Mini-AUV Hydrodynamic Parameters Identification via CFD Simulations and Their Application on Control Performance Evaluation

Abstract

This manuscript presents a fully detailed methodology in order to identify the hydrodynamic parameters of a mini autonomous underwater vehicle (mini-AUV) and evaluate its performance using different controllers. The methodology consists of close-to-reality simulation using a Computed Fluid Dynamics (CFD) module of the ANSYS™ Workbench software, the processing of the data, obtained by simulation, with a set of Savistky–Golay filters; and, the application of the Least Square Method in order to estimate the hydrodynamic parameters of the mini-AUV. Finally, these parameters are considered to design the three different controllers that are based on the robot manipulators theory. Numerical simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the controllers.

Keywords

• mini-AUV
• hydrodynamic parameters identification
• CFD simulation
• ANSYS™
• position controllers