CFD Analysis into the Resistance Characteristics of Remotely Operated Vehicles when Submerges Under Water and Sails on the Surface

Abstract

Remotely operated (underwater) vehicles, commonly known as ROVs, have a wide range of uses in the marine industry, including maintenance and repair. The research examines ROV pressure and resistance, is less likely at the present time. Furthermore, the design and operation of this remotely operated vehicle (ROV) rely heavily on accurate measurements of hydrodynamic loads. Computational Fluids Dynamic (CFD) technique makes it possible to obtain an accurate estimate of the forces that are being applied by the flow around the ROV hull. In this paper, an investigation of the resistance and pressure that the ROV experiences when on the surface and while submerged to a depth of 100 meters is presented. In addition, ROV was evaluated at several speeds, ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 metres per second. The speed of the ROV that is being evaluated will increase when significant impediments are introduced into the environment. This flips the direction of the pressure that is applied to the ROV hull. The CFD approach demonstrates the resistance that is generated on the ROV hull is, for the most part, affected by the speed at which it is moving. In free surface conditions, the average increase in resistance was 78.91%, and in submerged conditions, it was 74.24%. Nevertheless, the variation in test depth is where the main impact of the pressure value can be seen in the CFD simulation. Simulations conducted on the free surface indicate that the pressure on the ROV hull is about 1x10-3 kPa, whereas simulations conducted at a depth of 100 metres below the sea surface indicate that the pressure is approximately 972 kPa