Browsing by Author "Somero, John Ryan"
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- Computational Simulations of a Non-body of Revolution Ellipsoidal Model Utilizing RANSSomero, John Ryan (Virginia Tech, 2010-08-06)The ability of Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) models to predict the characteristics of a non-Body of Revolution (non-BOR) Ellipsoidal model is studied to establish the feasibility of utilizing RANS as a non-BOR concept design tool. Data unable to be obtained experimentally, such as streamwise and spanwise pressure gradients and yaw turn boundary layer characteristics, are also established. A range of conditions are studied including ahead, pitched up, steady 10 and 15 degree yaw turns, and unsteady 10 and 15 degree yaw turns. Simulation results show good agreement for ahead and pitched forces and moments. Straight ahead skin friction values also showed good agreement, providing even improved agreement over an LES model which utilized wall functions. Yaw turn conditions also showed good agreement for roll angles up to 10 degrees. Steady maneuvering forces and moments showed good agreement up to 10 degrees roll and separation calculations also showed good agreement up to 10 degrees roll. Unsteady maneuvering characteristics showed mixed results, with the normal force and pitching moment trends generally agreeing with experimental data, whereas the unsteady rolling moment did not tend to follow experimental trends. Two primary conditions, the change in curvature between the mid-body and elliptical ends and the accuracy of modeling of 3D flows with RANS, are discussed as sources of discrepancies between the experimental data and steady simulations greater than 10 degrees roll and unsteady rolling simulations.
- Structure and Persistence of Surface Ship WakesSomero, John Ryan (Virginia Tech, 2021-01-20)It has long been known that ship wakes are observable by synthetic aperture radar. However, incomplete physical understanding has prevented the development of simulation tools that can predict both the structure and persistence of wakes in the ocean environment. It is the focus of this work to develop an end-to-end multi-scale modeling-and-simulation methodology that captures the known physics between the source of disturbance and the sensor. This includes turbulent hydrodynamics, free-surface effects, environmental forcing through Langmuir-type circulations, generation of surface currents and redistribution of surface-active substances, surface-roughness modification, and simulation of the signature generated by reflection and scattering of electromagnetic waves from the ocean surface. The end-to-end methodology is based upon several customized computational fluid dynamics solvers and empirical models which are linked together. The unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, including models for the Craik-Leibovich vortex force and near surface Reynolds-stress anisotropy, are solved at full-scale Reynolds and Froude numbers on domains that extend tens of kilometers behind the ship. A parametric study is undertaken to explore the effects of ship heading, ship propulsion, ocean-wave amplitude and wavelength, and the relative importance of Langmuir-type circulations vs. near-surface Reynolds-stress anisotropy on the generation of surface currents that are transverse to the wake centerline. Due to the vortex force, the structure of the persistent wake is shown to be a function of the relative angle between the ambient long-wavelength swell and the ship heading. Ships operating in head seas observe 1-3 streaks, while ships operating in following seas observe 2 symmetric streaks. Ships operating in calm seas generate similar wakes to those in following seas, but with reduced wake width and persistence. In addition to the structure of the persistent wake, the far wake is shown to be dominated by ship-induced turbulence and surface-current gradients generating a wide center wake. The redistribution of surface-active substances by surface currents is simulated using a scalar-transport model on the ocean surface. Simulation of surface-roughness modification is accomplished by solving a wave-action balance model which accounts for the relative change in the ambient wave-spectrum by the surface currents and the damping-effects of surface-active substances and turbulence. Simulated returns from synthetic aperture radar are generated with two methods implemented. The first method generates a perfect SAR image where the instrument and platform based errors are neglected, but the impact of a randomized ocean field on the radar cross section is considered. The second method simulates the full SAR process including signal detection and processing. Comparisons are made to full-scale field experiments with good agreement between the structure of the persistent wake and observed SAR imagery.