Numerical simulation of sloshing with floating baffles using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract The rising demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) has made membrane-type LNG tanks popular due to their effectiveness in reducing sloshing effects. However, incidents involving free surface effects during voyages still occur. This study examines the impact of floating baffles on sloshing waves under force oscillation conditions, including coupled motions (sway and rolling) to represent actual ship tank scenarios. Tanks were filled to 25% ratios to assess the free surface effects. The baffle height was adjusted based on previous research, targeting a ratio of ≥ 0.75 between the baffle’s vertical distance and the water surface height. Simulations were performed using mesh-free CFD, i.e., Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), a mesh-free method for handling large fluid deformations and violent flows. The results show that floating baffles can mitigate and worsen sloshing effects, depending on conditions, as evidenced by wave height, hydrostatic pressure, and dynamic pressure measurements within the tank.