Influence of hydrofoil motion patterns on the hydrodynamic performance of undulating fin for biomimetic underwater robots

The undulatory propulsion of aquatic organisms like the black ghost knifefish offers high manoeuvrability and motion stability, making it a promising model for developing advanced biomimetic underwater robots. However, these robots are frequently hindered by limitations in speed and propulsion efficiency. Inspired by the energy benefits observed in fish schooling, this study introduces a cooperative propulsion system integrating the hydrofoil with the undulating fin to enhance propulsion performance through an investigation of their interaction across various motion patterns. Specifically, we investigate the effects of static, pitching, heaving, and their combination (pitching + heaving) of the hydrofoil on the hydrodynamic performance of the undulating fin. Our results indicate that a static hydrofoil slightly increases the fin's average thrust, while pure pitching marginally reduces it. The high-speed vortices generated by the hydrofoil during pure heaving significantly suppress the fin's thrust. In contrast, the combined motion of pitching and heaving substantially enhances propulsion performance. Thus, the combined motion of the hydrofoil can better enhance the hydrodynamic performance of the undulatory propulsion robot. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the optimized design of high-speed and stable undulating fin propulsion systems, offering valuable insights for developing underwater robots with improved operational capabilities. •This study systematically investigates the effects of four typical hydrofoil motion patterns—static, pure pitching, pure heaving, and combined motions—on the hydrodynamic performance of undulating fin.•This study explores how hydrofoil motion frequencies impact the hydrodynamic performance of undulating fin.•This study provides a comparative analysis that elucidates why combined hydrofoil motion (pitching and heaving) enhances hydrodynamic performance, offering valuable insights for improving the propulsion performance of undulating fin robots.