Innovative Energy-Saving Propulsion System for Low-Speed Biomimetic Underwater Vehicles

Paweł Piskur,Piotr Szymak,Krzysztof Naus,Krzysztof Jaskólski,Michał Przybylski,Mariusz Żokowski

doi:10.3390/en14248418

Paweł Piskur, Piotr Szymak + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248418

Copy DOI

Abstract

This article covers research on an innovative propulsion system design for a Biomimetic Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (BUUV) operating at low speeds. The experiment was conducted on a laboratory test water tunnel equipped with specialised sensor equipment to assess the Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) and energy consumption of two different types of propulsion systems. The experimental data contrast the undulating with the drag-based propulsion system. The additional joint in the drag-based propulsion system is intended to increase thrust and decrease energy input. The tests were conducted at a variety of fins oscillation frequencies and fluid velocities. The experiments demonstrate that, in the region of low-speed forward movement, the efficiency of the propulsion system with the additional joint is greater.

Highlights

Biomimetic propulsion systems are based on biological organisms that evolved through natural selection over many years [1]
The efficiency comparison between two types of propulsion system is provided according to the research and the analysis presented in the papers [22,23,24], where defined efficiencies take the kinematic and performance parameters for various measurement conditions into consideration
The final values of the net thrust and frequency presented later in this paper were received by averaging over 10 periods of servomotor oscillations. Both kinds of propulsion systems were tested for different frequencies of the fin oscillations and for different water velocities as well

Summary

Introduction

Biomimetic propulsion systems are based on biological organisms that evolved through natural selection over many years [1]. The authors’ paper [21] offered a simulation analysis of a fin drag force in a BUUV using the LS-DYNA software and Incompressible Computational Fluid Dynamics (IFCD) with validation in a water tunnel, in this paper, data are provided based on the measurements made in the water tunnel. This is mainly due to the fact that the thrust and the drag of fins depend on their flexibility and shape for different fluid velocities as well as different frequencies and different amplitudes of oscillation. At the end of this study, the findings are discussed, and our conclusions as well as future research directions are proposed

Description of the New Propulsion System with Additional Joint

Mathematical Relations

Laboratory Test Equipment and Measurement Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions and Future Work

Patents