Research Summaries

Back Intersite Hull Grooming Study

Fiscal Year 2021
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Investigator(s) Didoszak, Jarema M.
Kwon, Young W.
Sponsor Office of Naval Research (Navy)
Summary Biofouling on hull surfaces results in significant hydrodynamic drag which translates to increased rates of ship fuel consumption. To mitigate accumulation of bio-deposits on ship hull surfaces, the US Navy employs a variety of strategies including fouling resistant coatings and various hull cleaning approaches. A proactive cleaning strategy, i.e., grooming, has been proposed by researchers at the Center for Biofouling & Corrosion Control at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), as an alternative to traditional reactive cleaning to improve ship fuel efficiency, extend hull coating longevity and reduce the adverse environmental effects. As biofouling accumulation rates are expected to vary across different seawater environments, the broader applicability of temperature dependency in grooming frequencies is yet to be confirmed. This study will evaluate the necessary proactive cleaning frequency in Monterey, CA, which experiences a colder average seawater temperature and possess a different biome makeup than the original study performed in Canaveral, FL. Several sets of small panels treated with a variety of fouling control coatings, similar to those previously studied by FIT, will be installed by NPS at the USCG Pier in Monterey, CA, for a period of 6-9 months. The grooming frequency will be varied for each set of test panels. Fouling accumulation as well as local marine conditions will be monitored throughout the study. The results of the current and prior studies will then be compared to relate grooming efficacy at these distinct locations having a broad range of marine conditions. The NPS research team will work closely with researchers at FIT to ensure that all the testing methods, materials and conditions will be replicated, except for the seawater environment itself. By doing this the environmental effects can properly be assessed. Using temperature and fouling rate data obtained through these studies, a model for predicting the grooming periodicity based on temperature and salinity levels across Navy homeport locations will be developed and evaluated.
Keywords grooming marine biofouling proactive cleaning ship hull treatments ship husbandry
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal