CFD-CSD coupled analysis of underwater propulsion using a biomimetic fin-and-joint system. (30th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chung, Howard; Cao, Shunxiang; Philen, Michael; Beran, Philip S.; Wang, Kevin G.
• Is Part Of: Computers & fluids. Volume 172(2018)
• Page Start: 54
• Page End: 66
• Publication Date: 2018-08-30
• Subjects: Fluid-structure interaction -- CFD-CSD coupled simulation -- Biomimicry -- Unconventional propulsor -- Experimental validation; Fluid dynamics -- Data processing -- Periodicals; 532.050285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2018.06.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-7930

Abstract

Highlights: 3D, two-way fluid-structure coupled simulations of flexible, fin-and-joint systems. Simulation result agrees with experimental data. Nonlinear structural kinematics leads to "phase lag". Reverse von Karman street on the mid-width plane; von Karman street near the two edges. Comparison of a truncated fin and a forked fin. Abstract: The remarkable performance of various species of fish in propulsion and maneuvering has motivated the design and analysis of flexible, biomimetic underwater propulsors, which may be particularly suitable to small-scale, unmanned vehicles. In this work, we employ a novel fluid-structure coupled computational framework, referred to as FIVER (a FInite Volume method based on Exact Riemann solvers), to simulate the flapping motion of a fin-and-joint system, which mimics the caudal peduncle and caudal fin of fish, and serves as a simplified engineering model of tail-dominated fish propulsion. This problem is dominated by fluid-structure interaction, featuring a three-dimensional, unsteady fluid flow, large structural motion and deformation, and strong added-mass effect. To handle these challenges, we apply an embedded boundary method and a numerically-stable partitioned procedure to couple a hybrid finite volume – finite element computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver and a nonlinear finite element computational structural dynamics (CSD) solver. First, we validate the CFD and CSD models using experimental data in fundamental vibration frequency, hydrodynamic forces, and structural displacement. Next, we investigate the fluid and structural dynamics, as well as the propulsive performance, focusing on the two-way fluid-structure coupling and the three-dimensional flow variation, which supplements the existing body of literature on biological and bio-inspired fluid dynamics. Further, by comparing a wide, trapezoidal fin and a narrow, forked fin, we investigate the various effects of fin geometry, and more generally, also demonstrate the use of observations and knowledge of biological diversity in the design of engineering systems.