Research on the flow characteristics of the bulk carrier wake field based on particle image velocimetry

The wake field has three-dimensional flow separation characteristics, affecting various ship performances. The research on the characteristics of the wake field can provide theoretical guidance for the formation of new ship design methods and provide an understanding of flow mechanisms for improving ship performance. To explore the flow mechanism of the wake field, particle image velocimetry was used to carry out the detailed flow measurement of bulk carriers. First, the experimental uncertainty and convergence are analyzed. Then, the spatial distribution characteristics of the time-averaged field, instantaneous field, and turbulent flow statistics are discussed in detail, and a criterion for discriminating turbulent anisotropy is proposed. The results show that the vortex structure significantly affects flow characteristics, and the axial velocity contours present a U-form distribution with prominent “hook-like” features. Compared with the time-averaged velocity field, the instantaneous velocity field is chaotic and has multiple additional vortex structures, and the velocity contours and streamlines have prominent non-smooth characteristics. The wake field has an apparent double vortex structure, and the aggregation of many small vortices forms the bilge vortex. The instantaneous rotation characteristics of vortices in the wake field are highly time-dependent and fluctuate with time. The turbulent kinetic energy, the root mean square of fluctuation velocity, and the Reynolds stress have a U-form distribution. The U-form region is concentrated in the area with a large gradient. The wake distribution is in a state of turbulent anisotropy, and the kinetic energy change layer and low kinetic energy region have a low turbulent anisotropy.