Flow Over a Swimmer's Head With and Without Goggles — Simulation Example

Overview

In sports such as swimming, the difference between winning and losing could be as small as 0.01 seconds. To improve their speed and gain a competitive advantage, professional swimmers resort to various methods to reduce the drag force they experience while moving through the water. This includes improving their swimming technique, using low-friction swimming suits and head caps, and wearing low-drag eye goggles. The aim of this example is to analyze the role eye goggles play in reducing the drag force experienced by a swimmer.

Objectives

In this example, you will perform simulations to compute the flow of water over a swimmer’s head model. You will learn how to set up 3D simulations for two models of swimmer’s head 1) with goggles and 2) without goggles. Finally, you will learn how to obtain, analyze and compare the results of the two simulations and understand the impact of eye goggles on the drag force experienced by a swimmer.

Alternate video link.

Setup

Download the Mesh file required for setting up the simulation and associated Case & Data files here. Follow the instructions below to set up this simulation in Ansys Fluent starting with the Mesh file. In case you face any issues setting up or running the simulation, refer to corresponding initial and final Case and Data files.

Results & Discussion

Let’s now take a look at how goggles impact the drag force experienced by a swimmer's head.