A Numerical Study of Flow Past a Wall-Mounted Dolphin Dorsal Fin at Low Reynolds Numbers

Abstract

Dolphin swimming has been a captivating subject, yet the dorsal fin’s hydrodynamics remain underexplored. In this study, we conducted three-dimensional simulations of flow around a wall-mounted dolphin dorsal fin derived from a real dolphin scan. The NEK5000 (spectral element method) was employed with a second-order hex20 mesh to ensure high simulation accuracy and efficiency. A total of 13 cases were simulated, covering angles of attack (AoAs) ranging from 0° to 60° and Reynolds numbers (Re) between 691 and 2000. Our results show that both drag and lift increase significantly with the AoA. Almost no vortex was observed at AoA=0°, whereas complex vortex structures emerged for AoA≥30°, including half-horseshoe, hairpin, arch, and wake vortices. This study offers insights that can inform the design of next-generation underwater robots, heat exchangers, and submarine sails.