Session: 08-02-01 Free Surface Flows

Paper Number: 128028

128028 - Simulation the Sloshing in a Rectangular Tank Using Mesh Free Method 

Oil plays a crucial role as a primary energy source, significantly influencing the economic development of various nations. Nevertheless, the occurrence of oil spills during transportation poses a massive environmental hazard, especially in ocean ecosystems. These spills can result from inaccurate weather forecasts, which may lead to the improper stabilization of oil tanks, causing unintended discharges. The dynamic behavior of liquids within the tanks also presents safety risks for the entire vessel, emphasizing the importance of understanding and mitigating sloshing effects.

Liquid sloshing within tanks is a complex phenomenon characterized by free surface dynamics, splashing, and intricate nonlinear motions. Over the years, various methods and simulations for modeling liquid flow have been proposed.

Initially, researchers concentrated on studying two-dimensional flows, eventually shifting their focus to the investigation of liquid sloshing within containment areas. Due to the limitations of existing theories and experimental data, water sloshing was often used as a proxy for simulating the effects of oil sloshing within tankers.

Early numerical simulations of liquid flow relied on mesh-based formulations. However, these approaches proved to be unsuitable for modeling situations involving substantial deformations of the liquid. To address this, particle methods like Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and the Moving Particle Semi-Implicit method (MPS) were introduced to simulate large deformations in fluid dynamics. These methods approximate the strong form of partial differential equations and belong to the mesh-free Lagrangian approach. MPS, in particular, has found extensive application in diverse fields, including nuclear engineering, structural engineering, ocean engineering, and hydraulics.

The primary goal of this study is to examine the motion of water within a 2D rectangular tank when subjected to external disturbances with the objective of mitigating the sloshing effect. The study employs the MPS model, along with MATLAB, to simulate the process and assess the feasibility of using mesh-free methods. The validity of the MPS method is established through comparisons with several experimental results. Pressure, velocity, and liquid surface level are analyzed as more informative indicators of sloshing effects than simple force measurements.

The study assesses the effectiveness of five different baffle arrangements in terms of pressure and liquid surface reduction. The findings indicate that a higher baffle ratio leads to a more efficient reduction of the sloshing effect. The addition of vertical baffles in the tank reduces pressure throughout the simulation period by 67% compared to conditions without baffles and decreases liquid level oscillations by 70%.

This research offers valuable insights into minimizing the sloshing effect within rectangular tanks, potentially impacting practical applications. In conclusion, the outcomes of this study could be instrumental in optimizing the design of rectangular tanks to mitigate the undesirable consequences of sloshing.

Presenting Author: Yee Chung Jin University of Regina

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Yee-chung Jin earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (water resources engineering) from the University of Alberta, Canada. Dr. Jin received his bachelor degree from National Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan in Hydraulic Engineering and a master of science degree from Auburn University, USA in Civil Engineering. He was employed by the Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) for two years as a Hydrogeologist before he joined the University of Regina in 1990. He teaches courses in hydraulics, water resources, groundwater modeling and geotechnical engineering. Dr. Jin published referee papers in journals of ASCE, Hydrology, Powder Technology, Computers and Fluids and other journals. Dr. Jin’s research interest includes: simulating flow and sediment transport in rivers by depth-averaged models, modeling the advective and dispersive mass transport in groundwater systems using finite element method, developing a MPS meshless model to study fluid flow, and simulation of granular flow by MPS model.

Authors:

Dongxian Li University of Regina
Gang Zhao University of Regina
Yee-Chung Jin University of Regina
Yee Chung Jin University of Regina