PIV measurement of flow around jellyfish-like garbage collector robot

Abstract

In this research, the flow characteristics generated by a jellyfish type robot that collects suspended garbage were observed by flow visualization and PIV measurement. The jellyfish robot acts as a pump. The jellyfish type robot, which is driven by a DC servo motor, draws in a water mass inside by open motion of the bell. Then, the traped water mass is discharged downward by the closing motion of the bell, and garbage is collected by the trap net. As a result of PIV measurement, it was observed that the vortex structure developing from the tip of the bell was dominant flow structure. PIV detected flow structure shows not only the jet like flow generated by the closing bell motion, but also the induced flow from out side of the robot caused by the vortex ring. This induced flow improves the ability of the pump to transfer more water.