ESDU Engineer

ESDU Contribution to Aerodynamic Design of Underwater Robot for McGill University Thesis

Two years ago, ESDU received a request for assistance from a Mechanical Engineering Graduate student working on the model of an underwater robot (pictured) at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. We are pleased to say that Christine Georgiades (Ambulatory Robotics Laboratory at the Centre for Intelligent Machines) has published the initial version of her thesis on her web site http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~cgeorg. She cites the unique help provided by ESDU Data Item 71016 in the Reference section.

Data Item 71016 (Fluid forces, pressures and moments on rectangular blocks) was particularly useful in determining the forces acting on the robot as it moves underwater at relatively low speed. Christine was able to rationalise the hexapod geometry of her robot to an equivalent rectangular prism and then use the ESDU-validated method to estimate the hydrodynamic drag. The thesis declares a good agreement between her theoretical predictions and experimental tests.

During recent Engineering awareness sessions provided for subscribers, a number of Engineers interested in fluid forces acting on bluff bodies have been referred to Volume 11a of the ESDU Aerodynamics Series and Christine's web site. Who knows where that may lead Christine!

It is interesting to relate that a number of subscribers (both commercial and military-oriented) to the ESDU Aerodynamics Series have used the data for design and analysis work relating to a wide range of shapes found in underwater marine applications. Indeed, many Engineers may be interested to read a recent article of the magazine "Aviation Week" that includes a photograph of a submarine model being tested in a wind tunnel to measure its drag.

To discuss these, or any other related subjects, please contact the ESDU Aerodynamics Group via esdu@esdu.com or the 'feedback' form at www.esdu.com. To arrange an on-site Technical Awareness session that concentrates on a topic of your choice in any of the Engineering disciplines covered by ESDU, please contact Dr John N. Hammar at jham@ihsesdu.com.

Source: ASTM International.