{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34789"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34789","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Propulsion Design","abstract":"The goal of this design process was to achieve the most efficient propulsive system for the candidate autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as possible. A mathematical approach, using fundamental motor equations and derived quantities, was used to characterize and select an efficient brushless electric motor for the propulsion system. A program developed at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called OpenProp versions 1 and 2.3 was utilized to design a custom propeller that maximizes the efficiency of the system. A brushless electric motor was selected for the candidate AUV based on a survey of available off the shelf motors and a mathematical characterization process. In parallel with the motor characterization a propeller design was optimized using OpenProp v1 to perform a parametric analysis. OpenProp v2.3 was then used to design a unique propeller for the selected motor. The propeller design resulted in a final propeller with an efficiency of 79.93%. The motor characterization process resulted in two candidate motors being selected, the NeuMotor 1925-3Y and NeuMotor 1521-10.5Y, for in house testing and evaluation. A total propulsive system efficiency of between 44% and 46% was achieved depending on which motor is selected for the final design.","abstract_html":"The goal of this design process was to achieve the most efficient propulsive system for the candidate autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as possible. A mathematical approach, using fundamental motor equations and derived quantities, was used to characterize and select an efficient brushless electric motor for the propulsion system. A program developed at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called OpenProp versions 1 and 2.3 was utilized to design a custom propeller that maximizes the efficiency of the system. A brushless electric motor was selected for the candidate AUV based on a survey of available off the shelf motors and a mathematical characterization process. In parallel with the motor characterization a propeller design was optimized using OpenProp v1 to perform a parametric analysis. OpenProp v2.3 was then used to design a unique propeller for the selected motor. The propeller design resulted in a final propeller with an efficiency of 79.93%. The motor characterization process resulted in two candidate motors being selected, the NeuMotor 1925-3Y and NeuMotor 1521-10.5Y, for in house testing and evaluation. A total propulsive system efficiency of between 44% and 46% was achieved depending on which motor is selected for the final design.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Duelley, Richard Skyler"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","degree_department":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Neu, Wayne L."],"committee_members":["Woolsey, Craig A.","Philen, Michael K."],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-08-12","date_published":"2010-08-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:39Z","subjects":["AUV","OpenProp","Efficiency","Propulsion","Propeller","NeuMotor"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08262010-154955"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-08262010-154955","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34789","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Neu, Wayne L."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Woolsey, Craig A.","Philen, Michael K."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Duelley, Richard Skyler"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:44:17Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:44:17Z","2010-10-12"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2010-08-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["AUV","OpenProp","Efficiency","Propulsion","Propeller","NeuMotor"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08262010-154955"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34789"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The goal of this design process was to achieve the most efficient propulsive system for the candidate autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as possible. A mathematical approach, using fundamental motor equations and derived quantities, was used to characterize and select an efficient brushless electric motor for the propulsion system. A program developed at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called OpenProp versions 1 and 2.3 was utilized to design a custom propeller that maximizes the efficiency of the system. A brushless electric motor was selected for the candidate AUV based on a survey of available off the shelf motors and a mathematical characterization process. In parallel with the motor characterization a propeller design was optimized using OpenProp v1 to perform a parametric analysis. OpenProp v2.3 was then used to design a unique propeller for the selected motor. The propeller design resulted in a final propeller with an efficiency of 79.93%. The motor characterization process resulted in two candidate motors being selected, the NeuMotor 1925-3Y and NeuMotor 1521-10.5Y, for in house testing and evaluation. A total propulsive system efficiency of between 44% and 46% was achieved depending on which motor is selected for the final design."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Propulsion Design"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Neu, Wayne L."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Woolsey, Craig A.","Philen, Michael K."],"dc:contributor.department":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Duelley, Richard Skyler"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:44:17Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:44:17Z","2010-10-12"],"dc:date.issued":["2010-08-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["The goal of this design process was to achieve the most efficient propulsive system for the candidate autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) as possible. 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