Airbus Nova Horizon workshop team project
Sloshing CFD: comparing tank configurations.
Multiphase analysis in ANSYS Fluent, with the resulting load envelopes connected to the wider vehicle analysis.
The design question
In the Airbus Nova Horizon workshop team project, I led the sloshing analysis subteam. We investigated a cylindrical tank configuration with a waist constriction and perforated baffles, comparing its pressure fluctuations with those of a baseline geometry.
Illustrative cross-sections showing the features investigated. The diagram is schematic and does not reproduce the project’s CAD geometry or a CFD solution.
My analysis work
I used multiphase CFD in ANSYS Fluent to compare the configurations. My focus was the effect of the geometry on pressure fluctuations and the loads that needed to be communicated to the wider project.
Use the baseline as the reference for the tank concept.
Assess the change in pressure fluctuations in the simulated cases.
Coordinate the results with the vehicle-level analysis.
The simulated comparison
The reduction is relative to the baseline configuration under the conditions simulated in the project.
The result gave the team a numerical basis for comparing the tank configurations. Its relevance comes from the link between the pressure behavior and the loads used elsewhere in the design.
Connecting an analysis to the rest of the vehicle
I coordinated the integration of the resulting load envelopes into the vehicle-level analysis. That required thinking about what the other teams needed from the CFD work, rather than treating the simulation as a standalone output.
Leading the subteam also meant keeping the analysis work aligned with the broader project. I enjoyed that combination of a focused technical task and its connection to the overall design.
What I took from the project
The project gave me experience in multiphase CFD and in using a simulated comparison to support a design discussion. The 32.7% result refers to the modeled configurations and conditions; it is a simulation result, with the scope that implies.
My ANSYS experience in this project is with Fluent for CFD and sloshing. It strengthened the analysis side of my profile alongside my electronics and systems work.