Simulation of Energy Harvesting Eel by the Immersed Boundary Method

Abstract

In the present study, we carry out numerical simulations of energy harvesting eel by using the immersed boundary method. Eel is modeled by a flexible filament and is placed behind a circular cylinder. We perform systematic simulations in order to explore the effects of Reynolds number. The instantaneous eel motion is analyzed under different conditions and surrounding vortical structures are identified. The flapping frequency of eel has been compared with that in case of plate alone as well as filament alone. As increasing Reynolds number, we can see that the flexible filament flaps passively by obtaining the Strouhal number of cylinder alone and filament with cylinder.