A Computational Fluid Dynamics Method for Resistance Prediction of the Floating Hull of Wave Glider

Abstract

The wave glider is a surface vehicle with an attached sub-surface wing system which propels the surface component forward, negating the need for a motor. Wave glider could be used for intelligence, surveillance, passive monitoring of marine life, monitoring exclusive economic zones for fishing and other economic resources that are important and useful to coastal countries. Monitoring of coastal waters normally requires large amounts of expensive surveillance. They can be used to find and research resources and fisheries at a fraction of the cost of other methods. Since the wave glider can either be programmed for a journey or to keep station, it is looked at as an alternative for expensive moored buoys. In this paper we present a method focused on the mesh generation to predict calm water resistance for the floating part of the wave glider (the hull). In this study a wigley hull form (4m) used as the floating hull has been investigated in order to predict the fluid flow of the ship using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Calculations for total resistance are carried out for Froude numbers in the range of 0.10 to 0.40. Commercial CFD software fluent is used to investigate the fluid flow of wigley hull. Three different mesh sizes are used in this study to calculate the mesh effects. The results obtained from CFD calculations for total resistance are compared with the experimental results for accuracy of the solution parameters. The comparison shows a good agreement between experimental and CFD results. The method is evaluated by comparing the numerical predictions for wigley hull form (2m) with wigley hull form (4m) using the same mesh sizes under the same conditions in an attempt to design the floating hull of wave glider . The results obtained from CFD calculations are compared for accuracy of the solution parameters and the method is useful and acceptable.