A first-principles analyses of three alternative mechanisms were conducted: feathered paddlewheels, caterpillar drives, and jellyfish actuators. Equations predicting the thrust generated and power generated by each mechanism were developed and used to compute efficiency. Efficiency comparisons were made to ideal propellers attempting similar tasks with the Kramer diagram. From these results, recommendations were made to theorists and experimentalists hoping to build off the theory developed here.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Olis, Stephen James

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042117-083518

Advisor

• Popovic, Marko B.

Year

• 2017

Date created

• 2017-04-21

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Applied Physics

Rights statement

• In Copyright