Geometric refinement in the hydrodynamic behavior of a novel gravity-installed plate anchor: A numerical study

Abstract

The Flying Wing Anchor® (FWA®), a novel dynamically installed anchor that combines high efficiency with ease of deployment, provides a practical and reliable solution for anchoring deep-water mooring systems, ensuring enhanced stability and reduced installation costs. However, the FWA® remains at the conceptual stage, with its final design requiring further optimization. This study investigates the hydrodynamic performance and optimization of the FWA® using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, focusing on critical design elements such as wing plate configurations and steady flow fins. The numerical results highlight their significant impact on terminal velocity, drag coefficient, and directional stability, with steady flow fins notably improving the anchor directional stability. Furthermore, a comparative analysis with traditional dynamically installed anchors demonstrates that the optimized FWA® achieves higher kinetic energy during seabed penetration, as evidenced by its terminal velocity reaching 79.77 m/s, resulting in improved bearing capacity.