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NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF HULL SEPARATION EFFECTS ON FULL-SCALE CATAMARAN HYDRODYNAMICS
Abstract
Catamarans are widely used in marine transport due to their advantages in stability and speed. However, their hydrodynamic performance is affected by the interaction between the two hulls, which creates complex interference phenomena influencing resistance and fuel consumption. Understanding and quantifying these interference effects is essential for optimizing catamaran, a key factor not only for operational efficiency and emissions reduction but also for achieving climate-resilient, energy-efficient marine transport. This has broader environmental implications, including potential benefits for shoreline stability and the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems, particularly in sensitive inland and nearshore waters. This study investigates the influence of hull separation distance on hydrodynamic interference for a full-scale catamaran in calm water conditions. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations and implemented using Fidelity Fine Marine-s ISIS-CFD solver, were employed to analyze the flow around both catamaran and monohull configurations. Numerical simulations were conducted across seven speeds, corresponding to Froude numbers ranging from 0.2 to 0.8, with eight different hull spacing ratios (s/Lpp) varying between 0.15 and 0.5. The influence of hull separation on hydrodynamic performance was assessed through comparisons with the monohull configuration. Key parameters such as wave and viscous resistance coefficients, sinkage, and trim were analyzed. Wave and viscous interference factors were determined, alongside detailed wave topology and wave profile visualizations. Results demonstrate that catamaran wave resistance is dependent on hull spacing, especially within the Froude number range of 0.4 to 0.6. An optimal separation distance ratio of s/Lpp = 0.35 was identified, minimizing resistance effects.
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