VIRTUAL SIMULATION OF PMM TESTS INDEPENDENT OF TEST PARAMETERS

The dynamic planar motion mechanism (PMM) tests are simulated numerically using computational fluid dynamics for a prolate spheroid underwater vehicle (PSUV) to find the effects of test parameters: the amplitude, frequency and flow velocity, and make the simulation independent of them. An amplitude of the sinusoidal path of the pure sway and heave tests less than 0.01L and a frequency less than 0.03 Hz are necessary to find accurate results for the maneuvering hydrodynamic derivatives. A ratio of angular frequency to the flow velocity equal to one and an amplitude of less than 0.03L provide relatively accurate results for pure yaw and pitch tests. The calculated test parameters are validated using them for the simulation of the PMM tests for two SUBOFF submarine models to control and compare with the experimental results