Modelling of liquid sloshing using CLSVOF method and very large eddy simulation

Abstract Two interface capturing methods, the volume of fluid (VOF) and the coupled level set (LS) and VOF (CLSVOF), coupled with four turbulence modelling strategies, laminar flow assumption, RANS k–e model, very large eddy simulation (VLES) and large eddy simulation (LES), are employed to simulate sloshing flows in a rectangular tank. The new VLES model is developed in this paper to overcome some of the apparent deficiencies of RANS and LES. The CLSVOF method, which combined the LS and VOF methods, was proposed by Sussman and Puckett. Two filling levels, 18.3% and 43.7%, are considered in the present analysis. Some complicated sloshing phenomena, including the plunging wave breaking, wave impact on the sidewall and the roof and the beating phenomenon can be observed in the present sloshing cases. The computational velocity fields, wave profiles and pressure data are compared with experimental results from Delorme and Souto–Iglesias. It must be emphasized that the analysis of the velocity amplitude and the free surface evolution are mainly focused on non-breaking wave and violent breaking wave, respectively. The specific objectives are: to evaluate the performance of the CLSVOF method and VLES model for modelling of liquid sloshing; (ii) to investigate the influence of interface capturing method and turbulence model on sloshing simulation results. This study will demonstrate that, contrary to the commonly held view, turbulence modelling and free surface tracking in violent and non–violent sloshing simulation play a dominant role and a secondary role, respectively.