Numerical research on hydrodynamic characteristics of fish-like flexible oscillating hydrofoil

Abstract

Hydrofoil is a common structure of underwater machinery and has good hydrodynamic performance. At present, most of the studies on oscillating hydrofoils are on rigid hydrofoils, but few on hydrodynamics of flexible oscillating hydrofoils. In this paper, the kinetic model of flexible hydrofoil is established by imitating tuna swimming. Then the relationship between the hydrodynamic coefficients and the flexibility of hydrofoil was analyzed. At last, the effects of the pressure distribution and the vortex distribution on the thrust of the flexible hydrofoil were analyzed. The research will do favor in the fish-like propulsor design.