Hydrodynamic experiment and mechanism of improved oscillating hydrofoil

The hydrodynamic model experiments of three-dimensional hydrofoils with different leading edge structures were carried. The hydrodynamic performance of hydrofoils at different oscillation frequencies was studied, and the influence of different wavy leading edge structures on hydrofoil performance was analyzed. Wave front edge hydrofoils and common leading edge hydrofoils were simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The flow field was analyzed to investigate the disturbance mechanism of the wavy leading edge structure on hydrofoil boundary flow. Research results show that with the increase of the oscillating frequency, the lift, resistance, and torque of the hydrofoil increase in varying degrees. When the wave amplitude and wavelength of the front edge wavy hydrofoil is larger, it has a great influence on the performance of the hydrofoil. Wave structure of front edge could effectively attenuate the disturbance of vortex separation of hydrofoil suction surface to the overall performance, and the flow in the grooves is able to reattach the wing surface to the hydrofoil wake, improving the hydrodynamic performance of the hydrofoil. © 2019, Editorial Board of Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. All right reserved.