Figure 1
Figure 2
Team 24
Team Members |
Faculty Advisor |
Benjamin Rosen |
Dr. Alexei Poludnenko Sponsor NUWC |
sponsored by
Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) Internal Impeller Propulsion
The team must design and build a functional Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) which utilizes an internal impeller propulsion system. Current UUV’s are designed with an external propulsion system, typically a propeller located at the aft end of the vessel, though this type of propulsion can cause issues during launch, which is why the team will be using an internal propulsion system. The vehicle must reach a speed of 5 knots and an acceleration of 0.5g, or 4.9 m/s^2. The vehicle must also propel itself out of a tube which is closed at one end. The prototype will be tested to prove the functionality of the system and to ensure the project requirements are met. Figure 1 shows the completed painted prototype, and Figure 2 shows the ANSYS simulation of the flow through the water ducting inside the UUV with the impeller rotating.