Abstract
The dynamics of the flow inside a U-shaped ballast tank in the presence of baffles and air vents is investigated. The objective is to form a better understanding of the flow dynamics during operational conditions and to better predict the expected discharge rate of water through the tank vent system, particularly when the tank is nearly full. Simplified empirical and computational methods are combined to develop efficient models which capture the important physical effects for predicting flow behavior in the tank. The importance of dynamic effects, girder plating, and the vent system on the flow discharge rate is investigated. It is shown that the present models can help in understanding flow discharge mechanisms in ballast tanks and hence have potential for optimizing the planning and monitoring efforts needed onboard.