Estimation of the wind drift factor and uncertainty analysis based on CFD computer simulations

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this work is to present a procedure for determining the wind drift factor through two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the wind acting on a wavy sea surface, such that the subjectivity of its estimation is reduced.Design/methodology/approachThe wind drift factor was determined by two-dimensional CFD analyses with open-channel condition. The characteristic wave was determined by the Sverdrup–Munk–Bretschneider (SMB) method. The uncertainty analysis is based on convergence studies using a single parameter refinement (grid and time step).FindingsThis procedure allows the estimation of the wind drift factor in a fetch-limited domain. The domain's value in the analyzed region is 0.0519 ± 4.92% which is consistent with the upper values of the wind drift factors reported in the literature.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a three-dimensional domain was impractical with the available computational resources because of the fine mesh required for wave modeling. The uncertainty analysis consisted only of a verification procedure. Validation against real data was not possible because of the lack of measured data in the analyzed region.Originality/valueThe wind drift factor is usually estimated based on either experience or random sampling. The original contribution of this work is the presentation of a CFD procedure for estimating the wind drift factor, in which the domain inlet is subjected to a wave boundary condition and to a wind velocity.