CFD Study on the Hydrodynamics of a Submarine Model Operating Near a Free-Surface

Abstract

This paper investigates the hydrodynamic performance of a model scale submarine operating near the free surface using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The RANS approach has been adopted to model the flow around the submerged body. The resistance predictions of the submarine model validated against available experimental data, and then the variation of the acting forces on the submarine was investigated in a constant submergence depth. The results were presented in terms of drag coefficient, flow field visualizations and the free surface deformations, for the better understanding of the hydrodynamics of the submarine at near surface operation.