Numerical Investigation of Internal Solitary Wave Forces on Submarines in Continuously Stratified Fluids

Abstract

A numerical model of internal solitary waves in continuously stratified fluids is developed by introducing a density transport equation to the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equation and adopting the fully nonlinear models of the Dubreil-Jacotin-Long equation to obtain the initial field of the ISW. The corresponding turbulence model has also been modified to ensure that it considers the variable density field. Comparisons between numerical simulation results and experimental results show that the total resistance, the nondimensional pressure coefficient, and the nondimensional friction coefficient for the standard submarine model proposed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under different flow field conditions are highly consistent with the experimental results. The model established is used to numerically analyse the forces and moments of the standard submarine model encountering ISWs at different submergence depths. The influence of the rotation centre position on the moment is discussed, and the position range of the optimal rotation centre is proposed.