A team of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) students is building a human-powered submarine in the hope to join an international design contest in the UK next year.
The undergraduates from the Department of Systems and Naval Mechatronic Engineering would be the first group from Asia to join the European International Submarine Races, the Tainan-based university said in a news release on Thursday.
The team is planning to test their submarine in the university’s towing tank soon, it said.
Chen Jeng-horng (陳政宏), an associate professor in the department, advises the team, while the department provides part of the funding for the project, the school said.
Team leader Wang Pi-cheng (王丕丞), a fourth-year undergraduate, said that the project was inspired by a speedboat made by students more than 40 years ago, which is stored in the department building.
Trying to find a topic for a thesis course, he came up with the idea for the project in September last year, Wang said.
The team is designing and building the components for the submarine themselves, taking into account efficiency based on fluid mechanics and the weight of materials, Wang said.
Many components have been 3D printed at the department, Wang added.
The contest requires participating submarines to be human-powered and able to dive up to 5m deep, Wang said.
The requirements challenge the students’ design and engineering skills, he added.
During the race, the biggest challenge would be operating the submarine efficiently within the borders of the course, Wang said, adding that it would be required to remain below the surface for the whole of the contest.
The vessel is designed for one person, who would have to pedal and steer it, he said, adding that it is expected that water would enter the vessel while it dives.
To find the best pilot, the team held a campus-wide audition, Wang said, adding that two students from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics who are members of the school’s cycling club were recruited.
During the department’s 50th anniversary celebration last year, Wang pitched the project to alumni to win sponsors, he said, adding that he won over local firm Horizon Yacht to sponsor fiber-reinforced plastic parts for the vehicle’s hull.
Jr Hsen Ship Technology Co helped the team build propellers, Karmin International Co provided fire-resistant materials, Sheico Group donated diving suits and Li Fang Precision Co assisted with building underwater thrusters, the school said.
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