Inhibition and hydrodynamic analysis of twin side-hulls on the porpoising instability of planing boats

Abstract

A comparative analysis of the hydrodynamic performance of a planing craft in the monomer-form state (MFS) and trimaran-form state (TFS) was performed, and the inhibition mechanism of twin side-hulls on porpoising instability was evaluated based on the numerical method. A series of drag tests were conducted on the monomer-form models with different longitudinal locations of the center of gravity (Lcg); the occurrence of porpoising and the influence of Lcg on porpoising by the model was discussed. Then, based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver and overset grid technology, numerical simulations of the model were performed, and using test data, the results were verified by incorporating the whisker spray equation of Savitsky. To determine how the porpoising is inhibited in the TFS, simulations for the craft in the MFS and TFS when porpoising were performed and the influence of side-hulls on sailing attitudes and hydrodynamic performance at different speeds were analyzed. Using the full factor design spatial sampling method, the influence of longitudinal and vertical side-hull placements on porpoising inhibition were deliberated, and the optimal side-hull location range is reported and verified on the scale of a real ship. The results indicate that the longitudinal side-hull location should be set in the ratio (a/Lm) range from 0.1 to 0.3, and vertically, the draft ratio (Dd/Tm) should be less than 0.442. Following these recommendations, porpoising instability can be inhibited, and lesser resistance can be achieved.