Effects of appendages on the turbulence and flow noise of a submarine model using high-order scheme

Abstract

This study employs high-fidelity numerical simulations to investigate the influence of appendages on the turbulent flow dynamics and far-field acoustic radiation of the SUBOFF submarine model at a Reynolds number of Re = 1.2*10^7. Utilizing a third-order numerical scheme combined with wall-modeled large eddy simulation (WMLES) and the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic analogy, the hydrodynamic and acoustic behaviors of an appended SUBOFF configuration are compared to those of a bare hull. A computational grid of 103 million cells resolves the intricate flow interactions, while 648 hydrophones positioned 500 diameters from the model capture far-field acoustic signatures. Key results reveal that appendages significantly amplify hydrodynamic and acoustic disturbances. Flow separations and vortex shedding at appendage junctions elevate pressure-induced drag contributions, contrasting the viscous-dominated drag of the bare hull. The sail-hull interaction intensifies local surface pressure fluctuations, increasing power spectral density (PSD) amplitudes by up to an order of magnitude. In the far field, the appended SUBOFF generates sound pressure levels approximately 20 dB higher than the bare hull, with distinct dipole directivity patterns and peak noise levels (85.10 dB) observed on the central plane. Appendages also disrupt wake symmetry, introducing complex vortical structures such as horseshoe and necklace vortices. These findings demonstrate the critical influence of appendages on hydrodynamic and acoustic behavior, filling a gap in turbulence noise research for complex underwater geometries and providing a vital foundation for the noise reduction optimization of advanced underwater vehicles.