building or installing a prototype. The accuracy of these simulations has become extremely important considering the type of applications that involve expensive installations, repairs, etc. If the systems are not properly designed, it will result in major downtime and costly project overruns. LMS Imagine.Lab AMESim offers a complete 1D simulation suite to model and analyze multi-domain, intelligent systems and predict their multi-disciplinary performance. Various components are described using validated analytical models that represent the system’s actual hydraulic, pneumatic, electric or mechanical behavior.
In this presentation, the author discusses the modeling of a typical subsea application that involves a High Pressure Unit (HPU), Umbilical, Subsea Control Module (SCM) and a Gate Valve. Accuracy of the simulation with respect to the real system depends on how accurately the component’s physical behavior is represented. Imagine.Lab can be used for both component-level (Gate-valve) and system-level modeling (HPU). Once the model has been developed and solved, various results can be post processed. In this presentation, author shows the start-up behavior of the HPU pumps, filling times of the accumulators, Umbilical pressurization time, Gate valve dynamics, etc. An “Emergency Shut Down (ESD)” on the platform is modeled and analyzed to show the response times of the gate valve closure on the ocean floor miles away.
Presented by: Hari Vijay, LMS Application Specialist.
Validation in Model and Full Scale for Maritime Engineering Simulations
Karsten Fach, Vice President – Engineering Services, Germanischer Lloyd
Simulation-based design increasingly replaces traditional experience-based design in shipbuilding and offshore engineering. This paper gives an overview of simulations have evolved in these maritime applications, with particular focus on the interaction of model-scale and full-scale validation. Various research and industry projects illustrate the development of the past two decades as experienced at Germanischer Lloyd. Applications include:
- Structural analysis (global strength and vibration, local strength and vibration)
- Structure-borne noise and acoustics
- Global Seakeeping particularly for unconventional ships
- Impact loads (sloshing and slamming)
- Hydrodynamic simulations for fuel efficiency
- Rudder and appendage analyses including cavitation simulation
- Fire simulations
Modeling Wind Shielding for FPSO Tandem Offloading using CFD
Robert Gordon, Chief Technical Advisor – Marine, KBR/Granhearne
Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels are widely used to produce crude oil from offshore fields in areas lacking pipeline infrastructure. Many FPSOs offload to a shuttle tanker via a tandem mooring arrangement. In tandem offloading, the tanker approaches the FPSO from its down-wind side until it is close enough to moor to the FPSO using a hawser rope connection. Under certain circumstances, the FPSO can significantly modify the wind field incident on the shuttle tanker. This effect, known as wind shielding, can result in a sizable reduction of the wind load acting on the tanker, which can pose a challenge for controlling the vesselʼs position relative to the FPSO.
Wind tunnel tests carried out in 2002-3 at DNW in the Netherlands were performed as part of the Offloading Operability JIP coordinated by MARIN. These tests were designed to gain insight into the wind loads acting on a shuttle tanker shielded by an FPSO.
This paper provides some preliminary comparisons of measured wind loads from the wind tunnel tests against loads calculated using STAR-CCM+. The presentation will also address some general considerations for calculating high Reynolds Number flow in the wake of a bluff body.
Applications of CFD to LNG Safety Analyses
Filippo Gavelli, Ph.D, Senior Manager, Thermal Sciences Practice, Exponent, Inc.
This presentation will show the application of CFD to predict the dispersion of the flammable vapor cloud from an LNG into an impounded area, a critical scenario for most facilities and one which can be modeled using traditional methods only by making several very conservative assumptions. Issues concerning meshing and boundary conditions requirements for this kind of simulations will also be discussed.
Simulation in the Nuclear Power Renaisance
Eric Volpenhein, Sales Director, CD-adapco
The resurgence in Nuclear Power is well underway. Not withstanding recent comments from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), new nuclear power plants enjoy broad-based support as part of a sensible energy policy in the United States and as an essential resource to meet global energy demand. Attention to greenhouse gas emissions is largely credited with tipping the scales in the industry’s favor. However, if history is a guide, the endurance of the nuclear renaissance will be determined by a coalition of social, economic, and geopolitical influences unique with the power industry. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has emerged as a powerful technology for managing these influences and preserving perhaps the most valued resource of all: time. Applications of STAR-CCM+ / CD helping to drive nuclear plant design, operations, and regulation for increased contribution to environmental protection, safety, return on investment, and non-proliferation will be presented.
CFD analysis of a Savonius-type vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT)
Tricia Waniewski Sur, Ph.D., Director, Business Development, ATA Engineering, Inc.
Using STAR-CCM+, ATA Engineering has performed a CFD analysis of a Savonius-type vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) developed by Helix Wind, Inc. These rotors operate in a regime of relatively low tip-speed ratios, and are well suited for low and high wind speeds in residential and commercial applications. While they have lower theoretical efficiencies compared to the high tip-speed ratio horizontal axis designs, they are more robust to freestream flow non-uniformities from turbulence and are able to accept wind velocities from all directions.
Advanced features of STAR-CCM+ have been used to surface wrap blade and dam assemblies and to de-feature fine-scale hardware. Rigid body motiosn physics have been employed in the code in a region around the VAWT to simulate the time-dependent, periodic motion of the rotor about its axis at a representative tip speed ratio. Freestream flow is introduced upstream and the flow is passed between stationary and rotating domains via an interface condition. The unsteady simulation will be used to provide time histories of pressure distributions, reaction forces and reaction moments on the blades for structural analysis, as well for wind turbine aerodynamic performance modeling and flow visualization to support design studies.
Wind Farm Siting Simulation:
Dennis Nagy, Vice President, Business Development Director, Energy Industries,
CD-adapco, Mike Dombrowksi
This presentation will explore the many and varied ways that 3-D flow, thermal, and stress simulation (Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD, and CAE) can be applied to, Wind Farm Prospecting and Layout; Wind Turbine, Blade, and Tower Design; and Wind Turbine Asset Protection (fatigue analysis).
A specific application will be presented showing how CFD has been used in the up front turbine location planning for wind farm projects. Examples of how CFD can be used for predicting Wind Power Density across complex terrain and the identification of local flow features likely to negatively influence asset durability.
Petrochemical Plant/Equipment Improvement with Simulation
Mike Henneke, Manager, Tulsa Office, CD-adapco
Petroleum refining technology relies on efficient fluid flow, heat transfer, reaction chemistry, and mixing. This presentation will illustrate the role of CFD in optimizing and troubleshooting the design and performance of several types of refining technologies. We will discuss fired heaters, thermal cycling in mixing applications such as hydrotreaters, delayed coking, and phase change in a heated coil.
Examining the Cost Return Ratio for CFD in the Gas, Oil and Chemical
Industries
Michael A. Porter, President, Porter McGuffie, Inc.
CFD is not a new technology. Its origins go back to the aerospace technological
explosion of the 1960’s. However, until only a few years ago (~10-15),
the available software and the required computational power made it a high level
research-only tool for industries outside of aerospace. That has all changed.
In this presentation, we will look at actual examples of the use of CFD in
the GOC industries. In each case we will identify problems solved and the
techniques applied. More importantly, we will examine the cost/return ratio for the
analyses. It will be show that for many common problems in the industry,
CFD can be an extremely highly leveraged expenditure. Returns of 100-1000:1
on analysis dollars spent are not uncommon.
Optimization of GTE Gas Turbine Water Wash and Power Augmentation Products
John Batagglioli, President, Combustion and Fuel Systems, Gas Turbine Efficiency LLC
Gas Turbine Efficiency (GTE) sells compressor cleaning equipment to improve and maintain the efficiency of both aviation and industrial gas turbines (IGT). Given the extremely large amount of air processed by gas turbines, fouling of the compressors gradually decreases their output and efficiency. These water wash systems can recover the lost output and efficiency, providing increased revenue and profits to power producers and reduced fuel costs and longer times on wing for aircraft engines. GTE’s water wash systems are individually developed for each turbine model employing a design procedure that relies on 3D computational fluid dynamics to thoroughly understand the air flow distribution entering the gas turbine compressor and then to optimize water spray nozzle location and spray angles to provide superior cleaning effectiveness. A description of these water wash products will be provided along with details on how CFD is employed in the design process.
SIMULIA Solutions for the Energy Industry
Rob Miller, Business Development Manager. Dessault-Simulia
Energy sources are becoming increasingly diverse, and require a wide range of engineering solutions to meet industry challenges—such as extracting oil from deeper offshore locations; designing safer, longer-lasting nuclear plants; and making solar, wind, wave, and other alternative energy sources more economical. SIMULIA’s realistic simulation solutions are playing a critical role in helping Energy companies apply new and innovative engineering solutions to meet these challenges. This presentation will provide an overview of the extensive usage of SIMULIA’s simulation products and technology in the Energy industry.
Optimization of a Dual-Fuel Low-Nox Combustion System for a Trangentially-Fired Utility Boiler Operating at a High Elevation, Francois McKenty, Senior CFD Engineer, BMA
With the limits set by pollutant emission standards becoming increasingly strict, boiler/burner manufacturers are faced with new challenges whether it is in the development of new designs or in the retro-fit of existing boilers. This presentation will deal with the retro-fit of the combustion system of a large 300MW Tangentially-Fired Utility Boiler. The dual-fuel combustion system operates with either natural gas or heavy oil#6 and also allows for the simultaneous firing of both fuels. In tangentially fired boilers, the optimization of the burner firing angles (or target circle diameters) in order to ensure proper combustion and furnace aerodynamics presents a challenge in itself.
Low-NOx techniques such as furnace staging and the extensive use of over fire air and FGR place more demands and restrictions on flame and boiler aerodynamics in order to ensure low NOx production while maintaining acceptable levels of CO and PM emissions. This combustion system retro-fit project presents all of these challenges. The problem is made even more complex by the fact that this unit is located at an altitude exceeding 5000ft. Consequently, furnace aerodynamics are greatly affected by the increase in jet momentum due to the lower gas densities.
The STAR-CD simulations show that the original design firing angles for this boiler, which are ideally suited for operation at elevations near sea level, are inadequate to the proper development and spread of the fireball when used withthe new combustion system. This presentation will show the results of the ensuing extensive CFD design study using STAR-CD to determine the best possible firing configuration of the combustion system for both fuels.
Advances in Stress Simulation and Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) for Energy Engineering
Alan Mueller, Chief Technology Officer , CD-adapco
This presentation will cover a range of capabilities within STAR-CCM+ that support stress analysis. Topics that will be covered include: finite volume stress analysis in STAR-CCM+, integration and loose coupling of STAR-CCM+ to various CAE codes including Abaqus, RADTHERM, and NASTRAN, and direct coupling of STAR-CD and Abaqus.. The presenter will cover relevant examples demonstrating how these capabilities have been applied in a number of energy sector applications, including fuel rod bundles, T-Junction FSI, VIV work for risers, and wave energy generation.
Application of 3D Numerical Methods to Specific Design and Problem Solving Questions
Tom Marinaccio, Senior Vice President and Director, CD-adapco Worldwide Engineering Services
Three dimensional numerical methods, including advanced CFD analysis, is being used today to help answer a wide range of design questions and to help resolve problems encountered in field operations. This talk will show how these methods are being applied today through a variety of actual examples including resolving oil entrainment problems in a flare knock out drum, reducing the environmental impact of a buried brine pipeline, and testing the integrity of free falling lifeboats.
The State of the Industry, Trends and Opportunities
Mark F. Peters, Vice President of Gulf Publishing Company and the Publisher of Hydrocarbon Processing
A look at oil price trends with comments relating to the refining industry. There will be a discussion of the trends impacting the refining industry including the current economic situation, the new administration in Washington and global oil markets. Final comments will be made on Hydrocarbon Processing’s 2009 spending forecast.
Roundtable: The Importance of Innovation in the Changing Energy
Landscape
Media and Industry Experts
The global energy supply-and-demand landscape is rapidly changing and more difficult to predict, due to the dynamic interaction of natural resource limitations, environmental concerns, economic difficulties, and political movements. CD-adapco firmly believes in the importance/role of technology innovation in accelerating industry's ability to meet future energy production and environmental needs. Our theme for this Energy Forum then flows from that belief into the key role and benefits of Engineering Simulation (computer-aided engineering [CAE], Computational Fluid Dynamics [CFD]) in accelerating energy engineers' ability to gain the improved functional behavior insight necessary to innovate more quickly and successfully (compared to traditional physical/model testing and/or simply over-designing).
The value proposition of CD-adapco and our partners at this event is clearly that intelligent use of modern simulation in the design/development process dramatically enhances "time to insight" and thus makes more time available to investigate ideas/solutions outside the traditional design approaches (because the requirements are also moving beyond the traditional comfort zones).
The purpose of the "wrap-up" Roundtable is to reflect on this premise and discuss how valid it seems to be (or not) at this point in time, from the participants' experience and perspectives, in light of the practical examples of business-beneficial application of such simulation that have been presented at this Energy Forum.