The simulation of free surface flows with Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics is a powerful and versatile tool for the analysis of flow problems encountered in the<br/>maritime environment. The University of Southampton Fluid-Structure Interactions research group use ANSYS CFX to<br/>model a wide variety of flow problems; to gain insight into flow physics, improve designs and increase the efficiency<br/>and safety of marine vehicles. A series of three case studies from on-going research looks at: loads applied on liquefied<br/>natural gas tanks due to sloshing, slamming pressures experienced by high speed craft as well as the influence of<br/>propellers on the resistance characteristics of autonomous underwater vehicles. The presence of the free surface,<br/>complex shapes and the unsteady nature of these applications make their simulation with computational fluid dynamics<br/>particularly challenging. The successful validation of the computational models has resulted in the development of a<br/>selection process for suitable multiphase models as well as cost-effective meshing strategies.