Computational fluid dynamics of flow regime and hydrodynamic forces generated by a gliding North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

Accurate estimates of drag on marine animals are required to investigate the locomotive cost, propulsive efficiency, and the impacts of entanglement if the animal is carrying fishing gear. In this study, we performed computational fluid dynamics analysis of a 10 m (length over all) right whale to obtain baseline measurements of drag on the animal. Swimming speeds covering known right whale speed range (0.125 m/s to 8 m/s) were tested. We found a weak dependence between drag coefficient and Reynolds number. At a swimming speed of 2 m/s, we analyzed the boundary layer thicknesses, the flow regimes, and drag components. We found the thickest boundary layer at the lateral sides of the peduncle, whereas the boundary layer thickness over the outer part of the flukes was less than 1.7 cm. Laminar flow occurred over the anterior ~0.6 LoA and turbulent flow from ~0.8 LoA to the fluke notch. On the surfaces of the flukes outside of the body wake region, flow was laminar. Our most significant finding is that the drag coefficient (0.0071–0.0059) of a right whale for swimming speeds ranging from 0.25 m/s to 2 m/s is approximately twice that of many previous estimates for cetaceans.     

Hydrodynamic Characteristics of the Sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in Gliding Postures at Their Cruise Speeds

The sailfish and swordfish are known as the fastest sea animals, reaching their maximum speeds of around 100 km/h. In the present study, we investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics of these fishes in their cruise speeds of about 1 body length per second. We install a taxidermy specimen of each fish in a wind tunnel, and measure the drag on its body and boundary-layer velocity above its body surface at the Reynolds number corresponding to its cruising condition. The drag coefficients of the sailfish and swordfish based on the free-stream velocity and their wetted areas are measured to be 0.0075 and 0.0091, respectively, at their cruising conditions. These drag coefficients are very low and comparable to those of tuna and pike and smaller than those of dogfish and small-size trout. On the other hand, the long bill is one of the most distinguished features of these fishes from other fishes, and we study its role on the ability of drag modification. The drag on the fish without the bill or with an artificially-made shorter one is slightly smaller than that with the original bill, indicating that the bill itself does not contribute to any drag reduction at its cruise speed. From the velocity measurement near the body surface, we find that at the cruise speed flow separation does not occur over the whole body even without the bill, and the boundary layer flow is affected only at the anterior part of the body by the bill.     

Drag Reduction in a Swimming Humboldt Penguin, Spheniscus Humboldti, when the Boundary Layer is Turbulent

An area of protruding feathers found around the beak of many penguin species is thought to induce a turbulent boundary layer whilst swimming. Hydrodynamic tests on a model Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti, suggest that induced turbulence causes a significant reduction in boundary layer height, flow separation, and an average of 31% reduction in drag ( 1.0 m/s to 4.5 m/s). Visualisation of surface flow showed it to follow the body profile, over the feet and tail, before separating. Movement of the feet in swimming penguins correlates with steering of the bird. Induced turbulence may therefore further increase swimming efficiency by reducing the amount of foot movement required to direct the swimming bird.     

Roughness effects of diatomaceous slime fouling on turbulent boundary layer hydrodynamics

Abstract

Biofilm fouling significantly impacts ship performance. Here, the impact of biofilm on boundary layer structure at a ship-relevant, low Reynolds number was investigated. Boundary layer measurements were performed over slime-fouled plates using high resolution particle image velocimetry (PIV). The velocity profile over the biofilm showed a downward shift in the log-law region (ΔU⁺), resulting in an effective roughness height (k_s) of 8.8?mm, significantly larger than the physical thickness of the biofilm (1.7?±?0.5?mm) and generating more than three times as much frictional drag as the smooth-wall. The skin-friction coefficient, C_f, of the biofilm was 9.0?×?10^?3 compared with 2.9?×?10^?3 for the smooth wall. The biofilm also enhances turbulent kinetic energy (tke) and Reynolds shear stress, which are more heterogeneous in the streamwise direction than smooth-wall flows. This suggests that biofilms increase drag due to high levels of momentum transport, likely resulting from protruding streamers and surface compliance.     

Spatial variation of heat flux in Steller sea lions: evidence for consistent avenues of heat exchange along the body trunk

Maintaining insulative fat stores is vital for homeothermic marine mammals foraging in cold polar waters. To accomplish this, animals must balance acquisition and expenditure of energy. If this balance is shifted, body condition can decrease, challenging thermal homeostasis and further affecting energy balance. Prior studies of temperature regulation in sea lions have neither quantified basic all-inclusive heat flux values for animals swimming in cold water, nor determined whether they exhibit consistent spatial patterns of heat flux. Heat flux and skin temperature data were thus collected from four captive Steller sea lions using heat flux sensors (HFSs) with embedded thermistors. Optimal sensor placement was established using infrared thermography to locate the major areas of heat flux along the surface of the animals. Experiments were conducted on swimming animals in a large habitat tank with and without a drag harness, and on stationary animals in a temperature- and current-controlled swim flume. All heat flux measurements were corrected by a previously determined correction factor of 3.42 to account for insulative effects of the HFSs and attachment mechanism. Heat flux from shoulders and hips was consistently greater than from mid-trunk and axillary areas in both swimming and stationary animals, suggesting that certain areas of the body are preferentially used to offload excess heat. Mean heat flux for animals swimming with a drag harness was significantly greater than for unencumbered animals, indicating a likely increase in heat production beyond minimum heat loss. Thus, thermal stress does not appear to constitute significant costs for Steller sea lions swimming under conditions of increased drag at speeds of approximately 1 m/s in water temperatures of approximately 8.0 °C.     

Upstroke Thrust, Drag Effects, and Stroke-glide Cycles in Wing-propelled Swimming by Birds

A number of bird species swim underwater by wing propulsion.Both among and within species, thrust generated during the recoveryphase (upstroke) varies from almost none to more than duringthe power phase (downstroke). More uneven thrust and unsteadyspeed may increase swimming costs because of greater inertialwork to accelerate the body fuselage (head and trunk), especiallywhen buoyant resistance is high during descent. I investigatedthese effects by varying relative fuselage speed during upstrokevs. downstroke in a model for wing-propelled murres which descendat relatively constant mean speed. As buoyant resistance declinedwith depth, the model varied stroke frequency and glide durationto maintain constant mean descent speed, stroke duration, andwork per stroke. When mean fuselage speed during the upstrokewas only 18% of that during the downstroke, stroke frequencywas constant with no gliding, so that power output was unchangedthroughout descent. When mean upstroke speed of the fuselagewas raised to 40% and 73% of mean downstroke speed, stroke frequencydeclined and gliding increased, so that power output decreasedrapidly with increasing depth. Greater inertial work with moreunequal fuselage speeds was a minor contributor to differencesin swimming costs. Instead, lower speeds during upstrokes requiredhigher speeds during downstrokes to maintain the same mean speed,resulting in nonlinear increases in drag at greater fuselagespeeds during the power phase. When fuselage speed was relativelyhigher during upstrokes, lower net drag at the same mean speedincreased the ability to glide between strokes, thereby decreasingthe cost of swimming.     

Drag of suction cup tags on swimming animals: Modeling and measurement

Bio‐logging tags are widely used to study the behavior and movements of marine mammals with the tacit assumption of little impact to the animal. However, tags on fast‐swimming animals generate substantial hydrodynamic forces potentially affecting behavior and energetics adversely, or promoting early removal of the tag. In this work, hydrodynamic loading of three novel tag housing designs are compared over a range of swimming speeds using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Results from CFD simulation were verified using tag models in a water flume with close agreement. Drag forces were reduced by minimizing geometric disruptions to the flow around the housing, while lift forces were reduced by minimizing the frontal cross‐sectional area of the housing and holding the tag close to the attachment surface. Hydrodynamic tag design resulted in an experimentally measured 60% drag force reduction in 5.6 m/s flow. For all housing designs, off‐axis flow increased the magnitude of the force on the tag. Experimental work with a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) cadaver indicates that the suction cups used to attach the types of tags described here provide sufficient attachment force to resist failure to predicted forces at swimming speeds of up to 10 m/s.     

Optimizing the rotor design for controlled-shear affinity filtration using computational fluid dynamics

Controlled shear affinity filtration (CSAF) is a novel integrated processing technology that positions a rotor directly above an affinity membrane chromatography column to permit protein capture and purification directly from cell culture. The conical rotor is intended to provide a uniform and tunable shear stress at the membrane surface that inhibits membrane fouling and cell cake formation by providing a hydrodynamic force away from and a drag force parallel to the membrane surface. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to show that the rotor in the original CSAF device (Vogel et al., 2002) does not provide uniform shear stress at the membrane surface. This results in the need to operate the system at unnecessarily high rotor speeds to reach a required shear stress of at least 0.17 Pa at every radial position of the membrane surface, compromising the scale-up of the technology. Results from CFD simulations are compared with particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments and a numerical solution for low Reynolds number conditions to confirm that our CFD model accurately describes the hydrodynamics in the rotor chamber of the CSAF device over a range of rotor velocities, filtrate fluxes, and (both laminar and turbulent) retentate flows. CFD simulations were then carried out in combination with a root-finding method to optimize the shape of the CSAF rotor. The optimized rotor geometry produces a nearly constant shear stress of 0.17 Pa at a rotational velocity of 250 rpm, 60% lower than the original CSAF design. This permits the optimized CSAF device to be scaled up to a maximum rotor diameter 2.5 times larger than is permissible in the original device, thereby providing more than a sixfold increase in volumetric throughput.     

Influence of a postural change of the swimmer's head in hydrodynamic performances using 3D CFD

This study deals with recent researches undertaken by the authors in the field of hydrodynamics of human swimming. The aim of this numerical study was to investigate the flow around the entire swimmer's body. The results presented in this article focus on the combination of a 3D computational fluid dynamics code and the use of the k–ω turbulence model, in the range of Reynolds numbers representative of a swimming level varying from national to international competition. Emphasis is placed on the influence of a postural change of the swimmer's head in hydrodynamic performances, which is directly related to the reduction of overall drag. These results confirm and complete those, less accurate, of a preliminary 2D study recently published by the authors and allow the authors to optimise the swimmer's head position in underwater swimming.     

Wave drag on human swimmers

Drag measurements from a towed mannequin show total drag at the surface is up to 2.4 times the drag when fully immersed. This additional drag is due to the energy required to form waves in the wake behind the mannequin. The measurements show that passive wave drag is the largest drag, comprising up to 50-60% of the total at 1.7 m s(-1), much higher than any previous estimates. Comprehensive measurements spanning human swimming speeds and tow depths up to 1.0m demonstrate that wave drag on the mannequin is less than 5% of total drag for tows deeper than 0.5 m at 1 m s(-1) and 0.7 m at 2 m s(-1). Wave drag sharply increases above these depths to a maximum of up to 60% of the mannequin's 100 N total drag when towed at the surface at 1.7 m s(-1). The measurements show that to avoid significant wave drag during the underwater sections of starts and turns, swimmers must streamline at depths greater than 1.8 chest depths below the surface at Froude number (Fr)=0.2, and 2.8 chest depths at Fr=0.42. This corresponds to speeds of 0.9 and 2.0 m s(-1), respectively, for a chest depth of 0.25 m and toe to finger length of 2.34 m.     

The behavior in flow of the morphologically variable seaweed Hedophyllum sessile (C. Ag.) Setchell

Drag force was measured on individual specimens of Hedophyllum sessile in a variable-speed flow tank. Those from sheltered localities, which are broad, bullate blades, experience greater drag at a given water velocity than ones from localities more exposed to the action of waves, which have smooth, deeply dissected blades. All specimens rearranged their blades as water velocity increased, resulting in a decrease in effective drag at higher water speeds, but individuals with smooth, dissected blades assumed a more compact shape at high current speeds and thus reduced their effective drag over that of broad-bladed individuals at the same speed. In habitats chronically exposed to strong wave action, drag reduction may be an important survival mechanism; in calm habitats the turbulence induced by lack of such streamlining may enhance mixing of the water in the immediate vicinity of a plant.     

Relative distribution of blood flow in rats during surface and submerged swimming

The relative distribution of blood flow was investigated in conscious rats with a radiological imaging technique that utilizes technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD). The objective of the study was to determine the effects of locomotory activity on the distribution of blood flow during a dive response. We compared the relative distribution of systemic flow in rats at rest, surface swimming and during periods of voluntarily initiated underwater swimming. The pattern of blood flow differed considerably between the three groups of rats. In resting controls, blood flow was widely distributed throughout the whole body with the thoraco-abdominal region receiving the largest fraction of cardiac output. During surface swimming blood shifted towards the exercising limbs, while during underwater swimming systemic blood flow was largely restricted to the head and thorax. However, the active front and hind limbs were not rendered totally ischemic. This suggests that the demands of exercising skeletal muscle partially over-ride the peripheral vasoconstriction during asphyxic diving in conscious rats. Furthermore, relative blood flow to the head increased during underwater swimming, which supports the view that there is a preferential maintenance of blood flow to the brain.     

Drag reducing properties of microalgal exopolymers

Dilute aqueous solutions of polymers released by marine phytoplankton (microalgae) were shown to effectively reduce drag in capillary pipe flow. Tests were performed in a capillary turbulent flow viscometer which extruded small samples under high pressures. In all, 22 species were screened, and the products of one chlorophyte and four rhodophyte species proved especially effective. The viscoelastic polymers produced by these species delayed the transition from laminar to turbulent flow to significantly higher Re. In general, polymeric regime segments come off the maximum drag reduction asymptote at characteristic retro-onset points, and come to lie approximately parallel to, but displaced upwards from the Prandtl-von Karman line. The delay to transition was shown to be dependent on additive polymer concentration, capillary diameter, and temperature. Ionic concentration, ionic composition, or pH had little effect on drag reducing properties.     

Theory to Predict Shear Stress on Cells in Turbulent Blood Flow

Shear stress on blood cells and platelets transported in a turbulent flow dictates the fate and biological activity of these cells. We present a theoretical link between energy dissipation in turbulent flows to the shear stress that cells experience and show that for the case of physiological turbulent blood flow: (a) the Newtonian assumption is valid, (b) turbulent eddies are universal for the most complex of blood flow problems, and (c) shear stress distribution on turbulent blood flows is possibly universal. Further we resolve a long standing inconsistency in hemolysis between laminar and turbulent flow using the theoretical framework. This work demonstrates that energy dissipation as opposed to bulk shear stress in laminar or turbulent blood flow dictates local mechanical environment of blood cells and platelets universally.     

Bacterial swimming strategies and turbulence

Most bacteria in the ocean can be motile. Chemotaxis allows bacteria to detect nutrient gradients, and hence motility is believed to serve as a method of approaching sources of food. This picture is well established in a stagnant environment. In the ocean a shear microenvironment is associated with turbulence. This shear flow prevents clustering of bacteria around local nutrient sources if they swim in the commonly assumed "run-and-tumble" strategy. Recent observations, however, indicate a "back-and-forth" swimming behavior for marine bacteria. In a theoretical study we compare the two bacterial swimming strategies in a realistic ocean environment. The "back-and-forth" strategy is found to enable the bacteria to stay close to a nutrient source even under high shear. Furthermore, rotational diffusion driven by thermal noise can significantly enhance the efficiency of this strategy. The superiority of the "back-and-forth" strategy suggests that bacterial motility has a control function rather than an approach function under turbulent conditions.     

Hydromechanics and biology

Summary To exemplify relations between biology and hydrodynamics the Reynolds number range and the effects of viscosity and inertia in swimming and flying organisms is discussed. Comparing water beetles and penguins it is shown, that the technical drag coefficient is an adequate means to describe flow adaptation in animals. Compared to technical systems, especially the penguins' drag coefficient is astonishingly low. Furthermore, the question, why comparatively thick bodies in penguins and dolphins show rather low drag is discussed. Distributed boundary layer damping in dolphins and secretion of special high molecular slimes in fishes help to keep flow characteristics laminar. As an example of one easily understood thrust mechanism, the drag inducing pair of rowing legs in water beetles is morphologically and hydrodynamically analysed. Fish swimming is discussed as a locomotion principle using lift components. Thrust generation by the moving tail fin of a fish is analysed in detail. Coming back to the influence if Reynolds number, it is finally shown, how very small, bristle bearing swimming legs and wings of insects make use of viscosity effects for locomotion.     

The myth and reality of Gray's paradox: implication of dolphin drag reduction for technology

The inconsistency for the calculated high drag on an actively swimming dolphin and underestimated muscle power available resulted in what has been termed Gray's paradox. Although Gray's paradox was flawed, it has been the inspiration for a variety of drag reduction mechanisms. This review examines the present state of knowledge of drag reduction specific to dolphins. Streamlining and special behaviors provide the greatest drag reduction for dolphins. Mechanisms to control flow by maintaining a completely laminar boundary layer over the body have not been demonstrated for dolphins.     

The Mechanism of Drag Reduction around Bodies of Revolution Using Bionic Non-Smooth Surfaces

Bionic non-smooth surfaces （BNSS） can reduce drag. Much attention has been paid to the mechanism of shear stress reduction by riblets. The mechanism of pressure force reduction by bionic non-smooth surfaces on bodies of revolution has not been well investigated. In this work CFD simulation has revealed the mechanism of drag reduction by BNSS, which may work in three ways. First, BNSS on bodies of revolution may lower the surface velocity of the medium, which prevents the sudden speed up of air on the cross section. So the bottom pressure of the model would not be disturbed sharply, resulting in less energy loss and drag reduction. Second, the magnitude of vorticity induced by the bionic model becomes smaller because, due to the sculpturing, the growth of tiny air bubbles is avoided. Thus the large moment of inertia induced by large air bubble is reduced. The reduction of the vorticity could reduce the dissipation of the eddy. So the pressure force could also be reduced. Third, the thickness of the momentum layer on the model becomes less which, according to the relationship between the drag coefficient and the momentum thickness, reduces drag.     

The influence of biofilms on skin friction drag

The contribution of biofilms to skin friction drag is not clearly defined, and as regulations continue to restrict the use of biocides in antifouling paints, they are likely to form a greater presence on ship hulls. This paper reviews the flow regime around a ship's hull, the basics of boundary layer structure, and the effects of rigid surface roughness on drag. A review of experimental studies of biofilms in turbulent shear flows at laboratory and ship-scale is made. The consensus of these studies shows that biofilms increase skin friction drag. Some measurements carried out in turbulent boundary layer flow using a two-component, laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) are also presented. These results indicate an increase in skin friction for biofilms that is dependent on composition as well as thickness.