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Hi,
In my recent meetings with a variety of Ship's officers, including some Engineers, who were
interested in knowing more of this, I've realized that no training institute actually gives them
a complete picture of Tanker cargo calculations.
It is really amusing to note that some of these people, I've had to prepare for vettings etc. or
for that matter, just for preparing for the vessel, are senior officers on board.
Anyhow, below is a concise effort to introduce all to these calculations. As usual, please feel
free to contact self for more info, and share as much as you want. Do let me know, if some-
thing is not correct.
One more note: The below is usually not applicable to Chemical cargoes in liquid bulk, since
the ASTM tables are normally not applicable there.
Please remember that normally the density or API is provided by the terminal or surveyor in the load ports and what is used will
be dependent on the region / port of loading. For example in USA / Canada, Persian Gulf, API usage is prevalent, while entire of
Europe and Asia uses Density at 15C. However please ascertain, if Density at 15C is provided, whether it is in air or in vacuum.
This is very important when finding out from Table 54, since the density provided there is in Air and hence same must be used.
(Density at 15C in Air = Density at 15C in Vacuum - 0.0011
PROCEDURE OF CALCULATIONS
Working with Density at 15oC in air:
1) Observed Ullage - apply corrections - get Corrected Ullage
2) Observed Interface - apply corrections - get Corrected Interface
3) From Corrected Ullage, find Total Observed Volume TOV (in cubic metres)
4) From Corrected Interface, find Volume of Water (in cubic metres)
5) TOV - Water = Gross Observed Volume (GOV) of Cargo (in cubic metres)
6) Use Density at 15C and Observed Temperature (oC) and find Volume Correction Factor (VCF) from Table 54
7) Gross Standard Volume (GSV) = GOV x VCF (cubic metres)
8) Weight Correction Factor (WCF) = Density at 15C in vacuum - 0.0011 (or the Density at 15C in air)
9) Weight in Air (Metric Ton) = GSV x WCF(Density at 15C in air)
10) Weight in Vaccum (Metric Ton) = GSV x Density at 15C in vacuum
The term Weight in Air is that weight which a quantity of fluid appears to have when weighed in air against standard commercials weights
so that each will have a mass (weight in vacuum) equal to the nominal mass associated with it.
The term Weight in Vacuum refers to the true mass of a fluid.
USE OF WEDGE FORMULA FOR OBQ / ROB CALCULATIONS & FREE WATER CALCULA-
TIONS
The Wedge Formula is a mathematical mean being used to approximate the small quantities of liquid and solid cargo and free water on
board prior to the vessel's loading and after her discharge, based on the dimensions of the individual cargo tank and vessel's trim. The
Wedge Formula is to be used only when the oil liquid does not touch all bulkheads of the vessel's cargo tank, that is to say the liquid oil ly-
ing in small pools among the bottom sediment.
In order to standarise the OBQ/ROB calculations on board the Crude Oil carrying tanker vessels, the following geometric form of the
Wedge Formula shall be used and this form of the formula assumes that the cargo tank is 'box shaped' with no internal 'deadwood' or
pipeline systems, heating coils etc. that would impact the accuracy of the volume calculated from the sounding. Furthermore this wedge
formula calculation makes the enormous assumption that any 'liquid' found in a cargo tank is in the form of a regular wedge shape with its
base at the aft bulkhead of the cargo tank.
It is obvious that such a series of assumptions normally can invalidate the absolute accuracy of the calculation immediately given, amongst
other issues, the shape of the wing tanks (the turn of the bilge) and in particular those wing tanks at the fore and aft parts of the vessel.
The calculation method for the Geometric edition of the Wedge Formula:
Assumption: Given the small angle involved with the trim of the vessel, then the 'Sine' of an angle can be considered as the same as the
'Tangent' (Tan) of an angle and consequently:
Step 1:
Correct the position of the sounding position with respect to the aft bulkhead of the cargo tank due to the trim of the vessel, distance = A
Step 2:
Determine the distance of the apex of the wedge from the aft bulkhead for obtaining information whether:
(1) should a Wedge Formula be used at all (kindly note that a wedge formula is not applicable if:
(a) the liquid surface covers the total cargo tank bottom or the calculated apex of the wedge is at or beyond the forward bulkhead of
the cargo tank or:
(b) it is sludge ROB volumes only);
And
(2) whether the wedge is a regular wedge (which can be checked by comparison with alternative soundings being taken).
S = Observed Sounding;
F (Distance of the apex of the wedge from the sounding position) = S x Tan X;
E (Distance of the apex of the wedge to the aft bulkhead) = (F - A) + B;
where B is the distance on deck from the point of sounding to the aft bulkhead.
Step 3:
Determine the depth of the wedge at the aft bulkhead of the cargo tank, depth = D; D = E x Tan X
Step 4:
Knowing D (sounding depth at the aft bulkhead) and E (the distance from the aft bulkhead to the apex of the wedge), then the area of the
longitudial cross section of the wedge may be calculated,
thus as the area of a triangle = (Base x Height) / 2 then; (D x E) / 2 = cross sectional area of wedge.
Step 5:
Having obtained the cross sectional area of the wedge, the volume of the wedge is calculated by multiplication by the breadth of the cargo
tank (please note that the breadth of the cargo tank should be measured at the bottom of the tank at the aft bulkhead position and not at
deck level or elsewhere within the cargo tank).
Volume of the Wedge = Cross sectional Area x Breadth of Tank
Throughout this calculation it is very important that all distances are in metres. Do not use centimetres for the observed sounding.
Alternatives:
Regardless above stated requirement, an I.S.O. standard method is also available in the event that any Cargo Inspector do not accept the
geometric edition of the wedge formula. This method depends upon the accuracy of the vessel's tank ullage calibration tables for the larger
ullages / smaller soundings in the cargo tank. If the tank calibration tables are accurate for this region of the cargo tanks, then this method
will give added accuracy to the general method of calculating tank residues after discharge.
This method is as follows:
Step 1:
Calculate DA (the Corrected liquid sounding at the aft bulkhead position); DA = D + {f(Y - (H x f))}
where:
D is the observed liquid sounding;
f is the Trim factor ( TS / LS );
TS is the vessel's trim;
Y is the distance of the sounding point to the aft bulkhead;
H is the reference height of the cargo tank;
LS is the vessel's Length Between Perpendiculars.
Step 2:
Calculate Ct (the Tank constant); Ct = LS / ( 2 x TS x Lt ) (where Lt is the Length of the Cargo Tank).
Step 3:
Calculate the 'k' coefficient; k = DA x Ct
if k > 0.5 wedge is not required to be carried out;
if k = 0.5 wedge must be carried out.
Step 4:
if k > 0.5 then calculate the volume of the liquid contained in the cargo tank from the calibration tables using the Observed sounding, D,
applying the trim corrections.
Step 5:
if k = 0.5 then calculate DX (the wedge sounding). DX = DA / 2
Step 6:
Enter the cargo tank calibration tables with DX, without applying trim corrections to equivalent volume VO.
Step 7:
Calculate the liquid wedge volume V1; V1 = VO x 2 x k
In addition to above methods it should be noted that if the procedures as specified in the vessel's COW manual are being followed for the
determination of the 'Dryness' of a cargo tank, namely, the sounding of the residues in four(4) differing locations within the cargo tank, then
the foregoing methods of calculations can be avoided.
Assuming the shape of the individual cargo tanks is fairly regular / constant in a fore and aft direction and, notwithstanding the fact that the
vessel will be significantly trimmed by the stern, then the four measurements, as suggested in the COW Manual guidelines, as obtained by
sounding can be used to calculate an average sounding so as to obtain a single sounding. The single average sounding can be used di-
rectly in order to obtain an equivalent volume from the vessel's tank ullage calibration tables
Such a method will provide a clearer indication as to the type and nature of the residues on the cargo tank floor as well as provide much
clearer indications as to the profile of the residues within the cargo tanks.