Numerical Investigation of Sloshing in Rectangular Tank with Permeable Baffle

Abstract

Violent sloshing induced by excitation with large amplitudes or resonant frequencies may result in structural damage of the liquid-tank or even the overturning of the liquid cargo transport system. Therefore, impermeable and permeable vertical baffles were investigated numerically to suppress sloshing. The numerical simulations were based on the finite element method and arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method. The numerical model was verified by the available experimental data, numerical results and linear theoretical results. Based on the study of the effects of impermeable baffle height, amplitude and frequency of excitation on sloshing, the effects of baffle permeability on sloshing were investigated. Importantly, a critical permeability coefficient that was most effective to suppress sloshing was found. In addition, the maximum flow velocities in the tank with a baffle of small permeability coefficient were smaller than those in the tank with an impermeable baffle. While, the maximum flow velocities under a baffle of large permeability coefficient were larger than those in the tank with an impermeable baffle. Vortices were observed in the whole region of the baffle, tank bottom, tank walls and the free surface in the tank with a permeable baffle.