NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF FLOW AND THRUST OF AN OSCILLATING 2D HYDROFOIL

The unsteady laminar viscous flow field around a 2D modified NACA 0012 foil is studied numerically. The foil is performing symmetric pitching, heaving and surging oscillations or their combinations. A parametric study is presented by changing the main governing parameters of the motion, although in a limited range of Reynolds numbers. Special attention is payed to the numerical validation and the propulsive abilities of such foil motions. The viscous flow simulation is based on solving the 2D, laminar and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in a mixed vorticity stream function and vorticity-velocity formulation. An implicit factored finite difference numerical algorithm is used. Numerical tests indicate that the simulate flow is of sufficient accuracy to merit a physical analysis.