HSSL - EREA Project Benchmark Analysis of A Frigate's Flow Field Using A RANS Approach

Abstract

Helicopter ship platform landing demands an intense workload from the pilot as they negotiate the ship's unsteady airwake coupled with the natural oscillation induced by sea motion. This report comprises of a benchmark study in which numerical methods are used to evaluate the flow field induced by a generic frigate configuration. The Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations (RANS) combined with the Menter SST turbulence model are applied alongside preconditioning and an atmospheric boundary layer to evaluate flow conditions at two reference velocities for six wind over deck angles (WOD). The solutions were validated using experimental dara provided by ONERA. Direct comparison as well as quantitative analysis was performed using PIV measurements in the landing deck's symmetry plane highlighting an effectiveness at predicting general flow field characteristics at low WOD angles. Similarly, the computed surface pressure distribution across the landing deck is evaluated alongside experimental pressure recordings, further highlighting the computational ability and limitations depending on WOD angle.