Experimental and numerical study of hydrodynamic performance of remotely operated vehicle

Nowadays, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is an integral part of the marine industry. In this study, the hydrodynamic performance of a specific model of ROV is evaluated by numerical and experimental simulations in different Reynolds numbers ranging from 39291 to 157163 and various angles of attack from 0° to 45°. Moreover, two rectangular cubic models with fillet and sharp edges are modeled for comparative study. The wind tunnel and the finite volume methods are used for experimental and numerical simulations, respectively, and the Menter's SST k-ω model is employed to simulate the turbulent flow. The leading edge geometry, angle of attack, and Reynolds number are found to be the most effective factors on the drag forces. Additionally, the fillet edge model had better hydrodynamic performance than the ROV and the sharp edge rectangular cubic model considerably. •The hydrodynamic performance of a ROV is compared with those for the sharp and the fillet edge rectangular cubic models.•Effects of Reynolds number and angles of attack on the flow characteristics and hydrodynamic forces are evaluated.•Filleting has a considerable effect on improving hydrodynamic performance.