Application of Reynolds-stress transport models to stern and wake flows

The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved to assess the importance of the turbulence model in the prediction of ship stern and wake flows. Solutions are obtained with a two-equation scalar turbulence model and a seven-equation Reynolds-stress tensor model, both of which resolve the flow up to the wall, holding invariant all aspects of the numerical method, including solution domain, initial and boundary conditions, and grid topology and density. Calculations are carried out for two tanker forms used as test cases at recent workshops, and solutions are compared with each other and with experimental data. The comparisons reveal that the Reynolds-stress model accurately predicts most of the experimentally observed flow features in the stern and near-wake regions whereas the two-equation model predicts only the overall qualitative trends. In particular, solutions with the Reynolds-stress model clarify the origin of the stern vortex.