Modeling and simulation of the dynamics of a submersible propelled by a fluttering fluid-conveying tail

Abstract: A submersible consisting of a flexible fluid-conveying tail affixed to a rigid head is described and equations which account for all accelerations and rotations of the submersible within a plane are derived. Solution of these equations with a finite-difference method provides evidence that this type of submersible can produce thrust in excess of a fixed jet; a conclusion which is corroborated by preliminary experimental results. An extension of the dynamic model which uses a time-varying velocity of the conveyed fluid has been provided, and simulations have been performed which show that the submersible can be maneuvered by properly choosing the functional description of this velocity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]