Leading edge vortex formation and wake trajectory: Synthesizing measurements, analysis, and machine learning

Abstract

The power generation of an array of oscillating hydrofoils is significantly affected by the vortex wake shed of the upstream hydrofoil. In this work, we study the strength and trajectory of a leading edge vortex formed by a pitching-heaving hydrofoil. Two different approaches, a potential flow and a machine learning approach, are used to provide predictive capability for these properties. The developed tools provide low-computational cost methods to assist in rapidly narrowing down the search space in the optimization of a hydrofoil array system.