The Role of Double-Tentacled Cooperative Kinematics on the Hydrodynamics of a Self-propelled Swimmer

Li, Z.; Xia, D.; Zhou, Z.

doi:10.47176/jafm.16.06.1547

The Role of Double-Tentacled Cooperative Kinematics on the Hydrodynamics of a Self-propelled Swimmer

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211189, China

10.47176/jafm.16.06.1547

Abstract

In this study, we proposed an underwater robotic swimmer integrating dual-actuated composite tentacles. We employed overlapping grid technology to manipulate virtual swimmers and performed simulations of incompressible viscous flow. To facilitate the distinction between three driving modes (the reverse, homologous, and interlace modes), the rear flexible module of the swimmer was divided into three components: thigh links, calf links, and caudal fins. The cooperative motion mechanism behind the double-tentacled module exhibited special hydrodynamic properties. Under the same kinematic parameters, the reverse mode exhibited the best energy-saving and propulsion effect, whereas the homologous mode was affected by lateral energy loss, thus resulting in the worst propulsion effect. However, the joint system exhibited anti-interference and spanwise flexibility. The interlace mode produced a certain error in the lateral displacement, and the propulsion efficiency was between the former two modes. Compared with traditional fish-like robots, the diverse actuation morphologies of the swimmer reported in this study exhibit extremely powerful self-propelled functionality, and its key features, including the geometry of an aquatic squid and the kinematics of the stretched body-caudal fin pattern, offer insights into the analysis of self-propelled hydrodynamics.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Biological Fluid Dynamics

References

Acharya, T. and L. Casimiro (2020). Evaluation of flow characteristics in an onshore horizontal separator using computational fluid dynamics. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science 5(3), 261-268.##

Anderson, E. J. and M. A. Grosenbaugh (2005). Jet flow in steadily swimming adult squid. Journal of Experimental Biology 208(6), 1125-1146.##

Borazjani, I. and F. Sotiropoulos (2008). Numerical investigation of the hydrodynamics of carangiform swimming in the transitional and inertial flow regimes. Journal of Experimental Biology 211(10), 1541-1558.##

Borazjani, I. and F. Sotiropoulos (2010). On the role of form and kinematics on the hydrodynamics of self-propelled body/caudal fin swimming. Journal of Experimental Biology 213(1), 89-107.##

Borazjani, I., F. Sotiropoulos, E. D. Tytell and G. V. Lauder (2012). Hydrodynamics of the bluegill sunfish C-start escape response: Three-dimensional simulations and comparison with experimental data. Journal of Experimental Biology 215(4), 671-684.##

Carling, J., T. L. Williams and G. Bowtell (1998). Self-propelled anguilliform swimming: Simultaneous solution of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations and Newton’s laws of motion. Journal of Experimental Biology 201(23), 3143-3166.##

Carrica, P. M., A. M. Castro and F. Stern (2010). Self-propulsion computations using a speed controller and a discretized propeller with dynamic overset grids. Journal of Marine Science and Technology 15(4), 316-330.##

Carrica, P. M., R. V. Wilson, R. W. Noack and F. Stern (2007). Ship motions using single-phase level set with dynamic overset grids. Computers and Fluids 36(1), 1415-1433.##

Coelho, R. C. V., N. A. M. Araujo and M. M. Telo da Gama (2020). Propagation of active nematic–isotropic interfaces on substrates. Soft Matter 16(17), 4256-4266.##

Dong, G. and X. Lu (2005). Numerical analysis on the propulsive performance and vortex shedding of fish-like travelling wavy plate. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids 48(12), 1351-1373.##

Doustdar, M. M. and H. Kazemi (2019). Effects of fixed and dynamic mesh methods on simulation of stepped planing craft. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science 4(1), 33-48.##

Duman, S. and S. Bal (2019). A quick-responding technique for parameters of turning maneuver. Ocean Engineering 179(5), 189-201.##

Feilich, K. L. and G. V. Lauder (2015). Passive mechanical models of fish caudal fins: Effects of shape and stiffness on self-propulsion. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics 10(3), 036002.##

Feng, Y., Y. Su, H. Liu and Y. Su (2020). Numerical simulation of a self-propelled fish-like swimmer with rigid and flexible caudal fins. Journal of Environmental Biology 3(2), 54-67.##

Fetherstonhaugh, S. E. A. W., Q. Shen and O. Akanyeti (2021). Automatic segmentation of fish midlines for optimizing robot design. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics 16(4), 046005.##

Guo, S., K. Sugimoto, S. Hata, J. Su and K. Oguro (2000). A new type of underwater fish-like microrobot. IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems 2, 867-872.##

Jiang, W., Y. Zhang and A. Yang (2019). Numerical simulations of complex aircraft configurations using structured overset grids with implicit hole-cutting. Aerospace Science and Technology 94, 105402.##

Kern, S. and P. Koumoutsakos (2006). Simulations of optimized anguilliform swimming. Journal of Experimental Biology 209(24), 4841-4857.##

Lee, J. and D. You (2013). An implicit ghost-cell immersed boundary method for simulations of moving body problems with control of spurious force oscillations. Journal of Computational Physics 233(1), 295-314.##

Leroyer, A. and M. Visonneau (2005). Numerical methods for RANSE simulations of a self-propelled fish-like body. Journal of Fluids and Structures 20(7), 975-991.##

Li, N., J. Zhuang, Y. Zhu, G. Su and Y. Su (2021). Fluid dynamics of a self-propelled biomimetic underwater vehicle with pectoral fins. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science 6(2), 160-169.##

Liao, P., S. Zhang and D. Sun (2018). A dual caudal-fin miniature robotic fish with an integrated oscillation and jet propulsive mechanism. Bioinspiration and Biomimetics 13(3), 036007.##

Liu, B., S. Zhang, F. Qin and J. Yang (2014). Fluid-structure interaction study on the performance of flexible articulated caudal fin. Advanced Robotics 28(24), 1665-1676.##

Liu, G., S. Liu, Y. Xie, D. Leng and G. Li (2020). The Analysis of Biomimetic Caudal Fin Propulsion Mechanism with CFD. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, 1-11.##

Moreira, D., N. Mathias and T. Morais (2020). Dual flapping foil system for propulsion and harnessing wave energy: A 2D parametric study for unaligned foil configurations. Ocean Engineering 215(12), 107875.##

Ohashi, K., T. Hino, H. Kobayashi, N. Onodera and N. Sakamoto (2019). Development of a structured overset Navier-Stokes solver with a moving grid and full multigrid method. Journal of Marine Science and Technology 24(3), 884-901.##

Olcay, A. B., M. T. Malazi, A. Okbaz, H. Heperkan, E. Firat, V. Ozbolat, H. Heperkan, E. Firat,V. Ozbolat, M. G. Gokcen, B. Sahin (2017). Experimental and numerical investigation of a longfin inshore squid’s flow characteristics. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics 10(1), 21-30.##

Park, Y. J., U. Jeong, J. Lee, S. R. Kwon, H. Y. Kim and K. J. Cho (2012). Kinematic condition for maximizing the thrust of a Robotic Fish using a compliant caudal fin. IEEE Transactions on Robotics 28(6), 1216–1227.##

Rahman, M. M., Y. Toda and H. Miki (2011). Computational Study on a Squid-Like Underwater Robot with Two Undulating Side Fins. Journal of Bionic Engineering 8(1), 25-32.##

Roper, D. T., S. Sharma, R. Sutton and P. Culverhouse (2011). A review of developments towards biologically inspired propulsion systems for autonomous underwater vehicles. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part M: Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment 225(2), 77–96.##

Schultz, W. W. and P. W. Webb (2002). Power requirements of swimming: Do new methods resolve old questions? Integrative and Comparative Biology 42(5), 1018-1025.##

Seo, J. H. and R. Mittal (2011). A sharp-interface immersed boundary method with improved mass conservation and reduced spurious pressure oscillations. Journal of Computational Physics 230(19), 7347-7363.##

Sfakiotakis, M., D. M. Lane and J. B. C. Davies (1999). Review of fish swimming modes for aquatic locomotion. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering 24(2), 237-252.##

Singh, N., A. Gupta and S. Mukherjee (2019). A dynamic model for underwater robotic fish with a servo actuated pectoral fin. SN Applied Sciences 1(7), 1-9.##

Singh, Y., S. K. Bhattacharyya and V. G. Idichandy (2017). CFD approach to modelling, hydrodynamic analysis and motion characteristics of a laboratory underwater glider with experimental results. Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science 2(2), 90-119.##

Su, G., H. Shen, N. Li, Y. Zhu and Y. Su (2021). Numerical investigation of the hydrodynamics of stingray swimming under self-propulsion. Journal of Fluids and Structures 106, 103383.##

Suebsaiprom, P. and C. L. Lin (2015). Maneuverability modeling and trajectory tracking for fish robot. Control Engineering Practice 45, 22-36.##

Wang, J. and D. Wan (2020). CFD study of ship stopping maneuver by overset grid technique. Ocean Engineering 197(1), 106895.##

Wu, Z., J. Yu, M. Tan and J. Zhang (2014). Kinematic comparison of forward and backward swimming and maneuvering in a self-propelled sub-carangiform robotic fish. Journal of Bionic Engineering 11(2), 199-212.##

Wynn, R. B., V. A. I. Huvenne, T. P. Le Bas, B. J. Murton, D. P. Connelly, B. J. Bett, H. A. Ruhl, K. J. Morris, J. Peakall, D. R. Parsons, E. J. Sumner, S. E. Darby, R. M. Dorrell, J. E. Hunt (2014). Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs): Their past, present and future contributions to the advancement of marine geoscience. Marine Geology 352, 451-468.##

Xia, D., Q. Yin, Z. Li, W. Chen, Y. Shi and J. Dou (2021). Numerical study on the hydrodynamics of porpoising behavior in dolphins. Ocean Engineering 229(4), 108985.##

Xia, D., W. Chen, J. Liu and X. Luo (2018). The energy-saving advantages of burst-and-glide mode for thunniform swimming. Journal of Hydrodynamics 30(6), 1072-1082.##

Xia, D., W. Chen, J. Liu, Z. Wu and Y. Cao (2015). The three-dimensional hydrodynamics of thunniform swimming under self-propulsion. Ocean Engineering 110(12), 1-14.##

Xie, O., B Li and Q. Yan (2018). Computational and experimental study on dynamics behavior of a bionic underwater robot with multi-flexible caudal fins. Industrial Robot 45(2), 267-274.##

Xu, Y. and D. Wan (2012). Numerical simulation of fish swimming with rigid pectoral fins. Journal of Hydrodynamics 24(2), 263-272.##

Yang, L, Y. Su, Q. Xiao (2011). Numerical Study of Propulsion Mechanism for Oscillating Rigid and Flexible Tuna-Tails. Journal of Bionic Engineering 8(4), 406-417.##

Yu, J., C. Zhang and L. Liu (2016). Design and control of a single-motor-actuated robotic fish capable of fast swimming and maneuverability. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 21(3), 1711-1719.##

Yu, J., L. Wang and M. Tan (2007). Geometric optimization of relative link lengths for biomimetic robotic fish. IEEE Transactions on Robotics 23(2), 382-386.##

Zhang, S., Y. Qian, P. Liao, F. Qin and J. Yang (2016). Design and Control of an Agile Robotic Fish with Integrative Biomimetic Mechanisms. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 21(4), 1846-1857. ##