Prediction of Shallow Water Resistance for a New Ship Model Using CFD Simulation: Case Study Container Barge

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The importance of ship hydrodynamic parameters has increased since the advent of power-driven vessels in the 19th century. The required power for the propulsion unit depends on the ship resistance and speed. There are three approaches for the assessment of ship resistance: analytical methods, model tests in basins, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The rapid developments in computers and computational methods increased the opportunities for CFD to be used in the ship design process. The present article aims at simulating ship resistance in shallow water using ANSYS-Fluent software package, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. As a case study, a container barge operated in the river Nile is investigated. The results show the wave pattern in the subcritical, critical and supercritical regions. In addition, the total resistance/drag is calculated at various ship speeds in shallow water using CFD and compared with the calculated deep water resistance. Finally, the calculated drag results from the CFD analysis are compared with that of the standard Schlichting method. 1. Introduction Inland waterway transport plays an important role for the transport of goods all over the world especially along the river Nile's sides. Moreover, transportation substantially shapes the growth and development of countries. To sustain and enhance the economic growth and vitality, as well as productivity of commerce, a healthy and responsive transportation system is essential. The ability of barge transport to efficiently carry large cargo volumes through long distances makes it a fuel efficient and environmentally friendly means of transport (Wiegmans & Konings 2017). The inland water units' dimensions have to comply with the existing waterway infrastructure, reduced length, breadth, and draught, according to the locks and bridges. Also the hull and cargo hold structures must comply with the national and international rules for safety inland navigation (Pacuraru & Domnisoru 2017).