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Info Hovercraft Vector
Info
Hovercraft Vector
Hovercraft with thrust vector control
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Due to their amphibian qualities, hovercrafts are the means of choice if it comes to mobility and transportation in various inaccessible areas. Their biggest advantage, however, which isbeing almost fully detached from the ground, comes at the cost ofreduced and difficult maneuverability. All steering and stoppingmaneuvers are facilitated through the air thrust generated by thepropulsion system.
Bigger hovercrafts can be maneuvered rather precisely due to complex thrust control systems. Smaller hovercrafts, however, inmany cases only employ a single rudder in order to control thedirection of the exhaust air flow. As such, to conduct a stoppingmaneuver, those smaller vehicles have to turn by 180° in order touse their thrust in opposite direction of the craft’s original course.
The goal of the diploma thesis, conducted by Albert Mielke andDaniel Wagner, was to address this problem and develop a thrustcontrol system for smaller hovercrafts.
The system is intended to allow for combined stopping- and steering maneuvers and to provide for the possibility of hoveringon the spot without moving in any other direction. As a consequence, thrust control systems become feasible not only forhovercrafts using separate hovering- and propulsion units, but alsofor vehicles deploying a single integrated propulsion system.Regarding the latter, a part of the propulsion air flow is split off forboost generation.
The operation principle for the thrust control system developed isreminiscent of the steering mechanism used in track vehicles.Coming from the propeller, the air flow is distributed across two
Cockpit and impeller
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ducts. Each of the ducts has a pair of servo tabs which works similarto the thrust reverser found in air plane jet engines. As a result, theamount of air emitted either to the front or the rear of the hovercraftcan be adjusted continuously. So far, and in order to test the thrustcontrol system efficiency, a prototype has been built to examinevarious apron designs.
The arrangement of the mechanical components in the prototypevery much resembles the situation for the subsequent 2nd generationmodel. The simpler geometry of the prototype, however, allows forquickly exchanging these components.
The prototype was tested under land- as well as water conditions –in both cases the craft demonstrated high maneuverability and itshowed no problems concerning crucial maneuvers such as stopping and cruising backwards.
Insights derived from analyzing the prototype were used in developing the 2nd generation model. As such, the thrust controlsystem of the 2nd generation model was generally improved as wellas optimized for greater maximum thrust.
The Festo AG & Co. KG supported this diploma thesis becauseAlbert Mielke and Daniel Wagner were able to demonstrate thepotential for various forward-looking innovations regarding theapplication of air.
Propulsion system
Project partners
Project initiator:Dr. Heinrich Frontzek, Corporate Communication, Festo AG & Co. KG
Graduate students at the University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld:Dipl.-Ing.(FH) Albert MielkeDipl.-Ing.(FH) Daniel Wagner
Project head at the University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld:Prof. Dr.-Ing. Reinhard Kaschuba, Laboratory for physics and product conception at University ofApplied Sciences Bielefeld, Germany
Project head at Festo AG & Co. KG:Dipl.-Ing.(FH) Markus Fischer, Corporate Design
Technical consultants:Dieter Hollig, Franz Gebetshuber, BRP Rotax GmbH, GunskirchenWingfan GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Photography: Walter Fogel, Angelbachtal, Germany
Grafic design: Atelier Frank, Berlin, Germany
Festo AG & Co. KG
Corporate DesignRechbergstraße 373770 DenkendorfGermanywww.festo.dePhone +49/711/347-38 80Fax +49/711/347-38 [email protected]
Specifications
Lenght: 2,600 mmWidth: 1,500 mm
Dead weight: 160 kgMax. weight: 320 kg
Engine: Rotax 552Power rating: 50 KW
Impeller: Wingfan 8-bladeDiameter: 760 mm
Speed: 85 km/h
2nd generation
Thrust vector control
