Damping effects of dual vertical baffles on coupled surge-pitch sloshing in three-dimensional tanks: A numerical investigation

Present work aims to explore the inhibiting effects of dual vertical baffles (DVBs) on the coupled surge-pitch sloshing, and the wave behaviour and hydrodynamic load are parametrically identified by applying an in-house Navier-Stokes solver. After sufficient validations, the numerical model is then used to study the coupled surge-pitch sloshing where both surge and pitch are at the first-order resonance. The presentence of resonant pitch can dramatically reinforce the wave intensity of the surge-excited sloshing and cause heavy eccentric load, and special attention should be paid to the tank toe due to the remarkable pressure amplification. To lessen the adverse effect, the DVBs with various heights and widths are equipped in the middle of the tank length. It is found that they can shrink water into the spacing between the DVBs, then create pairs of strong vortices around the sharper tips of the DVBs to dissipate wave energy, and also block the movement of fluid at both baffle sides by separating the fluid domain into two compartments which thus yields less fluid bias. The increase of baffle width can lead to a decrease in the wave amplitude, pressure response as well as fluid bias; and the emersed DVBs are more effective than the submerged ones.