Hydrodynamic Analysis for the Morphing Median Fins of Tuna during Yaw Motions

Abstract

Tuna can change the area and shape of the median fins, including the first dorsal, second dorsal, and anal fins. The morphing median fins have the ability of adjusting the hydrodynamic forces, thereby affecting the yaw mobility of tuna to a certain extent. In this paper, the hydrodynamic analysis of the median fins under different morphing states is carried out by the numerical method, so as to clarify the influence of the erected median fins on the yaw maneuvers. By comparing the two morphing states of erected and depressed, it can be concluded that the erected median fins can increase their own hydrodynamic forces during the yaw movement. However, the second dorsal and anal fins have limited influence on the yaw maneuverability, and they tend to maintain the stability of tuna. The first dorsal fin has more lift increment in the erection state, which can obviously affect the hydrodynamic performance of tuna. Moreover, as the median fins are erected, the hydrodynamic forces of the tuna’s body increase synchronously due to the interaction between the body and the median fins, which is also very beneficial to the yaw motion. This study indicates that tuna can use the morphing median fins to adjust its mobility and stability, which provides a new idea for the design of robotic fish.