Objective This study aims to optimize the spatial arrangement of columnar vortex generators (CVGs) to suppress ship wake turbulence, thereby improving both the safety and precision of carrier-based aircraft during takeoff and landing operations. By addressing wake flow disturbances that affect aircraft stability, the research provides a systematic foundation for enhancing carrier aviation performance.

Method This investigation examines the mechanisms by which bow and stern CVGs suppress wake turbulence and introduces an innovative combined bow-and-stern CVG configuration. Numerical simulations are conducted using the detached eddy simulation (DES) method, which combines the advantages of large eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approaches to capture both large-scale unsteady structures and time-averaged flow behaviors. Velocity monitoring points are strategically deployed at key positions around the ship to capture the fluctuation intensity of wake flows, which serve as indicators of suppression efficiency for different CVG configurations. The raw velocity time-domain data collected at these points are then analyzed using the power spectral density (PSD) method, enabling a detailed assessment of frequency-domain characteristics and facilitating comparison of suppression effects across various configurations.

Results The findings indicate that the bow CVG effectively eliminates flow separation at the bow, converting separated flow into attached flow and increasing airflow velocity within the separation zone by a factor of 5.3. Additionally, it reduces the high-frequency components of velocity PSD in the glide-slope region by approximately 50 dB. The stern CVG, which specifically targets the glide-slope zone, suppresses wake fluctuations above 0.8 Hz, reducing their amplitude by 50–60 dB. When compared with the bow CVG alone, the combined bow-and-stern CVG configuration delivers superior suppression performance: it reduces velocity PSD at monitoring points 5 and 6 by around 30 dB for frequencies below 0.8 Hz and by 50–60 dB for frequencies above 0.8 Hz, while simultaneously increasing incoming flow velocity by 18.3%.

Conclusion Overall, bow CVGs are effective in converting separated bow flows into attached flows and in suppressing upward deflection of bow airflow, while stern CVGs reduce stern separation and limit wake disturbances below the glide-slope region. The combined bow-and-stern CVG configuration demonstrates the most comprehensive suppression capability, significantly reducing velocity PSD in the bow, landing zone, and glide-slope regions, while also enhancing incoming flow velocity at both the bow and stern. In the glide-slope area, CVGs exhibit particularly strong suppression of high-frequency disturbances. However, suppressing low-frequency wake fluctuations remains challenging, requiring further optimization of CVG placement or adjustments to their geometric parameters. These findings highlight the potential of combined CVG layouts as an effective strategy for wake control, contributing to safer and more reliable carrier-based flight operations.