Computer simulation of an ideal fluid, constant depth, fluidic controlled submersible vehicle

Abstract

This study was carried out to find a mathematical model that represents uniform potential incompressible steady flow over a two-dimensional blunt body that has mass flow injected into the main flow at a predetermined location on the body geometry. It has application as a towed submersible vehicle. A change in depth of the vehicle is sensed by a depth valve which introduces a pitch command to the fluidic device. The control activates a thruster, thereby restoring the vehicle to its desired depth. The fluidic control part of the vehicle, however, is not investigated in the study. The shape of the vehicle (a streamline) is obtained by a combination of the elemenatry flow patterns, namely, uniform flow and a distribution of sources and sinks. The computer is used to determine the best combination possible by adjusting the elementary flow patterns and the positions of the control jet on the vehicle. Some numerical examples have been made. It is seen that a suitable mathematical model of a towed vehicle to operate automatically at constant depth can be designed.