Propulsion of
The Human-Powered Submarine
Team of Virginia Tech
This year the propulsion crew is primarily concerned with designing and building a new human powered propulsion system for the Phantom III submarine.
The motto for the Phantom III is simplicity. This is because complexity has been proven to be trouble on race day. Along these lines, a direct drive system has been selected for the Phantom III to give it the speed to become a winning boat.
The basic philosophy behind the design is for one propulsor to pedal lying in a prone position. The bicycle- like crank will be connected directly in a gearbox to two beveled gears that can be selected on the basis of desired speed. The gearbox is filled with air that is held at a pressure slightly above that of the surrounding water by its own regulator. This simple design lets the gears run in air rather than water for reduced energy loss.