Simulation strategy of the full-scale ship resistance and propulsion performance

Abstract

The ship powering performance can be predicted based on model tests or simulations. However, differences exist between the full-scale ship performance and extrapolated model data. Therefore, research on full-scale ship performance simulation has important scientific significance and engineering value. This study used the REGAL general cargo vessel to perform full-scale ship resistance and self-propulsion simulations for various grid numbers, time step sizes, and wall Y+ values and compared the calculation and empirical results. The resistance components, waveform, Courant–Friedrichs Lewy (CFL) number, pressure field, and wake flow field of various resistance simulation conditions were analysed. The wall Y+ value was observed to affect the capture of boundary layer flow, ship pressure field evolution, and waveform, which subsequently affect the ship resistance. A Y+ value within 200 was considered to be appropriate when simulating the powering performance of a full-scale ship. The waveform evolution was significantly affected by the time step size, which should meet the requirement that the CFL number on the free surface is less than 1. When simulating the self-propulsion of a full-scale ship based on sliding mesh, the CFL number on the interface should also be less than 1. Additionally, to obtain the correct propeller excitation force, it was recommended that the time step size be maintained below 1°/step (0.000076 LPP/v).