2024 AIChE Annual Meeting
(171b) Dolphin Skin CFD Analysis for Biomimetic and Hydrodynamic Applications
Author
Krahn, J. - Presenter, Liberty University
The skin of dolphins, along with other aquatic creatures such as sharks, has been long studied for its drag-reducing flow properties. The theorized behavior of flow involves the trapping of fluid within the sinusoidal grooves of the skin mesh. This trapping mechanism energizes the flow, producing vortices and a partial slip condition on the skin surface, reducing boundary layer separation and enhancing streamlines. Through the use of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, the flow of water over a sinusoidal grooved geometry resembling dolphin skin was characterized. The adverse pressure gradient was induced by a rotating cylinder above the skin, and specified flow parameters were used to resemble realistic boundary conditions of flow over the body of the dolphin. Our results corroborate previous findings regarding flow behavior and now serve as a predictive model to further realize broader biomimetic applications.