Vortex damping of sloshing in tanks with baffles

The problem of damping the sloshing in tanks with sharp-edged baffles (thin inserts which partially span a longitudinal or transverse cross-section) is considered. Separation of the boundary layer and the formation of vortices occur at these sharp edges. It is assumed that the domains where there is significant vortex motion of the fluid are localized in small neighbourhoods of the sharp edges of the baffles. The non-linear vortex damping is determined from the distribution of the velocity intensity factors at these sharp edges in the same way as the linear damping, caused by the dissipation of energy in a boundary layer close to a wall, is determined from the fluid velocity distribution on the walls of a cavity. Both of the above-mentioned distributions are calculated by solving the same boundary-value problem on the oscillations of an ideal fluid. The second of the distributions characterizes the singular properties of the solutions of this problem on particular lines. A method based on the variation of the area of the baffles, which simplifies the calculation of the velocity intensity factors is described. The distinctive features arising when the method of finite elements is used are considered. The results of numerical calculations of the damping of sloshing in a cylindrical tank with a ring baffle are compared with experimental data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.