An unstructured mesh method for numerical simulation of violent sloshing flows

An unstructured mesh Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver has been developed for numerical simulation of violent sloshing flows inside a tank with complicated inner structures. The numerical solver employs the unstructured multi-dimensional tangent hyperbolic interface capturing method (UMTHINC) for free-surface capturing combined with various turbulence models. The sloshing motion is numerically modeled using the body-force method which introduces a source term into the momentum equation corresponding to the tank motion profile. Numerical simulations of the tank sloshing problems are performed for different test cases with various oscillation frequencies. The performance of the interface capturing method has been discussed and the effect of turbulence model choice on loading predictions is highlighted by studying several RANS models and analyzing its effect on fluid motion and impact pressure. Numerical simulations of the sloshing inside the tank with a vertical baffle has also been conducted and a discussion is provided on different numerical treatment of the baffle.