Torque Analysis of a Flat Reconfigurable Magnetic Coupling Thruster for Marine Renewable Energy Systems Maintenance AUVs

Henrique Fagundes Gasparoto, Olivier Chocron, Mohamed Benbouzid, Pablo Siqueira Meirelles and Luiz Otávio Saraiva Ferreira
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Henrique Fagundes Gasparoto: Institut de Recherche Dupuy de Lôme (UMR CNRS 6027 IRDL), ENI Brest, 29238 Brest CEDEX 3, France
Olivier Chocron: Institut de Recherche Dupuy de Lôme (UMR CNRS 6027 IRDL), ENI Brest, 29238 Brest CEDEX 3, France
Mohamed Benbouzid: Institut de Recherche Dupuy de Lôme (UMR CNRS 6027 IRDL), University of Brest, 29238 Brest, France
Pablo Siqueira Meirelles: Department of Computational Mechanics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP 13083-860, Brazil
Luiz Otávio Saraiva Ferreira: Department of Computational Mechanics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas-SP 13083-860, Brazil

Energies, 2018, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The concept of reconfigurable magnetic coupling thrusters (RMCT) applied to the vectorial thrust of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) has been recently developed and presented. This technology ensures greater robot watertightness with enhanced maneuvering capabilities, which are desired features in agile AUVs for marine renewable energy (MRE) system maintenance. It is possible since in RMCTs the driving torque is magnetically transmitted to the propeller, which has its orientation changed. This work is focused on the coupling and control torque calculation and further analysis of the latest prototype version (Flat-RMCT), in the static condition for the full thrust vector range. For this purpose, a numerical model is implemented and validated with experimental results. The numerical model is based on the finite volume integral method. The results indicate that the minimum magnetic reluctance propensity creates not only the expected magnetic spring effect but also an auto-driving torque due to the non-axial symmetry of coupling rotors, which exists only for reconfigurable couplings. Mathematical functions are proposed to model these effects and they are used to extend the understanding of the coupling. These models can be used to compose a full and accurate dynamic model for a better RMCT simulation, identification, and control.

Keywords: AUV propulsion; thruster design; vectorial thrust; power transmission; magneto-mechanical devices; passive magnetic coupling; magnetic coupler; magnetic joint; coupling torque; control torque; finite volume integral method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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