Hydrodynamic Analysis of Extra-Terrestrial Submarine in Lakes of Titan using CFD

Abstract

Extra-terrestrial space exploration projects have been a matter of interest with many space agencies given the possibility of non – Earth life forms, life-nurturing environments, or the presence of valuable minerals within our solar system. The present study conducts an aerodynamic analysis on a submarine body capable of examining the extra-terrestrial seas of Titan, which is expected to harbor life forms using CFD. Computational Fluid Dynamics or CFD is used to analyze the aerodynamic properties of the submarine. The present case is set up by enabling the liquid properties like that of Titan's seas with submarine deeply submerged inside the lake moving at a velocity of 1 – 3 m/s. The average drag coefficient observed for the L/D ratios 10.8, 12.5, and 14.4 is 0.059, 0.067, and 0.072, respectively, for the assumed geometry when the submarine is submerged deep inside the seas.