J0202-3-1 Investigation on propulsive performance and maneuverabilitv in fish free swimming

Abstract

A numerical study of hydrodynamics and maneuverability of Zebra fish free swimming is presented. Unsteady hydrodynamics around an undulatory swimming body is solved using an integrated modeling method combining a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method and a Computational Swimming Dynamics (CSD) method. A larva fish, zebrafish and Danio rerio is modeled, which "swims" by sending a laterally compressing, sinusoidal wave down the tail tip. Hydrodynamics of the 3D larva fish model in terms of the burst, the cyclic and the coast swimming modes were then analyzed and compared with experimental data. Our results present a sequence of 3D vortex structures in free swimming and its relationship with the swimming maneuverability of zebra fishes. This provides a general understanding of the relationship between the dynamic vortex flow and the energetic in terms of output power associated with the undulatory locomotion of vertebrates.