Liquid sloshing in a two-dimensional rectangular tank: A numerical investigation with a T-shaped baffle

Abstract

In this study, the liquid sloshing in a closed, partially filled, T-shaped baffled and unbaffled two-dimensional rectangular tank was numerically investigated. The tank was rotated with two different rotation angles of 4° and 8°, and a fixed angular velocity of 3.3 rad/s, which was determined by taking the natural frequency of the tank into consideration, for the filling depths of 50% and 75%. The baffle heights as well as the rotation angles and filling depths were systematically varied and the effect of these parameters on the hydrodynamic loads on the tank wall and free surface elevations was examined. The calculations were carried out in two different ways, by means of laminar and turbulent viscous flow solvers, which use the finite differences and finite volume discretization techniques in conjunction with the “volume of fluid” technique, respectively. The general flow topology, free surface deformations, and vorticity distributions are provided and discussed in detail. It was found that the baffle was fully effective in pressure and wave damping when its height was greater than 80% of the liquid level. • Laminar and turbulent flow computations were performed for the simulation of liquid sloshing in a two-dimensional rectangular tank with a T-shaped baffle. • The effect of the baffle height, liquid depth and rotational angles on the pressure levels acting on the side wall were demonstrated. • The topological features of the flow, free surface deformations and vorticity distributions at constant sloshing phases were presented.