Numerical Investigation of Flow Field Characteristics around Two Ship Hull Sections with Different Reynolds Numbers

Abstract

In the field of ocean engineering, the variation of flow field during ship-to-ship (STS) interaction has been a hot topic. Noteworthy, the effect of vortex distribution on flow field characteristic variations during STS interaction remains insufficiently researched. This study modifies the RNG k-ε model using the OpenFOAM platform and verifies its reliability by comparing it with literature data. Subsequently, extended research is conducted to investigate the flow field characteristics of two different ship hull sections under different Reynolds numbers (Re=68,000 and Re=6800), analyzing velocity components, vortex distribution, and trends in pressure and turbulent kinetic energy fields relative to the vortex field. The research reveals that Re primarily governs changes in upstream and downstream flow fields, while in the gap field, the variation in flow field characteristics is more constrained by geometry and boundary conditions. This research provides a valuable reference for assessing flow field characteristics in STS interactions.