Effects of body shape on hydrodynamic interactions in a dense diamond fish school

To examine the effect that body shape plays in the interactions between fish in a dense fish school, fish-like undulating foils are numerically studied in a high-density diamond school. Shape parameters of leading edge radius, boattail angle, and maximum thickness location along the body are independently varied to control the body shape. A traveling wave is prescribed to the body, and the flow around the school is solved using an immersed boundary method-based incompressible Navier–Stokes flow solver. Our findings indicate that body shape does play a significant role in the performance of the school and varies school efficiency and thrust productions by as much as 7% and 40%, respectively, and changes the efficiency in individual swimmers within the school by up to 25%. The leading edge radius drives the scale of the anterior body suction experienced throughout the school. A rounder leading edge generates more suction but consequently consumes more power. Changes to the location of the maximum thickness along the foil significantly impact the wall effect in the school by changing the shape of the “wall.” A maximum thickness that occurs at or in front of the closest point of interaction between the body and tail is favored. Finally, changes to the boattail angle manipulate the shape of the active channels in the school altering vortex–body interactions and the wall effect. A large boattail angle leads to a pinching that prohibits significant flow in the channels, reducing performance.