VORTEX DAMPING OF SLOSHING IN TANKS WITH BAFFLES

The problem of damping the sloshing in tanks with sharp-edged baffles (thin inserts which partially span a longitudinal or transverse cross- section) is considered. Separation of the boundary layer and the forma tion of vortices occur at these sharp edges. It is assumed that the do mains where there is significant vortex motion of the fluid are locali zed in small neighbourhoods of the sharp edges of the baffles. The non -linear vortex damping is determined from the distribution of the velo city intensity factors at these sharp edges in the same way as the lin ear damping, caused by the dissipation of energy in a boundary layer c lose to a wall, is determined from the fluid velocity distribution on the walls of a cavity. Both of the above-mentioned distributions are c alculated by solving the same boundary-value problem on the oscillatio ns of an ideal fluid. The second of the distributions characterizes th e singular properties of the solutions of this problem on particular l ines. A method based on the variation of the area of the baffles, whic h simplifies the calculation of the velocity intensity factors is desc ribed. The distinctive features arising when the method of finite elem ents is used are considered. The results of numerical calculations of the damping of sloshing in a cylindrical tank with a ring baffle are c ompared with experimental data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.