Minimising the Propulsive Power Consumption of a Fleet of AUVs

Pareecha Rattanasiri1, Philip A. Wilson and Alexander B. PhillipsFaculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, UK.

1pj506@soton.ac.uk

Fluid Structure Interactions Research Group

FSI Away Day 2012Acknowledgement: This project is

supported by funds from the Royal Thai Government

Motivation

In nature, birds form a ‘v’ formation for long distance migration (Figure 1). Many fish species swim in shoals or schools to increase hydrodynamic efficiency and for defence against predators (Figure 2). Bottlenose Dolphin calves swim close to the aft quarter of the mother in order to reduce its energy consumption. These simple observations suggest potential AUV fleet configurations to reduce power consumption. BUT an AUV is a machine propelled by a propeller, not a swimming marine animal So can the fleet configuration be optimised to reduce the energy consumption of all the AUVs in the fleet?

Research Aims and Objectives

The research aims of this work is

To minimise the energy consumption of a fleet of AUVs by optimising their swimming formation.

To accomplish this task requires the completion of the following objectives:-1.To investigate a fleet of cooperative AUVs by considering a generic AUV shape of revolution (e.g. prolate spheroid) using a 3-Dimensional commercial RANS simulation software (e.g. ANSYS CFX) 2.To investigate and model the mathematical body of revolution and determine the hydrodynamic constraint of the optimal shape.3.To develop the drag model by using the boundary layer solution, potential flow, transition prediction and drag calculation.4.Optimisation of a leading AUV by using simple search strategy (e.g. Powell method) and advance search strategy (e.g. Genetic Algorithm) 5.To define the optimum shape and optimum distance between the cooperative AUVs.

Figure 1: ‘V’ formation of Birds [1]

Figure 2: A school of 50 Atlantic bluefin tuna [2]

Investigation of Twin hulls AUVs

Figure 3: Comparison of the drag coefficient of the referent hull when

there is the similar hull placed side by side

• In 1997, Molland and Utama [3] performed an experimental investigation into the drag characteristics of a pair of prolate spheroids in close proximity. The experiments where performed in the 7’x5’ low speed wind tunnel at the University of Southampton. Up to 40 m/s wind speeds were used, to give a Reynolds numbers (based on model length) of up to 3.2 x 106. The experimental results show that there is significant interaction between both models placed side by side. The closest spacing increased the drag coefficient compared to the reference hull by approximately 8%, Figure 3.

• In 2002, RANS simulations of the experiments were performed by Molland and Utama [4], these results are also shown in Figure 3. The simulation domain is 5lx2lx2l (LxWxH). Their grid had 0.8M elements with y+ = 11.50. The RANS simulation is about 10%-20% higher than the experimental results.

• In the present study, the validation compare to the experiment had been done

• the model of domain was set at 14lxlx1.8l the size of the wind tunnel. The commercial software ANSYS CFX 12.1 has been used, using the Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model.

• Grid convergence of the model is shown in Figure 4. For further studies the mesh parameters of the 8M grid at y+ = 30 have been used.

• The results of the drag of an AUV hull when there is another hull placed side by side also shows in Figure 3 which is about 10%-20% lower than the experimental results. However the simulation result show the same trend as the experimental results for the S/L = 0.27 and 0.37. In case S/L = 0.47 and 0.57, it was possible that there was an effect of the wind tunnel wall into the model.

Figure 5: The multiple hulls model where: S/l is Spacing between both hulls in the vertical direction D/l is Drafting between both hulls in the horizontal direction and l is Length of the hull body

Figure 4: Grid convergence of the twin hulls simulation of this

present study

Figure 6: Single hull simulation and the drag coefficient at the various y position in the wind

tunnel

Figure 7: Simulation of two hulls in different spatial configurations

Figure 8: The numerical results of the drag coefficient of twin hulls’ interaction at the various position

Reference:[1] Picture credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:V-formation.jpg[2] Picture credit: Hanrahan, B. and Juanes, F. Estimating the number of fish in Atlantic bluefin tuna schools using models derived from captive school observations. Fishery Bulletin 99(3). 2001[3] Molland, A. F. and Utama, I. K. A. P. Wind tunnel investigation of a pair a ellipsoids in close proximity. Ship Science Report 98, University of Southampton, 1997[4] Molland, A. F. and Utama, I. K. A. P. Experimental and numerical investigations of a pair a ellipsoids in close proximity. In Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical engineers, Part M: Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment.

Simulation of Multiple AUVs

The presence of the second hull near the reference hull affected the drag coefficient of both of hulls, hence the authors investigated further for alternative arrangements, shown in Figure 5, Figure 7 and Figure 8. Figure 6 is the reference of the drag coefficient of the reference hull.

Future Works:•Analysis the simulation data of multiple hulls

•Simulate the propeller effect into the wake behind the reference hull

•Optimise the energy of the overall fleet of AUVs by minimise the drag of the overall fleet