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Theoretical and numerical aspects of the open source BEM solver NEMOH

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Theoretical and numerical aspects of the
open source BEM solver NEMOH

[email protected]
[email protected]
Ecole Centrale de Nantes - CNRS

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Context
> BEM codes based on linear potential flow theory
are still widely used for wave-structure
interactions in numerical W2W models for
WECs
• Performance estimates, Design optimization,
Development of control algorithms, Array effects

> Why: because they are extremely fast in

comparison with other approaches

> BEM codes (WAMIT, Diodore, DIFFRACT, © Violette Harnois

Hydrostar, Aquaplus, …) used for

computation of hydrodynamic coefficients
are expensive (despite they were developed
long time ago)

> In Jan. 2014, ECN decided to release its BEM

code in open source.
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Motivation
> To date, ~900 users registered on Nemoh’s forum. Nemoh user
community is growing quickly
> Nemoh has been found very useful for many of its user but its full
potential has not yet been realised because :
• Documentation is poor
• No verification and validation test cases

> This paper summary of the theoretical and numerical aspects of the
open source BEM solver NEMOH

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Free surface potential flow theory : assumptions
> Inviscid fluid :
> Incompressible and irrotational flow :

Velocity derives from a velocity

potential:

Pressure is obtained from Bernoulli

formula:

Interest: flow is completely described the velocity potential

(scalar) Φ :
1 unknown Φ vs 4 unknowns (Vx, Vy, Vz and p)

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
The non linear boundary value problem
In fluid volume
SB SFS
On body surface

S∞ r
n
On body
Ω
Sbottom
FSC

Radiation condition

After some maths

From a 3D problem to a 2D problemGreen
Much
(Green’s 3rd identity)
Interest ? less unknowns
function
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Approximations of the non linear BVP
> 1st order (fully linear) WAMIT,
• Small motion around mean position, small steepness Diodore,
Hydrostar,
• Linearized free surface equations, body conditions on mean position of body
Diffract,
surface
Aquaplus,
• BVP usually solved in frequency domain, robustness ++, CPU time , Nemoh, …
accuracy +- (but usually surprisingly good)
> Fully non linear
• No wave breaking XWAVE,
• Time domain, robustness +-, CPU time +-, accuracy ++ (high order loads, LAMP4,
springing, ringing) NWT_LHSV
> Non linear Froude Krylov
• Fourde-Krylov foce calculated on the instantaneous body surface (hydrostatic
+ dynamic), diffraction/radiation with linear BVP MANAV,
• Time domain, robustness +-, CPU time +, accuracy +- LAMP2, …
• Approach is not consistent: stretching
> Weak-scatterer
WS_ECN,
• Small pertubartion w.r.t to incident wave field linearisation of FSC on
LAMP3,
instantaneous position of the incident wave
AEGIR
• Time domain, robustness +, CPU time +, accuracy + (Consistent non linear
Froude-Krylov)

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Nemoh

> Linear BEM code (solves linear BVP)

> Use of the generalized mode approach
> Use of source distribution
> Wave part of the Green funtion is calculated using interpolation in a
look-up table
> Outputs:
• 1st order hydrodynamic coefficients (added mass, radiation damping,
excitation force)
• Far field coefficients (Kochin function)
• Free surface elevation, pressure field
• Removal of irregular frequencies (to be released soon)
• 2nd order coefficients (QTF) see paper by Philippe et al.
> http://lheea.ec-nantes.fr/doku.php/emo/nemoh/start
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Code structure
Nemoh is:
>PreProcessor
>Solver
>postProcessor

Matlab wrappers and

mesh generation in
Matlab provided for
convenience (not
Nemoh)

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Verification & Validation
> Pitch-pitch coefficients for an upright box hinged at sea bottom

Calculations by
Cathal
Cummins
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Verification & Validation
> Pitch coefficient for the Wavestar absorber

WAMIT
calculations by
Morten Kramer
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Verification & Validation
> Comparison of motion response for model scale of Wavestar
absorber. Hydrodynamic coefficients calculated with Nemoh.

Calculations and experiments by Jarrah

Orphin, Mats Sonderstup Rohe, Jonas
Bjerg Thomsen
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Applications
> Bulge motion of a flexible tube

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
Applications
> Wave diffraction by a fixed offshore wind farm

LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598

Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique
 Conclusions and perspectives
View publication stats

> Nemoh: open source BEM code for calculation of hydrodynamic

coefficients

> Perspectives
• More documentation
• Verification & validation test cases
• Removal of irregular frequencies
• Second order coefficients (QTFs)
• Dipoles
• Code acceleration (multiple scattering and/or use of diff equation for
Green function)
• Link to time domain

> Interested ? Join the developer group !

> Acknowledgements: financial support of French National Research

Agency (ANR, projects MONACOREV ANR-11-MONU-018-01 and
LabexMER ANR-10-LABX-19-01)
LHEEA CNRS UMR 6598
Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique
Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique