Hydrodynamic Analysis of the Spherical Underwater Robot SUR - II Regular Paper

This paper describes the development of the second‐generation Spherical Underwater Robot (SUR‐II). The new SUR‐II has an improved propulsion system structure, resulting in better performance compared with the original design. This paper focuses on the characteristics of the water‐jet thruster and the spherical hull of the SUR‐II. To analyse its hydrodynamic characteristics, the main hydrodynamic parameters of the SUR‐II were estimated based on two reasonable assumptions and a reasonable dynamic equation was proposed to describe the relationship between force and velocity. Drag coefficients were calculated separately for vertical and horizontal motions due to the fin on the robot’s equator and the holes in the robot’s hull. The holes had a particularly adverse effect on the horizontal drag coefficient. A hydrodynamic analysis using computational fluid dynamics was then carried out to verify the estimated parameters. The velocity vectors, pressure contours and drag coefficient for each state of motion were obtained. Finally, the propulsive force was determined experimentally to verify the theoretical calculations and simulation results.