Numerical Modelling of Seawater Flow Dynamic Pressure on the Surface of Underwater Tank

Climate change and decrease of sea ice area in the Arctic Ocean spark an idea of the development of unexplored reserves of hydrocarbons, most of which are located today in the Arctic, among scientists and engineers. Underwater tanks are an innovative engineering solution that not only allows for establishing strategic reserves of hydrocarbons in case of emergencies and supply outages but also efficient development of offshore oil and gas deposits. These high-tech structures, manufactured based on the modular principle, can resist extreme pressures in deeper waters and ensure reliable storage of fuels in complex marine conditions. Their implementation helps optimize logistic chains and explore remote deposits, including the Arctic shelf, due to autonomous monitoring and management systems that ensure safe operation in remote areas. The study considers numerical modeling of the impact of seawater flow dynamic pressure on the structure of an underwater tank installed at depths from 50 to 150 m. A comparative analysis of values of hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pressures on the external surface of the tank has been conducted. According to the calculations, even at maximum current speed reaching 4 m/s, the respective dynamic pressure does not exceed 0.01 % of the hydrostatic pressure level determined by the submersion depth. This leads to the conclusion on the tolerated neglect of dynamic pressure component when assessing the strength, leak-tightness, and total reliability of a structure. At the same time, the necessity to consider horizontal forces caused by the current when calculating tank stability, ballasting, and anchoring has been noted. The results of numerical modeling are represented as diagrams showing the impact of the current speed and depth on the overall distribution of loads affecting the tank body.