ADCP Applied to the Measurement of Ocean Currents at Kolding Port

1. Where is Kolding Port?

Located in southern Denmark, Kolding Port is an important maritime facility with a variety of features that make it of significance.

Port Scale and Throughput

The port is of a considerable scale and handles a multitude of cargo. Its yearly throughput includes sizeable tons of bulk cargo, including building materials such as sand, gravel, and bricks. Besides this segment, the port also receives a promising volume of container traffic, which moves a variety of manufactured goods. The throughput at the port has been on an upward trajectory as it expands its trade links and enhances its infrastructure.

Routes and Business

It is the well-connected Kolding Port to domestic and international shipping routes. It carries on extensive range of businesses. For instance, it acts as an export hub for locally produced agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables. Imports mainly include industrial machinery and raw materials that feed the local manufacturing industry. It also offers ferry services, connecting to the nearby islands and coastlines and allowing for both passenger and vehicle transportation.

Port Management and Operation

The port is managed by a professional team whose task at hand is ensuring smooth running of operations. They include berth allocation, coordination with shipping companies in managing the vessel schedule, as well as the loading/unloading of cargo. Ongoing maintenance and improvements are made to port facilities to increase productivity and safety.

Port Facilities

The port is well moderated with modern amenities. It has a number of berths, the sizes also vary in order to accommodate the different ships, small-sized fishing boats, and large-sized cargo vessels. There are cranes with different lifting capacities for handling containers and heavy bulk cargo. The warehousing facility is well designed for storing different types of goods under appropriate conditions.

Channel and Direct Shipping

Kolding Port has a well-maintained channel, with ships able to enter and leave it smoothly. This port has direct shipping links with other important regional ports for efficient goods transfer and economic exchange. In fact, direct links are crucial in this successful development of the port as a factor in local and regional economic development.

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

Navigation Safety

The main purpose of measuring ocean currents in Kolding Port is ensuring ship safety. Currents can give a significant impact to the navigation of a ship. For example, when a ship is approaching the port for docking, a strong lateral current can push the ship off-course. By having correct current measurements, it would be easy for the captains of ships to make very precise adjustments in approach speed and angle, hence reducing the chances of collision with other vessels or port structures.

Operational Efficiency

Knowledge of ocean currents also benefits the port's operational efficiency. Ships can make use of information on favorable currents to optimize their timings of entry and departure. By taking advantage of the currents that assist in propulsion, ships are able to cut down on fuel consumption and also travel time. For instance, a ship departing the port with the aid of a following current can reach its destination quicker and at lower cost.

Infrastructure Maintenance and Planning

The need to understand ocean currents is also quite relevant for the long-term maintenance and planning of port infrastructure. Currents can be very erosive and they may, with time, affect the stability of structures such as piers and breakwaters. Monitoring the currents enables port authorities to predict any kind of damage that may be coming and schedule maintenance appropriately. They may also make use of this information in designing better infrastructure. More modern and convenient in application is the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)-current measurement. It gives in detail real-time information on the current velocities and their directions at different depths, enabling a deeper understanding of the water flow conditions in the port than that provided by traditional methods.

3. How do the ADCPs based on the principle of Doppler work?

The ADCPs work on the principle of the Doppler effect. They send out acoustic signals into the water. These signals scatter off the moving particles in water, like suspended sediments or small organisms. When these acoustic waves are reflected back from these moving particles, their frequency changes due to the Doppler effect.

Shipborne ADCP

In Kolding Port, a shipborne ADCP is installed on a vessel. As the ship sails through the port area, the ADCP meter continuously emits acoustic signals downward and sideways. The ship's movement along different routes within the port allows the ADCP current meter to measure the ocean current velocity at various depths and locations. This provides a wide - area survey of the water currents during the ship's operation.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCPs are deployed on the bottom of the ocean floor of the port at places like underwater structures near the entrance or along the quay walls. These stay in a fixed location, consistently measuring the currents of the ocean. They monitor long-term and consistent data of the current situation in that location. This is quite useful to understand the regular patterns and variations of currents in key areas in a port.

4. What is required for high-quality measurement of currents at Kolding Port?

Reliability of Material

The current measuring equipment, and most importantly the casing of ADCP profiler, must be of reliable material. Titanium alloy is preferred for the casing. For this reason, the titanium alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, which is highly needed to survive the harsh conditions of the sea. Seawater will corrode the equipment in a very short period of time if less resistant material is used. High strength-to-weight ratio in titanium alloy means excellent protection for the internal components of the ADCP flow meter while still keeping the equipment relatively lightweight. This in turn is conducive to installation either on a ship or on a fixed underwater spot. It also exhibits good thermal stability, useful in the changing temperature environment of the ocean.

Size, Weight, and Power Consumption

The equipment shall be compact and lightweight. A compact and lightweight ADCP current profiler is much easier to install and minimizes the disturbance of water flow when measuring. It also facilitates the installation process either on a ship or at a fixed position in the port. Low power consumption is also an important point. For long - term monitoring, especially with fixed ADCPs, low power consumption ensures that the equipment can operate continuously without frequent battery replacements or power supply issues.

Cost - Effectiveness

The cost factor is the most important for large-scale measurement. If the equipment is very expensive, then the number of ADCPs that can be deployed in the port becomes limited. A cost-effective solution allows having more comprehensive coverage of current measurements, which helps in understanding the ocean currents at each corner of the port area.

5. Selection of Appropriate Equipment

Usage-Based

Shipborne ADCP: Where the purpose is to measure currents during the movement of the ship in the port area, shipborne ADCP is quite suitable. It can cover a relatively larger area by the movement of the ship around the port, hence giving a general view of the current conditions in various parts of the port.

Bottom-mounted ADCP: For fixed-point monitoring of specific locations in the port, like near critical infrastructure or areas with unique current characteristics, bottom-mounted ADCP is the right option. It remains stationary at a selected position and continuously records the current conditions at that place, which is of value regarding the long-term behavior of the currents.

It can be deployed on a buoy when there is a need to monitor the currents in any given surface area or in open waters of the port. As it floats on the surface of the water, it measures the currents in its vicinity. This is useful for getting an idea about the surface current patterns.

**Based on Frequency and Depth：**Different frequencies of ADCPs should be selected according to the water depth. For water depths within 70m, 600kHz ADCPs are recommended, which are capable of giving current measurement with good accuracy even in comparatively shallow areas. For depths up to 110m, 300kHz ADCPs can function better. And for deeper areas with water depths reaching 1000m, 75kHz ADCPs would be appropriate.

There are well - known ADCP flow meter brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. However, a Chinese brand, China Sonar PandaADCP, stands out. It is made of all - titanium alloy material, ensuring high durability and reliability in the marine environment. Moreover, it offers an incredible cost - performance ratio. You can learn more about it through its official website: https://china-sonar.com/.

In Kolding Port, ocean current measurements accordingly depend quite vitally on ADCP profiler. Only by selecting appropriate equipment for specific needs can one attain valid and useful current data to support the efficient operation and management of the port.

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