Objective This study aims to systematically quantify the effects of fin-hull geometric configuration on the propulsion performance of bionic undulating-fin vehicles employing media and/or paired fin propulsion (MPF). It addresses the lack of a unified analysis of geometric parameters across different bionic underwater vehicles in existing research.
Methods To this end, a universal parametric geometric model incorporating the hull and a pair of undulating fins was developed. The model innovatively introduces the ratio of fin width to hull width β as the core dimensionless geometric parameter. Based on this model, high-fidelity CFD numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the propulsion performance and flow field structure of the vehicle under different β values.
Results The results indicate that β has a nonlinear and significant influence on propulsion performance, and that an optimal range of β values exists for maximizing propulsion efficiency. Excessively small β values lead to insufficient thrust generation, whereas excessively large β values increase drag due to intensified fin-hull interactions that induce flow separation. Furthermore, β significantly modulates the magnitude of the pitching moment, imposing a critical constraint on the vehicle's attitude stability.
Conclusions This study clarifies the design trade-off between efficiency and stability governed by the β parameter. The established parametric model and the identified underlying mechanisms provide a quantitative theoretical basis for the shape design of bionic underwater vehicles and lay a solid foundation for future research on multi-parameter coupling optimization and self-propulsion performance.
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