Verification of CFD analysis methods for predicting the drag force and thrust power of an underwater disk robot

Abstract

This paper examines the suitability of using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools, ANSYS-CFX, as an initial analysis tool for predicting the drag and propulsion performance (thrust and torque) of a concept underwater vehicle design. In order to select an appropriate thruster that will achieve the required speed of the Underwater Disk Robot (UDR), the ANSYS-CFX tools were used to predict the drag force of the UDR. Vertical Planar Motion Mechanism (VPMM) test simulations (i.e. pure heaving and pure pitching motion) by CFD motion analysis were carried out with the CFD software. The CFD results reveal the distribution of hydrodynamic values (velocity, pressure, etc.) of the UDR for these motion studies. Finally, CFD bollard pull test simulations were performed and compared with the experimental bollard pull test results conducted in a model basin. The experimental results confirm the suitability of using the ANSYS-CFX tools for predicting the behavior of concept vehicles early on in their design process.

Utilization of Open-Source OpenFOAM Code to Examine the Hydrodynamic Characteristics of a Linear Jet Propulsion System with or without Stator in Bollard Pull Condition

“…Meanwhile, one of the most important parameters that is measured in the bollard pull simulations is the thrust coefficient. For this purpose, flow is assumed to be at zero velocity, while the rotor is driven at different speeds and thrust coefficient at is measured at each speed [23].…”

Hydrodynamic Analysis-Based Modeling and Experimental Verification of a New Water-Jet Thruster for an Amphibious Spherical Robot

“…In this part, some of the necessary preparatory work for the hydrodynamic simulation is depicted in detail. All work in this paper was processed with CFX [23,24] associated with ANSYS WORKBENCH [32].…”

“…Hydrodynamic experiments for thrust prediction of a propeller-rudder system were conducted in the cylinder section of a cavitation tunnel [23]. A bollard pull test of a ducted thruster was carried out to predict the thrust when blades rotated in the forward direction and in the inverse direction [24]. A laser tachometer, a load cell, and a circular water channel tank facility were utilized in the test.…”

“…In recent years, CFD simulation techniques have matured to achieve a high level of accuracy [25] and have been employed more and more extensively for analyzing the hydrodynamic force of underwater robots or propellers. One example can be found in [24], where the drag force of an underwater disk robot was predicted utilizing CFD and validation of the CFD results was carried out. The maximum error between the CFD results and experimental results was only 7%.…”

Estudo e definição do teste de integração de software para o contexto de sistemas robóticos móveis

“…Dessa forma, conduzem teste funcional. Joung et al (2014) usam ferramentas Computational Fluid Dynammics (CFD) para conduzir testes de resistência para prever a força de arrasto em um robô de disco subaquático. Uma ferramenta de teste foi desenvolvida para apoiar a aplicação da abordagem.…”