Investigation into the Hydrodynamic Interaction Effects on an AUV Operating Close to a Submarine

When an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operates in proximity to a submarine, interaction with the flow and pressure fields of the submarine can adversely affect the motion of the AUV. This can results in mission failure, due to the AUV’s inability to maintain its desired trajectory or possible collision between the two vessels. In an aim to quantify the interaction effects and identify the regions where adverse effects of the interaction forces and moments are minimal, the Australian Maritime College (AMC) has conducted a series of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and captive model experiments. The simulations were carried out on AUV and submarine models having diameter ratios between 2.237:1 and 13.425:1 at different fixed speeds and relative positions, while validation was carried out at the lower diameter ratio using the experimental results. It was found that the adverse effects of the interaction forces and moments were minimised when the AUV is around the midships of the submarine, although the actual location can change with a number of parameters such as the diameter ratio and the shape of the vehicles