Numerical and Experimental Study of the Flow Around Two Ship Sections Side-by-Side

This paper reports calculations of three dimensional (3D) unsteady cross flow over two ship sections in close proximity and compares the results with measurements. The ship sections have different breadth and draft, and represent typical situations in a ship-to-ship marine operation in a cross current. The behavior of the vortex-shedding around the two different ship hull sections is investigated numerically by CFD methods and experiments. For the two sections, simulations are done for several Reynolds numbers by using the dynamic Smagorinsky Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence model. Finally the cross flow past the ship sections in side-by-side position is simulated and vortex interaction between the sections is found by using the software (Ansys) FLUENT. The numerical predictions are compared with PIV results taken in a circulating water tunnel.