CFD Analysis of a Manned Underwater Vehicle for Reducing Drag

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of an underwater vehicle with emphasis on the hydrodynamic performance parameters like pressure distribution, lift, and drag, is presented in this work. The main aim is to assess and improve the vehicle’s design for effective underwater propulsion by examining fluid flow parameters around the hull. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and a k-ε turbulence model were used for the simulation to account for turbulent flow characteristics for different combinations of shapes of bow with conical stern and cylindrical mid-section. The results indicate that the underwater hull with an elliptical bow and conical stern exhibits better hydrodynamic performance.