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Simulation of Oil Spill in Harbors, Case Study: Rajaee Port

Moghaddas, Mohammad Rahim | 2017

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 55762 (09)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Civil Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Raie, Mohammad
  7. Abstract:
  8. Oil spills in marine environments lead to serious environmental disasters and have significant short-term and long-term effects on the aquatic life cycle, the health of people living on the coasts, the region's ecology, and social and economic activities. Shipping and marine transportation are responsible for many oil accidents. For this reason, harbors- as one of the most important marine transportation infrastructures- are always exposed to oil spills which in addition to economic losses, can lead to disruption of ports' performance.To reduce the environmental and economic damages caused by oil spill incidents, it is necessary to prepare the harbors to deal with and clean up oil pollution as soon as possible. One of the most effective tools available to create this preparation is the simulation of these incidents with the help of numerical modeling, which helps to predict the path of oil slicks at the time of the incident.The purpose of this study is to numerical modeling of the oil spill transport and diffusion by using the finite volume method (FVM) in Shahid Rajaee port in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan. In the first stage, we simulated the governing currents in the area using bathymetry data, tidal data, and boundary conditions. Then, in the second step, using the results of hydrodynamic flow modeling, the transport and diffusion of light and heavy oil pollution was simulated. The results of the present study predict the oil slicks’ movement path, its extent, thickness, and the amount of evaporation and sedimentation in the contamination area. As it was expected, light oil slick has a lower effect on the aquatic environment due to evaporation; while heavy oil remains in the water environment for a longer time.The results of the oil spill simulation show that wind and evaporation are the main processes governing light oils (such as gasoline) spill into the port due to the volatility of these materials. However, heavy oils spill is more affected by the state of tides and its slick can be deposited in the harbor bed for a long time, becoming a source of permanent pollution of the harbor water. Also, due to the fact that heavy oils settle faster and easier due to their heavy density, it is necessary to prevent and deal with them in time.
  9. Keywords:
  10. Oil Spill ; Oil Pollution ; Environmental Assessment ; Shahid Rajaee Port ; Finite Volume Method ; Ports

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