Oil dispersant system for fixed wing aerial platform

• Main Author: Brazil, Nathan
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2015
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/8463/; https://research.library.mun.ca/8463/1/thesis.pdf

The global energy demand has led to increased oil production across the world, leading to an increase in the number of offshore oil platforms and oil tanker traffic. Further, this demand has pushed the industry to develop in increasingly remote areas and harsh environments. Newfoundland, which operates the largest offshore oil platform in the world, has a strong safety record, but limited disaster response capabilities. The Newfoundland ecosystem is particularly sensitive to the effects of an oil spill, with its diverse marine life, rugged coastline, and harsh climate. Further, these harsh conditions reduce the effectiveness of standard containment and recovery options for oil spills used elsewhere. The author seeks to address the issue by designing a deployable oil dispersant system for fixed wing aircraft. Oil dispersants sprayed onto the surface of an oil slick remain one of the most effective methods for mitigating the effects of an oil spill. The primary focus of this thesis is the preliminary engineering design of the system, which includes the use of theoretical and computational stress analysis techniques, aerodynamics, and rigid body dynamics considering the motion of the system. The thesis concludes with the preliminary system design of a deployable oil dispersant system that is adaptable to multiple aircraft platforms.