Bio-Inspired Propulsion: Towards Understanding the Role of Pectoral Fin Kinematics in Manta-like Swimming

Abstract

Through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a model manta ray body, the hydrodynamic role of manta-like bioinspired flapping is investigated. The manta ray model motion is reconstructed from synchronized high-resolution videos of manta ray swimming. Rotation angles of the model skeletal joints are altered to scale the pitching and bending, resulting in eight models with different pectoral fin pitching and bending ratios. Simulations are performed using an in-house developed immersed boundary method-based numerical solver. Pectoral fin pitching ratio (PR) is found to have significant implications in the thrust and efficiency of the manta model. This occurs due to more optimal vortex formation and shedding caused by the lower pitching ratio. Leading edge vortexes (LEVs) formed on the bottom of the fin, a characteristic of the higher PR cases, produced parasitic low pressure that hinders thrust force. Lowering the PR reduces the influence of this vortex while another LEV that forms on the top surface of the fin strengthens it. A moderately high bending ratio (BR) can slightly reduce power consumption. Finally, by combining a moderately high BR = 0.83 with PR = 0.67, further performance improvements can be made. This enhanced understanding of manta-inspired propulsive mechanics fills a gap in our understanding of the manta-like mobuliform locomotion. This motivates a new generation of manta-inspired robots that can mimic the high speed and efficiency of their biological counterpart.

Wing Kinematics and Unsteady Aerodynamics of a Hummingbird Pure Yawing Maneuver

“…The hummingbird’s maneuvering flight was reconstructed using a joint-based hierarchical surface subdivision method. This method of reconstructing biological motion has been implemented in previous studies of tuna finlets and manta ray flapping, models that feature complex biological bodies and membranes [ 33 , 34 ]. The details about this method of reconstruction and its accuracy can be found in Koehler et al [ 35 ].…”

Biomimetic Research for Applications Addressing Technical Environmental Protection

“…The topics covered by this research vary [ 1 , 4 , 5 ] showing the broad impact that biomimetics may have on various sectors and branches of society, from technology-oriented science and business innovation, to the economy at large [ 6 , 7 ]. Recent advances in the field deal with, among others, materials and surface technologies [ 8 , 9 ], fluid dynamics and robotics [ 10 , 11 ] and architecture [ 12 ].…”

Hydrodynamics of a swimming batoid fish at Reynolds numbers up to 148 000

“…Vortices at Re = 1480 are not displayed here because their simple topology has been clearly shown in figure 9. The spanwise vorticity has been known to have a thick boundary and is hard to separate at low Reynolds number simulations (Zhang et al 2018;Menzer et al 2022). At Re = 14 800, the primary structures are large-scale structures, e.g.…”