Flexible CFD meshing strategy for prediction of ship resistance and propulsion performance

Abstract In the present study, we conducted resistance test, propeller open water test and self-propulsion test for a ship’s resistance and propulsion performance, using computational fluid dynamics techniques, where a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations solver was employed. For convenience of mesh generation, unstructured meshes were used in the bow and stern region of a ship, where the hull shape is formed of delicate curved surfaces. On the other hand, structured meshes were generated for the middle part of the hull and the rest of the domain, i.e., the region of relatively simple geometry. To facilitate the rotating propeller for propeller open water test and self-propulsion test, a sliding mesh technique was adopted. Free-surface effects were included by employing the volume of fluid method for multi-phase flows. The computational results were validated by comparing with the existing experimental data.