Dissertação(mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Oceânica, Escola de Engenharia, 2010. / Submitted by Lilian M. Silva (lilianmadeirasilva@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-23T00:25:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Monitoramento de Deformações e Deslocamentos Relativos nas Estruturas de Suporte de Plantas de Processo Modulares em Unidades Flutuantes de Produção de Petróleo do Tipo FPSO.pdf: 3764587 bytes, checksum: 70312a121e0f141c7936b32ac56e47c2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Bruna Vieira(bruninha_vieira@ibest.com.br) on 2013-06-03T19:38:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Monitoramento de Deformações e Deslocamentos Relativos nas Estruturas de Suporte de Plantas de Processo Modulares em Unidades Flutuantes de Produção de Petróleo do Tipo FPSO.pdf: 3764587 bytes, checksum: 70312a121e0f141c7936b32ac56e47c2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-06-03T19:38:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monitoramento de Deformações e Deslocamentos Relativos nas Estruturas de Suporte de Plantas de Processo Modulares em Unidades Flutuantes de Produção de Petróleo do Tipo FPSO.pdf: 3764587 bytes, checksum: 70312a121e0f141c7936b32ac56e47c2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Os projetos mais recentes de plataformas do tipo FPSO da PETROBRAS utilizam plantas modulares sobre cascos convertidos de mais de 300m de comprimento. Os módulos podem atingir 2.000t (peso seco) e mais de 3.000t em operação, sendo suportados em quatro pontos por estruturas chamadas stools. No projeto da P-53, para cada módulo há dois stools deslizantes (os quais permitem deslocamentos longitudinais, paralelos ao eixo da embarcação), e dois fixos (com restrição de movimentos em todas as direções), cada par em transversais distintas. Teoricamente, os stools deslizantes são empregados para evitar que os efeitos das deflexões do casco da plataforma induzam esforços nas estruturas dos módulos. As dúvidas a respeito da eficiência deste mecanismo para essa configuração de suportação de módulos motivaram a realização deste trabalho, cujo objetivo é analisar e compreender o comportamento estrutural dos apoios dos módulos (stools) da plataforma P-53. Para se obter estas respostas, foi desenvolvido um projeto de pesquisa na FURG com apoio da PETROBRAS, o qual mobilizou três pesquisadores e dez bolsistas, durante 3 anos e meio. Um sistema de aquisição de dados foi especialmente implementado, e através deste foram monitoradas deformações e deslocamentos relativos sobre esses stools. No total foram instalados na plataforma 75 sensores (entre extensômetros, transdutores de deslocamento e acelerômetros). Foram realizadas medições durante o assentamento dos módulos sobre a embarcação ainda no estaleiro, e na locação final, submetida às condições ambientais da Bacia de Campos. Nas condições em que foi realizado o monitoramento, não foram registrados deslocamentos relativos entre os stools deslizantes e os pés dos módulos durante todo o período de observação. A não ocorrência de deslizamento pode ser justificada pelo elevado peso dos módulos, alto coeficiente de atrito, e as características das ondas sob as quais a embarcação foi submetida. Nestas condições, a ocorrência de deslocamentos relativos é mais provável para módulos mais leves, e improvável, ou até impossível, para módulos mais pesados. Mesmo assim não foram registrados níveis de deformações que pudessem indicar um incremento relevante de carga sobre as estruturas dos stools e dos módulos. / The most recent PETROBRAS FPSO projects used modular process plants on converted vessels with more than 300m length. The modules may reach 2,000t (dry) and more than 3,000t on operation, being supported by four points on structures called stools. In the P-53 design, there are two sliding stools (that allow longitudinal displacements, parallel to vessel axis), and two fixed stools (that restrict the displacement in all directions), each pair is at different transversal frames on the hull. In theory, the sliding stools are employed to avoid that the hull deflections induce deformation on the module’s structures. The doubts about the efficiency of this apparatus for this support configuration of modules motivated the development of this research, which aim is analyze and understand the structural behavior of the module’s supports. To get these answers, it was developed a research in FURG with support of PETROBRAS, which mobilized three researchers and ten students, during three and a half year. A data acquisition system was specially implemented to attend this goal, through that was monitored strain and relative displacements on these stools. A total of 75 sensors (among them strain gages, displacement transducer and accelerometers) was installed on the platform. It was taken measurements during the installation of the modules upon the hull at the shipyard, and at the final location, under the environmental conditions of Campos Basin. In these conditions where the monitoring was done, no relative displacement among the sliding stools and module’s pads was recorded throughout the observation period. The non-occurrence of sliding can be justified by the high weight of the modules and high coefficient of friction, and by the environmental conditions under that the vessel was subjected. On these conditions, the occurrence of relative displacements is more probable to lighter modules, and improbable, even impossible to heavier ones. Despite that, it was not recorded strain levels that could indicate a relevant load increasing on the structures of modules or stools.

Ionospheric scale height is a measure of the topside altitude dependence of electron density and is a key ionospheric parameter due to its intrinsic connection to ionospheric dynamics, plasma temperature, and composition. A longtime problem has been that information on the bottomside ionospheric profile is readily available, but the observation of the topside ionosphere is still challenging. Despite numerous data techniques to characterize the topside ionosphere, the knowledge of the behavior of the topside ionosphere and its subsequent scale heights remains insufficient. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether or not we can characterize the topside ionospheric density and temperature profiles in the event that neither temperature nor electron density are measured by using a cost-effective method. In a simple model, the electron density in the F-region topside decreases exponentially with height. This exponential decay is mainly driven by thermal diffusive equilibrium, but also dependent on the dominant ion species, as well as other drivers during nondiffusive conditions. A scale height based on observations of the temperature can generate topside electron density profiles. While a measure of the electron density profile enables a scale height to be inferred, hence yielding temperature information. We found a new way to represent how much total electron content (TEC) is allotted for the topside ionosphere. We then used this information to successfully determine TEC using ionosonde data containing only bottomside electron density information. For the first time, slab thickness, which is directly proportional to scale height, was found to be correlated to the peak density height and introduced as a new index, k. Ultimately, k relates electron density parameters and can be a very useful tool for describing the topside ionosphere shape and subsequently, scale height. The methodology of using cost-effective, readily available ionosonde bottomside electron density data combined with GPS TEC was discovered to be capable of inferring the topside ionosphere. This was verified by incoherent scatter radar (ISR) data, though major issues surrounding the availability of ionogram data during nighttime hours greatly limited our study, especially during diffusive equilibrium conditions. Also, significant differences were found between ISR and ionosonde-determined peak density parameters, NmF2 and hmF2, and raised concerns in how the instruments were calibrated.

Yes / This paper aims at providing an overview of latest advances in space weather modeling in an operational environment in Europe, including both the introduction of new models and improvements to existing codes and algorithms that address the broad range of space weather's prediction requirements from the Sun to the Earth. For each case, we consider the model's input data, the output parameters, products or services, its operational status, and whether it is supported by validation results, in order to build a solid basis for future developments. This work is the output of the Sub Group 1.3 "Improvement of operational models'' of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action ES0803 "Developing Space Weather Products and services in Europe'' and therefore this review focuses on the progress achieved by European research teams involved in the action.