ADCP Application on Ocean Current Measurement at Kilpilahti Port

1. Where is Kilpilahti Port?

Overview of Kilpilahti Port

Kilpilahti Port is situated in Finland, in the Gulf of Finland. It is a large and industrious port with big and heavy traffic. In essence, the port is involved on a large scale in almost every kind of cargo transportation service, especially in the petrochemical and energy resource sectors.

It is well-connected to major international and domestic shipping routes. The operations of the port are essential to the regional economy because it caters to oil refining, the chemical industry, and related manufacturing. Management of the Kilpilahti Port is efficient and stresses safety and productivity. There are teams dedicated to activities such as vessel traffic management, cargo handling in hazardous conditions, and protection of the environment.

Port Facilities

Berths: The port has a number of berths elaborately designed for various vessels. Deep-water berths accommodate large-sized tankers and cargo ships. Each berth is provided with modem mooring and docking facilities in order to ensure safe arrival and departure. The use of robust bollards and fenders helps in withstanding the normal forces during docking and undocking.

Cargo-handling Equipment: There is a range of cargo-handling equipment along the quay. For liquid cargo like petroleum products and chemicals, there are sophisticated pumping and transfer systems; for solid bulk cargo and containers, there are conveyor systems, gantry cranes, and other handling equipment that move materials efficiently between ships and storage areas.

Storage Facilities: There are extensive storage areas for different types of cargo. For liquid cargo, there are large - scale storage tanks with strict safety measures such as spill - containment and fire - protection systems. For solid bulk and containers, there are well - organized stockpiles and container yards with proper drainage and security arrangements.

Channel and Aids to Navigation: The channel into this port is kept at such depth and width as will accommodate with reasonable safety, vessels of large drafts through constant dredging operations; meanwhile, adequate navigation aids such as light buoys, beacons, and radar systems would have been installed to serve as guides for ships both going and coming out of the ports. The radar systems give real-time information on the position and movement of other vessels in the vicinity of the port.

2. Why should we measure the ocean currents in the Kilpilahti Port?

Importance for Port Operation and Management

Measuring ocean currents in Kilpilahti Port is very important. Firstly, it contributes to the safety of vessel navigation. Current speed and direction knowledge is essential to ship captains while approaching the berths or navigating through the channel. A strong cross - current near a berth can make the task of docking challenging and hazardous. For example, a tanker approaching a berth against a significant current has to adjust the speed and angle of approach to ensure a smooth and safe docking. Precise current readings enable captains to make the right decisions and avoid collisions, among other accidents.

It is also necessary for the port to optimize its operations. Current data facilitates the proper scheduling of ships' arrival and departure. With knowledge of tidal currents and other regular flow patterns, the port authorities can plan berthing resources and loading and unloading activities accordingly. This results in enhanced productivity since it allows better coordination of cargo-handling operations.

Moreover, knowledge of ocean currents in respect to the environment is especially significant in the event of an accidental discharge of pollutants. The nature of cargoes handled at this port, which include petroleum products and chemicals, necessitates understanding how such a spill would disperse. Such current information becomes useful for quick containment or mitigative actions that will significantly cut down on the damage done to the environment.

3. How do ADCPs employing the Doppler principle operate?

Principle of Measurement

Currents by the principle of ADCPs are based on Doppler principle, in brief, an acoustic signal released through ADCPs interact immediately with the moving water particles. Due to the influence created by the ocean current on the water particles, shifting can easily result in the frequency of a reflected acoustic signal received at an instance by the ADCPs, which, according to the doppler effect, is related with velocity of the water flow.

Calculation of Current Speed and Direction

From the magnitude and direction of this frequency shift, the ADCP current meter can compute the speed and direction of the ocean current at various depths in the water column. It emits signals at different angles and at different depths to produce a profile of the ocean current, showing the variation of the current with depth.

ADCP Deployment in the Port

Shipborne ADCP

The shipborne ADCP current profiler is installed on ships operating in the Kilpilahti Port area. In that, while the ship is moving around the port, it keeps casting acoustic signals into the water from below. The ship movement thus gives the ADCP the possibility to cover a wide area and collect current data from various locations. For instance, in a normal survey of the port by a research or inspection ship with a shipborne ADCP, it can collect data on the current patterns across different parts of the port and thus give a comprehensive understanding of the water flow situation.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are installed in fixed locations within the port, such as on the seabed near main navigational areas or at the entrance and exit of the port. These ADCPs keep on observing the ocean current from the fixed position over a long period of time. The recorded data is applicable to study the regular patterns of the currents in specific areas of the port. For instance, a fixed ADCP profiler installed near the port entrance can record the incoming and outgoing currents, helping to understand the tidal effects and other consistent flow characteristics in that region.

4. What's needed for high - quality measurement of Kilpilahti port currents?

Equipment Requirements

In general, certain equipment characteristics are very relevant for high-quality measurement of the currents in Kilpilahti port. First, the material has to be reliable enough under extreme conditions. The equipment has to function without disturbance in a difficult marine environment. Seawater includes salt and other possible chemicals which can corrode the material in some time, while there is pressure due to water depth and mechanical action from waves and currents.

The second desirable feature is a smaller size, lighter weight, and lower power consumption. Smaller size makes the installation of the equipment in any location of the port quite easy, on ships, fixed structures such as piers, or even on the seabed. A lighter weight will simplify the process of installation and transportation. This contributes to low power consumption, allowing the equipment to operate continuously for long periods without the need to change batteries frequently or use excessive power supplies, especially in applications that require long-term monitoring.

Cost is another important aspect. A lower-cost alternative will provide the port with the opportunity to deploy more measuring devices for extended current monitoring across various areas of the port.

The Advantage of Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

The casing of ADCPs is preferably made of titanium alloy. It has excellent corrosion resistance; hence, it can resist losing its structural integrity and functionality even in seawater for quite some time. Its high strength-to-weight ratio allows making a durable yet relatively lightweight casing. For example, an ADCP meter with a casing made from a titanium alloy will be effective in withstanding such pressures and measuring currents with high accuracy, as experienced in the higher water pressures in the deeper areas of the Kilpilahti port.

5. How to Choose the right equipment for current measurement?

Selection Based on Usage

Shipborne ADCP: If the aim is to conduct wide-area surveys of the port waters while the ship is in operation, shipborne ADCP flow meter is a suitable choice. It can cover different sections of the port as the ship moves around, collecting a large amount of data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the overall current situation in the port. That would be useful for mapping the general flow patterns and variations across different areas of the port waters.

Sitting - bottom ADCP: As long - term and fixed - point monitoring in certain places is performed inside the port, such as around important infrastructures, sitting - bottom ADCPs are more fitting. They are able to record continuously at fixed positions a series of data on tides that could be much more valuable to get insight about local current characteristics and possibly its changes.

Buoy-mounted ADCP: When it is not convenient to install fixed equipment on the seabed or on ships, buoy-mounted ADCPs can be used. They float on the water surface and can measure the currents in the upper layers of the water column. They are relatively easy to deploy and can be relocated if needed, making them suitable for monitoring certain dynamic or hard-to-reach areas within the port.

Selection Based on Frequency The frequency of ADCPs in Kilpilahti port is chosen based on the water depth. Up to 70 meters, usually, a 600 kHz ADCP would be an excellent choice, since this frequency provides a reasonably accurate current measurement within this relatively shallow depth range. When the water is deeper, say up to about 110 meters, a 300 kHz frequency ADCP is more advisable. For very deep parts of the port with water depths reaching as much as 1000 meters, an ADCP current profiler with a frequency of 75 kHz is recommended to reliably profile the ocean currents at such great depth.

There are several well - known ADCP current meter brands in the market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, there is also an excellent Chinese ADCP brand - China Sonar PandaADCP. It is made entirely of titanium alloy material, which not only ensures its durability in the marine environment but also offers an excellent cost - performance ratio. For more information, you can visit its official website: (https://china-sonar.com/).

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.