{
  "abstract": "Multi-fin bioinspired propulsion systems have seen a rise in interest recently due to natural occurrence in animal systems and emerging technology. These systems make use of fin-fin interaction to improve swimming performance where the downstream fins use the wake of the upstream fin to their benefit. While 2-fin systems are relatively well understood, it is unclear how performance is impacted as the number of fins grow. Using an immersed boundary method solver, we model the multi-fin systems to analyze performance across several key parameters: spacing between fins, phase offset, freestream velocity, and number of fins per system. We characterize performance via system thrust and propulsive efficiency. We show that a dimensionless phase parameter incorporating inter-fin spacing, oscillation frequency, and freestream velocity approximately collapses the thrust response across different operating conditions, providing a useful predictor of favorable wake-interaction timing. As more fins are added ($>2$), they can further enhance the group thrust and efficiency without modifying the performance of the fins upstream. Through optimization, we found this enhancement to peak with a 3-4 fin system, after which performance diminishes with additional fins due to the growing wake complexity. Optimal conditions led to boosts in thrust or efficiency of 30% and 20%, respectively. From this study, we show that there are performance gains realized in larger fin systems (though with diminishing returns) and optimizing system performance of multi-fin systems can be done sequentially to save computational resources.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2610.35395",
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Parker T. Grobe"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ethan J. Watson"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tyler Van Buren"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bvqhn6h07srp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.35395",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1bvqhn6h07srp",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.35395",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.flu-dyn"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2202|Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223894221",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.35395",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bvqhn6h07srp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:35:35Z",
      "native_id": "2610.35395",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.35395"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.flu-dyn",
      "subfield": "fluid-dynamics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Performance and optimization of multi-fin oscillatory propulsion",
  "title_text": "Performance and optimization of multi-fin oscillatory propulsion",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:35:35Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bvqhn6h07srp",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}