Numerical study on modelling perforated elements using porous baffle interface and porous region

The installation of scrubber onboard ships to satisfy the IMO emissions regulations is a reliable and efficient solution. However, scrubbers have considerable dimensions, interfering with other exhaust line components. Therefore, scrubber installation in the funnels requires integration with other elements, for example, silencers. Perforated pipes and plates represent the main elements of scrubber and silencers. The study of their layout is, therefore, necessary to reduce emissions and noise. Numerical simulations allow evaluating the efficiency of integrated components. This study analyses simplified methods for modelling the flow through perforated elements (i.e., porous baffle interface and porous region), searching a faster and easier way to simulate these components. The numerical simulations refer to a muffler geometry available in literature as a case study. The study highlights that velocity and pressure predicted by the simplified models have a strong correlation with the resistance coefficients. Even though the simplified models do not accurately reproduce the flow through the holes, the use of such models allows a fast and easy comparison between concurrent muffler geometries, giving aid in the early design phases. The lack of general guidelines and comparisons in the literature between different modelling strategies of perforated elements supports the novelty of the present work and its impact on design applications. Study the flow inside scrubbers and mufflers is fundamental to evaluate their performances. Therefore, having a simple numerical method is suited for industrial applications during the design process.