CFD analysis of hydrodynamic penalties caused by hull-mounted sacrificial anodes and their associated scale effects

• Established the significance of scale effects on anodes' hydrodynamic effects by comparing model and full-scale CFD. • Quantified local and global drag penalties for four anode configurations in full-ship contexts. • Elucidated anode-induced resistance mechanisms, focusing on their interaction with boundary layer. • Proposed a streamline-aligned anode arrangement that mitigates parasitic drag compared to conventional strategies. • Developed an overall evaluation criterion to assess the hydrodynamic effects of sacrificial anodes on ship performance.