Analysis of Operating Principles and Flow Field Characteristics for a Diving Ballast Tank

  • K. C. Pan Department of Power Vehicle and Systems Engineering, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2721-9953
  • I. M. Chao Department of Power Vehicle and Systems Engineering, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6057-2903
Keywords: Ballast tank, Submerged vehicle, Computational fluid dynamics, Dynamic mesh model

Abstract

Operating principle and flow field characteristics of a diving ballast tank for application in submerged vehicles were investigated in the present study. As understanding the complex changes in the interior air-water two-phase flow field of the ballast tank during the diving process is difficult, this study specifically performed a ballast tank diving experiment. Experimental and numerical simulations to analyse the diving motions of the ballast tank were conducted. Authors comprehensively evaluated the flow field changes in the ballast tank and its surroundings. The experimental and numerical results were compared in terms of the observed displacements and velocities during diving. Both the results indicated similar motion trajectories and velocities. Authors effectively observed the air-water two-phase flow field change inside the ballast tank using this numerical method. Therefore, the numerical model constructed in this study can be useful for analysing the diving motions of ballast tanks and can effectively predict the interior flow field characteristics of a ballast tank.

Published
2020-10-08
How to Cite
Pan, K., & Chao, I. (2020). Analysis of Operating Principles and Flow Field Characteristics for a Diving Ballast Tank. Defence Science Journal, 70(5), 564-570. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.70.15228
Section
Naval Systems