Hydrodynamic analysis and stabilization mechanisms of a Novel Flying Wing Anchor® under free-fall and ocean current conditions

The Flying Wing Anchor® (FWA®) is an innovative hybrid dynamically installed anchor designed for efficient self-weight installation, offering high kinetic efficiency and enhanced directional stability, qualities that make it well suited for deep-sea mooring applications. However, its hydrodynamic behavior during the free-fall phase, particularly under varying geometric configurations and ocean current conditions, remains inadequately understood. This study employs both static and dynamic simulations to investigate the influence of geometric design, self-correction capability, and ocean current effects on the hydrodynamic performance of the FWAs®. The numerical results elucidate the roles of steady flow fin geometry and flying wing size in determining drag characteristics and directional stability, confirm the anchor's self-correcting behavior during descent, and quantify the effects of different ocean current scenarios. Additionally, a time-dependent analytical model for drag coefficient and added mass during free fall is developed and validated against numerical simulations.