Analysis of Sloshing Suppressors in Liquefied Natural Gas Carriers Tanks

Abstract

The sloshing problem has been studied in recent decades, as it causes damage to the container structure, caused by hydrodynamic loads. In our work, we show that it is possible to mitigate the action of the fluid on the structure. First, we applied Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to perform numerical simulations involving the sloshing effect in tanks used to transport Liquefied Petroleum Gas similar to the physical experiments found in the literature. Then, we added (on the container floor) to our numerical model attenuation devices to reduce the sloshing effect. Two types of sloshing suppressors were used, where two different heights are assigned and tested. In addition, we changed the deflector's morphology, leaving it in the shape of an arrow pointing upwards. The results have shown that the baffles can be efficient mechanisms for the suppression of sloshing and that there is a strong relationship between the height of the baffles and the level of fluid concerning the tank.