Hydrodynamic interaction of dorsal fin and caudal fin in swimming tuna

Abstract Tuna, which are known for high-performance swimming, possess a large crescent dorsal fin (DF) and a caudal fin (CF) that differ from those of other fishes. The hydrodynamic interaction between the DF and CF in tuna, which are represented by two tandem 3D flapping plates, is numerically explored in the present study. Hydrodynamic properties and wake structures of the models with and without a DF are compared to investigate the effects of the DF. The thrust on the CF is substantially enhanced by the DF, whereas the force on the DF is not affected by the CF. The constructive interaction between the leading-edge vortex (LEV) on the CF and the vortices shed from the dorsal fin (DFVs) is identified from 3D wake topology and 2D vorticity distributions. The circulation of spanwise vorticity quantitatively reveals that the LEV on the CF is strengthened by the same-signed DFV. The effect of the flapping phase of the CF is examined. The DF–CF interaction is sensitive to the flapping phase at a short spacing, whereas a long spacing between the two fins enables a robust constructive interaction in tuna swimming. A systematic study is carried out to explore the effects of the Strouhal number (St) and the Reynolds number (Re) on the interaction of the fins. The enhancement of thrust due to the DF is diminished at St = 0.63, whereas the Re does not substantially influence the constructive DF–CF interaction.