An experimental investigation of the design and performance of small-diameter tunnel thrusters

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.