Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review
    Vol. 52 No. 1 (2015)   New Products & Technologies
    Technical Papers

    Application of Simulation Technology to Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System

    CHIHARU KAWAKITA
    SHINSUKE SATO
    TAKAHIRO OKIMOTO

    For the development and design of the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (hereafter MALS), which targets energy saving in ships, the utilization of simulation technology is essential. This paper describes the key technology for the development of MALS, which is CFD-based prediction technology for air bubble distribution around a hull, and also presents the frictional drag reduction effect. It also presents a prediction technology for the pressure fluctuation of a propeller that rotates in the bubbly flow, as well as a related technology for the prediction of gas-liquid separation in a sea chest that is an engine cooling water suction port. The prediction accuracy of these technologies has been verified and enhanced through verification in actual ship tests and model tests, and therefore they are used as effective development and design tools. Also in the future, MHI will continuously obtain data from the measurement results of actual ships and utilize it for the performance enhancement of MALS.