AURORA BOREALIS European Research Icebreaker and …classic.ipy.org/national/HAIS...
Transcript of AURORA BOREALIS European Research Icebreaker and …classic.ipy.org/national/HAIS...
Nicole Biebow & Lester Lembke-Jene, Martina Kunz-Pirrung, Jørn Thiede, Roberto Azzolini, Paul Egerton
Funded by:
AURORA BOREALIS
European Research Icebreaker and Deep-Sea Drilling Vessel
AURORA BOREALIS
Perspectives and Challenges
Characteristics of AURORA BOREALIS
• Novel icebreaker that operates autonomously during all seasons and on
stations (dynamic positioning), no additional icebreaker support needed .
• Multi-purpose Research Vessel for a year-round deployment in the Polar
Regions (Central Arctic, Arctic basins, Antarctic Margins) and for international
and interdisciplinary expeditions
• Scientific Drilling Platform for drilling of >1000 m long cores in 100-5000 m
water depth within sea ice (> 2 m) with full Dynamic Positioning.
AURORA BOREALIS - Technical Specifications
• Heavy Icebreaker (IACS Polar Class 1), year-round operations, all polar waters, multi-year ice.
• Multi-disciplinary vessel for all disciplines of polar and marine research.
• 120 berthing capacity, 90 days operational endurance.
• DP system for ice and open water.
• Helicopter: ILS, 2 helicopters, 1 Bell Agusta tilt-rotor VTOL Aircraft/helicopter equivalent.
• Max. 90 MW propulsion power.
High energy efficiency:
waste heat recovery systems
Engine power management
flexible engine configuration
Safety and Operations Specifications
• Complete double-hull design.
• Fully redundant engine rooms and safety equipment.
• Redundant dynamic positioning system (DP2).
• Full weather protection (hangars, sheltered staging areas) for science and drilling operations.
• Combine high ice-breaking capacity with stable open water performance (Roaring Forties, N.
Atlantic, Southern Ocean).
• Concepts for de-icing superstructure and equipment to maintain operational status and stability.
• Citadel Concept for living quarters, hospital, bridge, etc. for emergencies in remote areas.
• Complete equipment for sustained survival of crew in Total Loss of Ship scenarios.
Photo courtesy by M. Klages, AWI
Forward Moon-Pool for ROV,
AUV and other equipment
operations (nets, landers,
hydrocasts, etc.).
Aft Moon-Pool primarily for
deep-sea drilling, sediment
coring, monitoring.
Science Equipment: deployments
are dependant on partly open
water within ice cover
In closed sea ice cover:
most deployments technically
challenging…or impossible..
Challenges in
Polar Operations
Forward Moon Pool and Atrium Concept
• Glass dome roof, retractable, natural light inside the vessel (pat. pend.).
• direct access to staging hangar (7 m height) and outside working deck.
• Space for more than 30 Laboratory containers
• Atrium: retreating decks upwards.
• Watertight lower Moon Pool covers.
• About 2500 m2 fixed and mobile lab. space located around Moon Pool.
Concept for Polar Scientific Drilling
• Deep-Sea drilling in >95% of polar waters: >1000 m below mudline,
in 50-5000 m water depth.
• Deep-Sea drilling in closed sea-ice cover, autonomous without
added icebreaker support.
• Derrick is located within enclosed structure, full weather protection.
• Possibility to use standard IODP technology: casings (DIC), re-enter,
deepen holes (FFF, REEC). Install monitoring or observatory
systems (BIH, ACORK,…).
• Polar workflow strategy during drilling operations (advanced ice
management and monitoring).
• Deal with emergencies during drilling and coring under polar
conditions.
Scientific Drilling Concepts Equipment and Infrastructure
! Use of API drillstrings (e.g. 5, 5-1/2). About 6000 m plus
reserve drillstring.
! Industry-compatible components.
! Full range of coring tools and logging tools deployable.
! Use full IODP standard analytical workflow.
! Sufficient workshop, tool storage.
! Use future mud return systems to increase borehole
stability and core quality in overconsolidated and difficult
facies.
! Technical Cooperation with IODP-USIO, ECORD-MA.
Results from Ice Tank Model Tests
• Break >2 m level ice continuously or thicker ice floes.
• Ramming: break ridges (about 12 m) with few attempts .
• Little ice accumulation under hull.
• Breaks 2 m level ice in DP mode.
• Attack angle important. Vessel can break out to re-position.
• Break ridges forward and aft of 4 to 6 m in DP speed (< 0.5 kn).
• Consistent ice basin model tests results (Helsinki and Hamburg).
• Icebreaking with slow or very little speed.
• Icebreaking sideways: Hull shape, variable draught,
heeling tanks for icebreaking with roll/pitch movements.
• High propulsion power (90 MW).
• Mechanically robust propulsion.
• Ice-resistant, redundant, servicable transverse thrusters.
• Proof of concept by extensive ice basin model tests (Aker
Arctic, Helsinki and HSVA, Hamburg).
Icebreaking & Dynamic Positioning Ice…
European Research Icebreaker Consortium –
ERICON -AURORA BOREALIS
48 Months duration
Budget: 4.5 Million Euro
Project started March 1, 2008 and runs till February 2012
ERICON-AURORA BOREALIS
will generate the strategic, legal, financial and organisational
frameworks for European ministries and funding agencies to
decide about the construction and operation of AURORA
BOREALIS.