Hydrodynamic performance of planing craft with interceptor-flap hybrid combination

Different innovative ideas on simple stern fixtures such as stern wedges, flaps, interceptors have evolved over the past few years to improve the hydrodynamic performance of high-speed vessels, including planing crafts. This paper examines the hydrodynamic performance of a planing craft fitted with an interceptor alone and also an interceptor-flap combination at its stern, and the results are compared with the case where the craft uses the interceptor alone. An interceptor-flap combination is the one where an interceptor extends vertically downward at the transom with a flap attached to its end. Different angular orientations of the flap attached to interceptor bottom end and project towards aft are considered in the present study. The effectiveness of the integrated interceptor-flap system on the hydrodynamic performance of the vessel is influenced by the angular orientation of flap to the interceptor. Experiments were carried out on a planing hull with and without interceptor in the towing tank, Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed for the planing hull fitted with an integrated interceptor and flap. The investigations look into the aspects of vessel resistance, trim and bottom pressure distribution while it operates in calm water condition and at different speeds. The results show that trim and resistance of the vessel reduce with the use of integrated interceptor-flap at the stern with the flap angle at about 4° to the horizontal and they are less compared with a case where the only interceptor is used.