Title:
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Hydrodynamics analysis of air supported vessels
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In recent years, the Air Supported Vessels (ASVs) has received some interest due to
increasing oil prices and the stricter regulations on emissions. The ASVs have the
potential of reducing fuel consumption with less drag by adopting air cavity
underneath its hull surface. Research so far has been mainly focused on the
mechanism and effectiveness of the air cavity for drag reduction, i.e., the resistance
in calm water condition. Other hydrodynamic performances of the ASVs are rarely
studied.
In this thesis, it is attempted to address some of the other hydrodynamic problems for
the ASV, namely, wash wave field, motion response in waves and the stability. New
mathematical models have been proposed to tackle these problems. The models
cover the steady flow, frequency domain analysis (seakeeping) and time domain
analysis (the dynamic stability). Emphases are placed on numerical calculation of the
flow field generated by the excess pressure inside the cavity.
Although the analytic expressions of the potential flow field by a pressure patch
moving on the free surface are well known, the numerical calculations remain
challenging. The singularities and highly oscillatory behaviour of the velocity
potentials and the free surface elevations will cause numerical instability problem. In
this study, new numerical schemes are proposed and the irregularities have been
successfully removed.
A number of case studies have been carried out to verify the proposed mathematical
models and numerical methods. Satisfactory agreements have been found as far as
there are other computations or measurements for comparison; or reasonable results
are obtained. It is expected that the mathematical model, the numerical methods and
tools established in the present study can be a supplementary means for developing
the ASV at both design and operational stages.
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