Numerical investigation of sloshing pressure distribution in a rectangular tank

Abstract

To clarify distribution characteristics of impact pressure induced by sloshing along the rectangular tank wall and predict the vertical position where the maximum pressure appears, this paper uses VOF method and dynamic mesh technique to simulate the sloshing in the rectangular tank and analyze the sloshing pressure under different conditions. The results show that the vertical position of the maximum sloshing pressure decreases with the increase of the impact strength when liquid does not impact the roof of the tank. The vertical position of the maximum sloshing pressure decreases with the increase of the excitation amplitude. The relationship between the vertical position of the maximum sloshing pressure and the excitation frequency presents parabola-like characteristics and the parabola opens up, which means the vertical position has the minimum value with the change of the excitation frequency, and the minimum of the vertical position occurs when the liquid in the tank near the resonance state. It also shows that the maximum sloshing pressure does not always appear at the static free surface corresponding to different filling levels. Instead, it is distributed regionally as the filling level changes.