Numerical Study on Hydrodynamic Performance of Shallow Underwater Glider Platform

Abstract

Underwater glider is the new generation of autonomous underwater glider which has been used for ocean observation and wide range of marine environment monitoring. It glides through seawater horizontally and vertically by carried additional wings. This paper presents the investigation of hydrodynamic characteristics of the shallow underwater glider by using Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, FLUENT 6.3.26. A 3-dimensional Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model is used to estimate hydrodynamic performance of the glider. The effect of angle of attack (varied from -8ºto +8º)at various Reynolds numbers and the flow behavior of underwater glider at different flow conditions are studied. The characteristics such as lift and drag forces, lift and drag coefficients and pressure distribution over fixed wings are evaluated in a flow field with Reynolds number ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁶. Lift and drag coefficients are observed to rise as function of angle of attack. Wake formation occurs at the tail and the junction of main wing and fuselage body, and the nose is exerted to highest pressure force compared with the other parts.