ADCP in Ocean Current Measurement of Tianjin Port

1. Where is Tianjin Port?

Tianjin Port, located in Tianjin, a municipality directly under the Central Government in northern China, is on the coast of Bohai Bay and serves as an important transportation junction in North China.

Port Scale and Throughput

Scale: Tianjin Port is huge in scale. It comprises many port areas and terminals with a great total number of berths, including deep-water berths that are fit for receiving the largest container ships, bulk carriers, and liquid cargo vessels from all over the world. Infrastructural development covers a wide area, having well-developed quays and storage yards with container-handling equipment.

Throughput: The annual throughput of Tianjin Port is on a large scale. It is one of the biggest in China, holding an important position in international trade. It is a diversified cargo handler: from containers to coal, iron ore, grains, and petroleum products. The container throughput has continuously grown year by year, forming an important part of the international container shipping network.

Routes and Business

Shipping Routes: The port forms part of a vast network of shipping routes. At the national level, the facility has shipping connections with other primary ports along the Chinese coastline. On the international scene, the port has trade connections with several ports in Asia, Europe, America, and many other places. Tianjin Port is an important link in transcontinental and regional cargo traffic. The business scope of Tianjin Port includes importing and exporting industrial products, agricultural products, and energy resources. It offers a variety of services such as warehousing, logistics, and value-added processing of cargo.

Management and Operation of the Port

In summary, Tianjin Port's management was basically entrusted to an organized system for integrated management that controlled vessel entry and exit, berth allocation, and coordinated cargo-handling operations. It adopted advanced technologies of automated container-handling systems and intelligent shipping-scheduling software for optimization. Safety and security are paramount. There are very strict safety rules in force to ensure protection for personnel, cargo, and ships themselves, besides damage in general. Environmental protection rules also ensure a limitation of port operation effects on the marine environment.

Port Facilities

Container Terminals: The container terminals are equipped with modern quay cranes and gantry cranes. These cranes have a capacity for fast and heavy loading and unloading, which permits the containers to be handled effectively. The storage yards have advanced systems of stacking the containers that allow for organized laying up and drawing out. 

Bulk Cargo Terminals: Bulk cargo is handled by facilities such as conveyor belts, stockyards, and loading equipment. These facilities handle all types of bulk cargo efficiently without causing much spillage.

Liquid Cargo Terminals: The liquid cargo terminals boast a network of pipelines, storage tanks, and loading arms. These are fitted with safety facilities like spill-containment and fire-protection systems for handling oil and chemical products.

Channel and Direct Shipping

It has well-maintained channels at the Tianjin Port, with enough depth for big vessels. Increased direct shipping services to major international ports have enhanced competitiveness in many ways. The direct routes reduce travel time and expenses which allow closer economic and trade relations with other countries and regions.

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

Impact on Ship Navigation

Measurement of ocean current on Tianjin Port is of importance for the purpose of navigation. Currents may influence the speed and direction of ships entering and leaving the port. On such a busy port like Tianjin, with a considerable volume of shipping, the accurate information about currents enables ship masters to manage their speed and course more precisely. This also helps in collision avoidance and thus contributes to smooth and timely docking and undocking processes.

Influence on Cargo Handling

The ocean currents can result in efficiency regarding the handling operation of cargo. For instance, in handling bulk cargo or container loading and unloading operations, a strong or unpredictable current may result in difficulties in operating the cranes and other handling equipment precisely. Measurements of the currents allow the port to plan the handling operation of the cargo more suitably, taking into account the state of the current with a view to minimizing waiting times for ships and maximizing the overall efficiency of the work.

Environmental Monitoring

Ocean currents can be of prime importance in environmental monitoring of the port area. This could help predict in which direction and at what speed contaminants are flowing in the case of an oil spill or other form of pollutant. In this way, the port authorities will be able to adopt timely preventive and remedial measures to safeguard the marine environment. Therefore, ADCP current meter provides a much advanced and easier means of ocean current measurement than the traditional technique. It is thus very useful for the functioning of Tianjin Port.

3. How do ADCPs using the principle of Doppler work?

Measurement Principle

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) make use of the principle of Doppler. When the ADCP doppler sends an acoustic signal into the water, that signal scatters by particles and other substances in the water. Due to the Doppler effect, the scattered signal frequency back to the ADCP current profiler will be different from the frequency of the transmission because the water particles are moving with the ocean current. This frequency shift can then be measured and used to compute the velocity of the water particles and thus the velocity of the ocean current.

ADCP in Port Ocean Current Measurement: Shipborne ADCP

It is installed on ships. While the ship is in motion in the area of Tianjin Port, it continuously sends and receives acoustic signals. The ADCP flow meter can measure the current of different depths involved in the track at which it moves through the water. Data obtained by the instruments can be used to calculate the current state in the area where the ship is sailing, providing valuable information for navigation and operations in ships.

Fixed ADCP

Fixed ADCP meter is normally installed at a certain spot in the Tianjin Port area, which can be installation on pier or buoy. These do not move and monitor the surrounding ocean currents constantly. These can provide long-term and stable current data useful for general understanding of the current patterns and changes over time in the port area.

4. What does one need to measure the currents of Tianjin Port on a high-quality basis?

Equipment Requirements

• Material Reliability: The equipment shall be fabricated from materials that can provide real reliability. They have to resist corrosion in seawater, high humidity, and even impacts due to floating objects.
• Small Size, Light Weight, and Low Power Consumption: Small-sized and light-weight ADCP profiler will promote conveniences in installment and operation, especially for shipborne ADCPs. In this regard, low power consumption allows equipment to operate for a very long time without frequent battery replacement or high-power supply requirements, important for both fixed and shipborne ADCPs.
• Low Cost for Mass Measurement: In order to conduct large-scale current measurement in the port, the equipment cost should be relatively low. This allows several ADCPs to be installed at various locations within the port for more extensive recording of data on currents.

The Advantage of Using Titanium Alloy for ADCP Casing

One very good material for ADCP casing is that of Titanium alloy. Among several advantages are:. First, excellent corrosion resistance can resist the corrosive effect of seawater effectively, ensuring that the device is stable and reliable for a long time. Second, there is a high strength-to-weight ratio: it can provide enough strength when the weight is relatively low to meet the requirements of small size and light weight. Thirdly, it has good thermal stability, which can create a good atmosphere for normal operations of equipment in different temperatures within the Tianjin Port area.

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

According to the Use Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: When the measurement is primarily to be carried out on ships, it is appropriate to use. It can move along with the ship and give measurements of currents in different areas of the port while the ship moves around.
• Sitting - Bottom ADCP: It is used to monitor the current at one point in the port for a long term, thus is a very good option. It is generally installed on the seabed for the current's continues monitoring running around it. Buoy - Type ADCP: The buoy - type ADCP suits those applications that require real - time monitoring of the currents in some area of the port. The buoy can float on the water surface and the acoustic doppler velocity meter on it can measure the currents around it.

Selection Based on Different Frequencies

Different frequencies of ADCPs are suitable for different water depths. For example, the 600 kHz ADCP is suitable for water depths within 70 m. It can provide more detailed current data in relatively shallow water areas. 300 kHz ADCP is suitable for water depths up to 110 m. The 75 kHz acoustic doppler flow meter is suitable for much deeper water, up to 1000 m. It allows for an accurate measurement of different depth currents in Tianjin Port in accordance with real water depth.

Well-known ADCP brands include Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. But for a cheap one, Chinese brand China Sonar PandaADCP is recommended. It is made of all-titanium alloy material and has an incredible cost-performance ratio. You can visit the website of https://china-sonar.com/ for more detail information.

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