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New World-Record
Speed Set At International Human-powered Submarine Races; 'Batwing And Manta
Ray-like' Power By
Underwatertimes.com News Service Carderock,
Maryland (2007-06-28 20:15:59 EST) A Canadian team has set a new world
speed record of 7.926 knots in early trial runs at the 9th International
Submarine Races underway this week at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's
Carderock Division David Taylor Model Basin in Bethesda, Maryland. The biennial
engineering design competition got underway Monday with 23 experimental
human-powered submarines participating. The event challenges the engineering
creativity of college, high school and independent students, inventors and
entrepreneurs. The new speed
mark was set by a submarine called OMER 5, crewed by Sebastien Brisebois and
Joel Brunet from the Ecole de Technologie Superieure at the University of
Quebec, Montreal, Canada. The previous world record was 7.061 knots set by OMER
4 in June, 2005. OMER team members were predicting that they might finally
break the eight-knot mark, a speed previously deemed unachievable by
human-powered submarines. Event leaders
have praised the innovation of a brand new one-person submarine, OMER6, also
from the Quebec team, which has a radical propulsion system utilizing
oscillating wings on each side of the forward fuselage. This submarine has
shattered all previous non-propeller design speed records by achieving 4.331
knots. Powering OMER6 is Nicolas Tardif. The fastest
American team has been Texas A&M's Maroon Harpoon, which has achieved a
speed of 5.022 knots with Luke Savoie providing propulsion. Former world
champion submarine team Florida Atlantic University has recorded a best speed
of 4.299 knots in its effort to regain prominence in the world of human-powered
submarine design. The one- and
two-person teams are battling it out against the clock on the 100-meter course
this week for recognition of achievement in best overall performance, use of
composite materials, innovation and speed. Organizers say that they will
increase the degree of difficulty this year with a three-dimensional slalom
course permitting tandem races between selected teams to be held on Friday. "We have
seen an explosion of remarkably innovative new designs this year compared to
past races," said Head Judge Claude Brancart, who is in charge of
contestant liaison. He said some of these innovations include "batwing and
manta ray-like" power, bird flight wings, whale tails and water wheel
turbines in addition to conventional propeller designs. Brancart points out
that speeds have increased steadily over the history of the event, dating back
to 1989. Mr. Brancart notes that experimental technology in human-powered
submarine design has seen increased use of computer-aided variable pitch
propellers and electronic underwater navigation systems. Typical teams
consist of student athlete/engineers, wearing scuba gear as the subs are
"wet", meaning filled with water. Propulsion is provided by team
members' legs driving a sprocket or transmission device attached to shafts and
propellers. ISR Executive
Director Nancy R. Hussey notes that "the submarine races demonstrate the
value of encouraging bright and creative students to apply what they have
learned. We continue to be delighted by their ingenuity. The ISR provides an
education in reality for marine technology and ocean engineering students by
inspiring them to design, build and operate their own submarines." School Teams
Participating in 2007: Sussex County
Technical High School, Sparta, NJ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
University of Washington, Seattle, WA Ecole de Technologie Superieur, Montreal,
PQ, Canada (2) Texas A&M University, College Station, TX Florida Atlantic
University, Boca Raton, FL Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
University of Veracruz, Verazruz, Mexico Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg,
VA Hernando County Schools, Spring Hill, FL (2) University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL Everett Community College, Everett, WA Millersville University,
Millersville, PA University of Maryland, College Park, MD (2) University of
Bath, Bath, United Kingdom University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC,
Canada U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kingspoint, NY University of California at
San Diego, CA Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Canada Independent
Teams Participating: Bruce Plazyk,
Wheaton, IL (2) Don Burton, Frederick, MD |