Flow Characteristics of a Fish-Like Body Based on Taguchi Method under Different Strouhal Numbers

In the investigations of fish swimming, the relationship between fish swimming and the corresponding characteristics of flow field attracts lots of attention. In this paper, the influence of different Strouhal numbers on the flow field characteristics and mechanical characteristics of fish-like body is investigated. It is found that the strength of the anti-Karman vortex and the thrust on the fish-like body are affected by the Strouhal number. When the Strouhal number is small, the thrust coefficient is small but the propulsion efficiency is high. Similarly, when the Strouhal number is large, the thrust coefficient is large and the propelling efficiency is low. In order to better reveal the swimming status of the flexible body of the fish imitation, the effect of the Strouhal number is analyzed in detail in this paper. Besides, the influence of the three parameters in the Strouhal number formula on the flow field characteristics and thrust coefficient of the fish-like body is further investigated by the Taguchi method. The thrust coefficient is positively correlated with the swing amplitude and frequency, which is found to be negatively correlated with the inflow velocity. Swing amplitude and swing frequency are the main factors affecting the thrust coefficient; there is little effect of the inflow velocity on the thrust coefficient.