Numerical investigation of the high-speed vertical water entry of a cylindrical shell

Abstract

A semi-sealed cylindrical shell is a hollow cylinder in which one end is open and the other end is sealed. In order to systematically study the cavity evolution, the hydrodynamic characteristics, and corresponding structural response of the semi-sealed cylindrical shell during high-speed vertical water entry, a numerical simulation is carried out based on a Star-CCM+ and ABAQUS collaborative simulation method. The results show that a nested cavity is formed that presents three different morphologies as the semi-sealed cylindrical shell penetrates the water. Moreover, a jet is formed under the shell, which profoundly influences the hydrodynamic and structural characteristics. Compared with the completely sealed case, the velocity and displacement of the semi-sealed cylindrical shell are significantly changed upon water entry, and the deformation at the top wall is more prominent.