Large-scale simulations for maneuvering submarines and propulsors

Abstract

This paper describes an emerging computational capability for physics-based flow simulation and maneuvering predictions for appended submarine/propulsor geometries. The solution methodology for the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations is summarized, including the transition of this capability from single-processor to scalable parallel computing. The current status of validation efforts for this methodology is discussed, including comparisons for appended-hull force and moment coefficients andpropulsor thrust and torque coefficients. Results are given from several simulations related to maneuvering of appended submarines with rotating propulsors. This capability will enable new complex simulations in computational naval hydrodynamics that can support the submarine design process as well as provide understanding leading to improved safety margins in submarines undergoing complicated maneuvers. To illustrate the impact of the scalable parallel code, a submarine maneuver requiring 3 million grid points and covering a distance of five hull lengths can be run in less than two days on 80 T3Eproc-essors, as compared with over four months on a single processor.

Parallel simulations for control-surface induced submarine maneuvers

“…These validation results, along with further recent predictions [2] for steady integrated forces and moments on SUBOF'F configurations at incidence and for isolated propulsor thrust and torque coefficients, provide at least some encouragement that unsteady integrated hydrodynamic forces and moments required for maneuvering of Dr:ft 10 20 Angle of (degrees) Fig. 5.…”

“…Initial progress is summarized by McDonald and Whitfield [ 11, and more recent results, including the status of validation efforts for this methodology are given by Taylor, et. al. [2]. The present maneuvering submarine study is also part of a lerger study supported by a grant of HPC time from the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center under a DOD HPC Challenge Project (Purtell [3]).…”

Evolving Computational Capability for Ship Hydrodynamics

“…RANS codes offer the possibility of computing more of the physics directly and are being pursued for submarine (Taylor et al, 1998), aircraft (Schfitte et al, 2002 and surface ship (Kim, 2001) maneuvering simulations.…”

“…Many of the calculations shown here are obtained solving the incompressible Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations using the Mississippi State University code UNCLE (Taylor, et al, 1991(Taylor, et al, ,1995. Much success has been achieved with this code and it was an important tool when its parallel version came out, Taylor et al, (1998).…”