Helicopter deck hot gas plume and air quality: AEGIR

Photo
Peutz

Heerema's Aegir is a deepwater construction vessel (DCV) for executing complex infrastructure and pipeline projects in ultra-deep water. Aegir also has sufficient lifting capacity to install fixed platforms in relatively shallow water. The design is a customized Ulstein Sea of Solutions SOC 5000.

Helicopter deck hot gas plume

To ensure safe helicopter operations offshore helicopter decks are most frequently certified according to the CAP 437 or NORSOK C-004 regulations, which require an assessment of temperature rise due to hot exhaust gas plumes in the airspace above the helideck. Temperature rise causes loss of lift and engine power, potentially causing hazardous flight conditions which should be avoided. Especially in offshore situations with helicopter decks on vessels or platforms hot exhaust gas plumes can cause significant temperature rise in the airspace directly above the helicopter platform. The plume trajectory can be visualised in a smoke visualisation test in the wind tunnel. The temperature rise can be directly measured in a buoyant plume tracer gas measurement on a scale model in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel facility of Peutz. The result are presented for pilot information and can be directly used for optimisation of the operational window and entries in the Helideck Limitations List (HLL).

Air quality

Smoke visualisation tests and tracer gas measurements in the wind tunnel are also used to assess the air quality on board the vessel. Odour hindrance as well as exposure to toxic components is assessed with respect to Health and Safety limit levels.

Main particulars

Vessel type: Deepwater Construction Vessel
Length over all: 210 m
Beam: 46 m
Draft: 8-11 m
Designer: Ulstein Sea of Solutions B.V.
Client / Operator: Heerema Marine Contractors