Directional acoustic underwater thruster

IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2011 Jun;58(6):1114-7. doi: 10.1109/TUFFC.2011.1918.

Abstract

This study describes a tested prototype for a controllable directional underwater thruster with no moving parts. During operation, a high-intensity acoustic wave creates directional water jets and the device moves itself in the opposite direction. When the underwater thruster moves along a non-vertical angle, it can produce straight backward thrust of 2.3 mN and lateral thrust of 0.6 mN in parallel with the device surface, with a total thrust-to-weight ratio of 2:1. To enhance the acoustic streaming effect, a self-focusing acoustic transducer (SFAT) with air reflectors is used to focus the acoustic wave.

Publication types

  • Letter