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The interaction of background ocean air bubbles with a surface ship
Author(s) -
Carrica P. M.,
Bonetto F. J.,
Drew D. A.,
Lahey R. T.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in fluids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1097-0363
pISSN - 0271-2091
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0363(19980930)28:4<571::aid-fld731>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - bubble , mechanics , wake , reynolds averaged navier–stokes equations , froude number , volume of fluid method , momentum (technical analysis) , reynolds number , plume , flow (mathematics) , physics , meteorology , computational fluid dynamics , turbulence , finance , economics
Abstract A two‐fluid model suitable for the calculation of the two‐phase flow field around a naval surface ship is presented. This model couples the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with equations for the evolution of the gas‐phase momentum, volume fraction and bubble number density, thereby allowing the multidimensional calculation of the two‐phase flow for monodisperse variable size bubbles. The bubble field modifies the liquid solution through changes in the liquid mass and momentum conservation equations. The model is applied to the case of the scavenging of wind‐induced sea‐background bubbles by an unpropelled US Navy frigate under non‐zero Froude number boundary conditions at the free surface. This is an important test case, because it can be simulated experimentally with a model‐scale ship in a towing tank. A significant modification of the background bubble field is predicted in the wake of the ship, where bubble depletion occurs along with a reduction in the bubble size due to dissolution. This effect is due to lateral phase distribution phenomena and the generation of an upwelling plume in the near wake that brings smaller bubbles up to the surface. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.