Computational fluid dynamics and experimental hydrodynamic analysis of a solar AUV

In the present study, the effect of free surface on the hydrodynamic forces acting on themotion of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has been investigated. The AUVis powered by solar energy. Using computational fluid dynamics, the Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations for the flow around the AUV are solved, and the freesurface effect is simulated using the volume of fluid (VOF) two-phase flow model. Forthis purpose, the commercial code ANSYS FLUENT 18 was used [1]. The results ofthe numerical solution are compared with experimental results of the AUV model in thesurface motion in the towing tank of the Persian Gulf National Laboratory with a scaleof 1:1. The experiment was performed in a fixed draft and the velocity was ranging from 0.2 m/s to 1.4 m/s (according to Reynolds number 2.4 x 105 to 1.7 x 106).