Numerical Simulation of a Three-Dimensional Fish-like Body Swimming with Finlets

The swimming of a 3D fish-like body with finlets is numerically investigated at Re = 1000 (the Reynolds number is based on the uniform upstream flow and the length of the fish-like body). The finlets are simply modeled as thin rigid rectangular plates that undulate with the body. The wake structures and the flow around the caudal peduncle are studied. The finlets redirect the local flow across the caudal peduncle but the vortical structures in the wake are almost not affected by the finlets. Improvement of hydrodynamic performance has not been found in the simulation based on this simple model. The present numerical result is in agreement with that of the work of Nauen and Lauder [J. Exp. Biol., 204 (2001), pp. 2251-2263] and partially supports the hypothesis of Webb [Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Can., 190 (1975), pp. 1-159].