Large eddy simulation of ship airflow control with steady Coanda effect

Journal article, 2023

This paper numerically studies the steady Coanda effect for drag reduction and airwake manipulations on the Chalmers ship model (CSM) using large eddy simulation with wall-adapting local-eddy viscosity model. Numerical methods are validated by experimental data acquired from the baseline CSM. In creating the flow control model, the hanger base of the baseline CSM is modified with Coanda surfaces and injection slots along its roof edge and two side edges. Four representative cases are studied: a no-jet case and three cases with the same momentum coefficient of the jet flow activated at different locations (roof, sides, and combined). The results show that the four cases have various performances in drag reduction and vortex structures on the deck. They are also different in mean and turbulent quantities as well as POD (proper orthogonal decomposition) modes in their airwake. It is found that the roof-jet has a stronger Coanda effect and is more vectored toward the low-speed area (LSA) on the deck than the side-jets that detach earlier from the Coanda surface. The energization process is, therefore, different where the roof-jet is more effective that directly brings high momentum to LSA and side-jets manipulate shear layers for mixing enhancement. The cases with roof-jet achieve better mitigation of flow re-circulation and higher recovery of streamwise velocity with lower turbulent fluctuation in the airwake. POD analysis suggests that the roof-jet can stabilize the wake.