Objective This study aims to optimize the spatial arrangement of cylindrical vortex generators (CVGs) in order 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 compromise aircraft stability, the research provides a systematic foundation for enhancing carrier aviation performance.

Method The investigation focuses on the mechanisms by which bow CVGs and stern CVGs suppress wake turbulence, and further introduces an innovative bow–stern combined CVG configuration. To achieve this, numerical simulations are carried out using the Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) method, which integrates the strengths 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, serving as indicators of the suppression efficiency under different CVG layouts. The raw velocity time-domain data recorded at these points are then analyzed using the Power Spectral Density (PSD) method, enabling a detailed evaluation of frequency-domain characteristics and allowing comparison of suppression effects across various configurations.

Results The findings reveal that the bow CVG essentially eliminates flow separation at the bow, transforming separated flow into attached flow and increasing the airflow velocity within the separation zone by a factor of 5.3. At the same time, it reduces high-frequency components of velocity PSD in the glide-slope region by approximately 50 dB. The stern CVG, specifically targeting the glide-slope zone, is able to suppress wake fluctuations above 0.8 Hz, reducing their amplitude by 50–60 dB. When compared with the bow CVG alone, the bow–stern combined configuration achieves a superior suppression effect: 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 the 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 the bow airflow, while stern CVGs mitigate stern separation and confine wake disturbances below the glide-slope region. The combined configuration demonstrates the most comprehensive suppression capability, significantly reducing velocity PSD in the bow, landing zone, and glide-slope regions, while also enhancing the incoming flow velocity at both the bow and stern. In the glide-slope area, CVGs exhibit particularly strong suppression of high-frequency disturbances. However, achieving suppression of low-frequency wake fluctuations remains challenging, and requires 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.