Research on sloshing characteristics for liquefied iron ore and size optimization of anti-sloshing baffle based on data-driven models

Abstract

The impact of liquefied cargo sloshing on the safety of ship navigation has increased significantly in recent years. Implementing anti-sloshing baffles is an effective measure to mitigate the risk. However, the sloshing characteristics of liquefied iron ore should be addressed firstly. This paper employs a model experiment methodology using Carbomer 940 solution to simulate liquefied iron ore, given its similar rheological properties. The study examines the effects of filling level, excitation frequency and amplitude on the sloshing behavior. The sloshing characteristics were summarized. To determine the optimal size of the anti-sloshing baffle, a data-driven approach is utilized. Featuring motion period, baffle length, and baffle width as input variables, with impact pressure and center of gravity displacement as output variables, different prediction modes were established. The BPNN model demonstrates excellent generalization performance and identifies an optimal baffle size of 201.6 mm in length and 480 mm in width. This configuration reduces cargo gravity center displacement by 23.3 % compared to scenarios without baffles. This research not only fills a critical gap in the design of anti-sloshing devices for iron ore cargo ships but also provides a robust methodology for optimizing baffle sizes using advanced data-driven techniques.