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Computational analysis of vortex dynamics and performance enhancement due to body–fin and fin–fin interactions in fish-like locomotion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2017

Geng Liu ,
Yan Ren ,
Haibo Dong Open the ORCID record for Haibo Dong [Opens in a new window] ,
Otar Akanyeti ,
James C. Liao  and
George V. Lauder
Geng Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
Yan Ren
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
Haibo Dong*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
Otar Akanyeti
Affiliation:
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 3261, USA
James C. Liao
Affiliation:
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 3261, USA
George V. Lauder
Affiliation:
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: haibo.dong@virginia.edu
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Abstract

Numerical simulations are used to investigate the hydrodynamic benefits of body–fin and fin–fin interactions in a fish model in carangiform swimming. The geometry and kinematics of the model are reconstructed in three-dimensions from high-speed videos of a live fish, Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos), during steady swimming. The simulations employ an immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible Navier–Stokes flow solver that allows us to quantitatively characterize the propulsive performance of the fish median fins (the dorsal and the anal fins) and the caudal fin using three-dimensional full body simulations. This includes a detailed analysis of associated performance enhancement mechanisms and their connection to the vortex dynamics. Comparisons are made using three different models containing different combinations of the fish body and fins to provide insights into the force production. The results indicate that the fish produces high performance propulsion by utilizing complex interactions among the fins and the body. By connecting the vortex dynamics and surface force distribution, it is found that the leading-edge vortices produced by the caudal fin are associated with most of the thrust production in this fish model. These vortices could be strengthened by the vorticity capture from the vortices generated by the posterior body during undulatory motion. Meanwhile, the pressure difference between the two sides of posterior body resulting from the posterior body vortices (PBVs) helps with the alleviation of the body drag. The appearance of the median fins in the posterior region further strengthens the PBVs and caudal-fin wake capture mechanism. This work provides new physical insights into how body–fin and fin–fin interactions enhance thrust production in swimming fishes, and emphasizes that movements of both the body and fins contribute to overall swimming performance in fish locomotion.

JFM classification

Biological Fluid Dynamics: Swimming/flying Vortex Flows: Vortex dynamics Vortex Flows: Vortex interactions
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 829 , 25 October 2017 , pp. 65 - 88
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Copyright
© 2017 Cambridge University Press 

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Footnotes

‡

Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.

§

Present address: Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, SY23 3FL, UK.

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Liu et al. supplementary movie 1

High-speed video of a Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos) fish swimming

Download Liu et al. supplementary movie 1(Video)
Video 1.1 MB

Liu et al. supplementary movie 2

3D flow structures of a Crevalle Jack fish swimming

Download Liu et al. supplementary movie 2(Video)
Video 7.4 MB