Development of a High Accurate Numerical Model for Oil Slicks Transport using Finite Volume Method

As long as oil is used, the risk of an oil spill exists. Rapid economic growth has caused a significant increase in fossil fuel consumption in recent decades. The world production of crude oil is about 3 billion tons per year and half of it is transported by sea. Exporting oil, especially via marine fleets and increasing development of petrochemical industry, marine system is exposed to severe environmental damages. The movement of oil spill, its diffusion and hydro-environmental effects have been simulated by developing a 2DH numerical model based on non-linear shallow water Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations using Finite Volume Method. The new model deploys the relevant formulations for oil spill processes. Since advection and diffusion of oil pollution play a crucial role in oil spill flow pattern, it is important to choose an appropriate numerical scheme for the transport terms of N-E equations. In this work, a highly-accurate algorithm based on a 4th degree accurate shape function has been used for the hydrodynamic model, which is not present in similar models. The solution method is based on the alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme. The equations are then solved by a Penta-Diagonal matrix in each half-time-step. Results from the numerical model are compared with measured values. Reasonable agreement is obtained between predicted and experimental nearshore circulation patterns.

Keywords:

Oil spill , Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) , Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) , Penta-Diagonal matrix , Finite Volume Method