Application of Numerical Simulation for Analysis of Sinking Characteristics of Purse Seine

This study applies the mass-spring system to model the dynamic behavior of a submerged net panel similar to the shooting process in actual purse seine fishing operation. Modeling indicates that there is insufficient stretching with the net panel under the floatline in the prophase of the shooting process. Sinkers at different locations along the leadline descend successively after submergence, and the sinking speed decreases gradually with elapsed time until attainment of a stable state. Designs with different current speeds and sinker weights are executed to determine the dimensional shape and sinking characteristics of the net. The net rigged with greater sinker weight gains significantly greater sinking depth without water flow. Compared with the vertical spread of the net wall in static water, the middle part of the netting presents a larger displacement along the direction of current under flow condition. It follows that considerable deformation of the netting occurs with higher current speed as the sinkers affected by hydrodynamic force drift in the direction of current. The numerical model is verified by a comparison between simulated results and sea measurements. The calculated values generally coincide with the observed ones, with the former being slightly higher than the latter. This study provides an implicit algorithm which saves computational loads for enormous systems such as purse seines, and ensures the accuracy and stability of numerical solutions in a repetitious iteration process.