Maneuvering Hydrodynamic Forces Acting on Manta-type UUV Using CFD

In this study, we investigate surge force, heave force, and pitch moment, which are vertical plane hydrodynamics acting on Manta-type unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), using a model test and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Assessing the maneuvering hydrodynamic characteristic of an underwater glider in the initial design stage is crucial. Although a model test is the best approach for obtaining the maneuvering hydrodynamic derivatives for underwater vehicles, numerical methods, such as Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, have been used owing to their efficiency in terms of time and cost. Therefore, we conducted an RANS-based CFD calculation and a model test for Manta-type UUVs. In addition, we conducted a validation study through a comparison with a model test conducted at a circular water channel (CWC) in Korea Maritime & Ocean University Furthermore, two RANS solvers (Star-CCM+ and OpenFOAM) were used and compared. Finally, the maneuvering hydrodynamic forces obtained from the static drift and resistance tests for a Manta-type UUV were presented.