MobileTactical Power Systems

Fall 2014 – Spring 2015
Course 2.013/2.014
To develop novel energy technologies that significantly reduce the logistics burden on the warfighter.  The focus of this effort is on the U.S. Marine Corps, a small, highly mobile force, typically at the front lines of the conflict.  Potential for numerous other applications including disaster response, and third world electrification.

Enviromental Awareness In the Maritime Domain

Fall 2014 – Spring 2015
Course 2.013/2.014, 16.82
The Mechanical Engineering and Aero/Astro Engineering departments are collaborating to design, build, and demonstrate an integrated system to enable long-endurance surveillance operations in marine environments. The key elements of this novel system are deployable power pod and autonomous seaplane. By providing power and communications to the seaplane, the power pod significantly extends the duration of surveillance operations in support search and rescue, marine life and environmental monitoring, border patrol, and naval operations.

Enviromental Awareness In the Maritime Domain

Fall 2014 – Spring 2015
Course 2.013/2.014
Students in the Mechanical Engineering Capstone Course designed a deployable “blue water” resupply system.  Networks of latent semisubmersible pods will operate autonomously in a marine environment and provide power and communications links to significantly extend the duration of maritime surveillance operations. Each pod includes a power source, buoyance control system, docking station, and satellite communication link. Pods are deployed from surface ships, and hibernate below the surface until activated by an underwater communication signal. Once activated, pods surface and deploy a docking station to recharge and download data from UAVS, and then transmit data to remote stations via satellite communications. The design for this system was completed in the fall 2014 semester, and students plan to build and demonstrate this novel capability in the spring 2015 semester.

AUV Power Subsystems 2014

Course 2.013/2.014 - Professor Doug Hart

For the past several years, the objectives of the Engineering Systems Design (2.013) and Engineering Systems Development (2.014) courses are to design, fabricate and test a long-endurance energy source for undersea systems.  Specific design goals include air-independent and safe, reliable power that is able to increase the endurance of a mid-sized AUV from 3 days to 30 days.  The class of 2014 developed a full-scale prototype energy source that uses a commercial fuel cell that is powered by the hydrogen gas released when aluminum reacts with water.

AUV Power Subsystem 2013

Fall 2012 – Spring 2013
Course 2.013/2.014
The design project in FY 2013 developed a proof-of-concept prototype to power an Autonomous Undersea Vehicle.  The system powers a commercial fuel cell with hydrogen released when aluminum reacts with water together with oxygen released in the disassociation of sodium chlorate. The class also developed another method that directly converts he chemical energy in the aluminum-water reaction into electricity.

AUV Power Subsystem 2012

Fall 2011 – Spring 2012
Course 2.013/2.014 – Professor Doug Hart
The design project in FY 2012 developed a prototype energy system for autonomous undersea vehicles (AUV) that used a commercial internal combustion engine together with a custom generator to recharge AUV batteries.  The class also researched another method to generate electrical power that exploits the energy released when aluminum reacts with water.