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The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the prediction of internal loads on liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker ships and on offshore platforms. We use the moving grid approach and a finite volume solution method designed to allow for arbitrary ship motion. The motion of liquid is computed using an interface-capturing scheme which allows overturning and breaking waves. By performing a coupled simulation of the flow and vessel motion, it is possible to obtain a realistic response of the liquid in a tank to external excitation, e.g. by sea waves. Results are first presented for an LNG tanks whose motion is prescribed in accordance with planned laboratory experiments. Both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulations are performed. The aim is to demonstrate that 1) realistic loads can be predicted using grids of moderate fineness, 2) the numerical method is able to accurately resolve the free surface even when severe fragmentation occurs, and 3) long-term simulations over many oscillation periods are possible without numerical mixing of liquid and gas. The plausibility of a coupled simulation of both vessel motion and the flow inside tanks and outside the vessel is then demonstrated for a full-size ship with partially-filled tanks exposed to head waves. In this simulation the forces and moments exerted by the sea cause the vessel to move, exciting the sloshing of liquid in tanks. For the computation of vessel motion, both sea-induced forces and forces due to sloshing in tanks are taken into account when determining the resultant forces and moments. While there are no experimental data for comparison at this time, the results look plausible and encourage further validation and application studies.

The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the application of a procedure to predict internal sloshing loads on partially filled tank walls of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers that are subject to the action of sea waves. The method is numerical. We used a moving grid approach and a finite-volume solution method designed to allow for arbitrary ship motions. An interface-capturing scheme that accounts for overturning and breaking waves computed the motion of liquid inside the tanks. The method suppressed numerical mixing. Mixing effects close to the interface were buried in the numerical treatment of the interface. This interface, which was at least one cell wide, amounted to about 20–50 cm at full scale. Droplets and bubbles smaller than mesh size were not resolved. Tank walls were considered rigid. The results are first presented for an LNG tank whose motion was prescribed in accordance with planned laboratory experiments. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional simulations were performed. The aim was to demonstrate that (1) realistic loads can be predicted using grids of moderate fineness, (2) the numerical method accurately resolves the free surface even when severe fragmentation occurs, and (3) long-term simulations over many oscillation periods are possible without numerical mixing of liquid and gas. The coupled simulation of a sea-going full-sized LNG tanker with partially filled tanks demonstrated the plausibility of this approach. Comparative experimental data were unavailable for validation; however, results were plausible and encouraged further validation.

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Lifeboats are important for safety of passengers and crew on floating vessels and offshore platforms. They need to be designed so that evacuation can be performed quickly and safely in case of emergency. This requires that the lifeboat is not damaged during water entry, that it moves afterwards away from the dangerous area, and that accelerations experienced by occupants do not exceed allowable limits. In this paper, the use of numerical simulation is proposed as a tool for design and optimization of lifeboats. While experimental studies will still be needed to validate the final design, the use of simulation can greatly increase the number of parameters relevant for structural integrity and wellbeing of occupants that can be studied in the design process. In a simulation, full size and realistic operating conditions can be realized, and the computational effort is affordable even for a small design group. The comparisons with experimental data performed so far indicate that the accuracy of simulation is comparable to that of an experiment.