Date of Award

2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Ocean Engineering

Department

Ocean Engineering

First Advisor

Stephen Licht

Abstract

Current convention in underwater vehicle propulsion utilizes a symmetrical propeller with fins or additional thrusters for maneuvering. These systems can become mechanically and electronically complex requiring multiple sensors and actuators such as motors, motor controllers, encoders and water tight seals. This creates many failure modes. Conversely, an asymmetrical propeller has fewer failure modes as the propeller can maneuver the vehicle by itself. By varying the speed of the blade within the rotation, the resulting force imbalance creates a turning moment in addition to forward thrust. This thesis designs, develops and utilizes a test bed to decipher the six axis dynamic capabilities of a single bladed asymmetrical propeller.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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