Date of Award
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Smith, Samuel M.
Abstract
Maneuvering thrusters can provide small underwater vehicles with the ability to dynamically control position at low speeds. However, the successful implementation of these thrusters requires an understanding of their dynamic response, as well as a design which meets the specified design requirements. This thesis experimentally investigates the design and dynamic performance of small diameter tunnel thrusters for two small autonomous underwater vehicles. A systematic series of dynamic experiments were conducted with three working tunnel thruster prototypes that fulfill the operating and design constraints of these vehicles. The results from these experiments are shown to provide an accurate representation of the overall performance and thrust capability of the thrusters tested. Experimental data is compared with simulations utilizing a recently proposed thruster model, and the ability of the model to predict the dynamic response is discussed.
Extent
139 p.
Recommended Citation
Whitney, James Walter Jr, "experimental investigation of the design and performance of small-diameter tunnel thrusters" (1998). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999. 1307.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_4/1307
Identifier
FADT15555
Comments
College of Engineering and Computer Science|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1998.|College of Engineering and Computer Science