Use of Overset Mesh to Allow Dynamic Deflection of Tight-Fitting Control Surfaces in CFD Simulations

Abstract

The development of vehicle maneuvering simulations based within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) environments demands that vehicle control surfaces be dynamically deflected during such simulations. This paper details the process of developing and testing CFD simulation methods that allow for the deflection of a specific AUV’s control surfaces. This task is made particularly challenging by the geometry of the AUV, as its moving control surfaces fit very closely to stationary fixed strakes and the AUV’s hull (a fairly common trait among this class of vehicles). After ruling out embedded and deformable mesh approaches, an overset mesh method is applied. Steady-state simulations with this overset mesh show general agreement with static mesh simulations. The two approaches do, however, highlight the mesh sensitivity of CFD simulations in their ability to predict the onset of stall.