Real Time Flow information System

Sicco D. Kamminga (ISDK), Han G.J. Wensink (ARGOSS BV)

Ingenieursbureau S.D.Kamminga BV
P.O. Box 7435
2701 AK Zoetermeer
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 79 3160122
Email: kamminga@isdk.nl
Visit http://www.realtimecurrent.com

Port of Rotterdam has deepened its main access channel, the river Rhine and Meuse branch, to the Waalhaven. This allows large container ships to enter the harbour. Currently the ships and their pilots are only allowed to enter the harbour during periods when the water level is sufficiently high and the current velocity in the river is smaller than 0.5 knots. This limits the period of entrance to 1 hour during every tidal cycle and makes planning of a trip difficult.

The operational accessibility can be extended by providing pilots information on the currents in the area both in real-time and as a prediction for at least 13 hours with an accuracy better than 0.2 knots. Therefore, a system was developed which consists of four elements: a horizontal current profiler, an online flow model, a flow prediction module, and presentation software. The horizontal current profiler is mounted on the riverbank. It measures current velocity and direction in the river (400 m wide) some 100 meters from the bank. The flow model computes a complete flow field in the area consisting of depth averaged flow vectors on a 20mx20m grid. The flow prediction module uses measured flow vectors from the previous days to predict and accurate flow vector for the next 24 hours. The presentation software manages all data and presents results both as a time series plot and as flow vector plots, with a map as background.

Pilots will use the system to plan their trip and maneuver more safely while entering the harbour.

In our talk we will address the whole system. In the second half we will focus on the flow