• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.298-307
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• 2019

The evolution of the cavity and the variation of the drag for an underwater body with control fins are investigated through a numerical analysis of the steady cavitating turbulent flow. The continuity and the steady-state RANS equations are numerically solved using a mixture fluid model for calculating the multiphase turbulent flow of air, water and vapor together with the SST $k-{\omega}$ turbulence model. The method of volume of fluid is applied by the use of the Sauer's cavitation model. Numerical solutions have been obtained for the cavity flow about an underwater body shaped like the Russian high-speed torpedo, Shkval. Results are presented for the cavity shape and the drag of the body under the influence of the gravity and the free surface. The evolution of the cavity with the body speed is discussed and the calculated cavity shapes are compared with the photographs of the cavity taken from an underwater launch experiment. Also the variation of the drag for a wide range of the body speed is investigated and analyzed in details.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.817-832
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• 2021

In this paper, a simple practical method to estimate the drag of Super-Cavitating Underwater Vehicles (SCUV) is proposed that can obtain the drag with only principal dimensions in an initial design stage. SCUV is divided into cavitator, forebody, afterbody, base, and control fin and the drag of each part is estimated. The formulas for the drag coefficient are proposed for the disk and cone type cavitators and wedges used as control fins. The formulas are a function of cavitation number, cone or wedge angle, and Reynolds number. This method can confirm the drag characteristics of SCUV that the drag hump appears according to the coverage of the body by the cavity and the cavitator drag remains only when the entire body is covered by cavity. Applying this method to SCUV of various shapes, it is confirmed that the effects of cavitating and non-cavitating conditions, cavitator and body shape, and speed could be found.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.197-208
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• 2010

The ostraciiform swimming mode allows the simplest mechanical design and control for underwater vehicle swimming. Propulsion is achieved via the flapping of caudal fin without the body undulatory motion. In this research, the propulsion of underwater vehicles by ostraciiform swimming mode is explored experimentally using an ostraciiform fish robot and some rigid caudal fins. The effects of caudal fin flapping frequency and amplitude on the cruising performance are studied in particular. A theoretical model of propulsion using rigid caudal fin is proposed and identified with the experimental data. An experimental method to obtain the drag coefficient and the added mass of the fish robot is also proposed.