Project Details
[Return to Previous Page]Computational Design of a Quieter Electric Outboard Motor Housing
Company: GHK Consulting
Major(s):
Primary: ME
Optional: EE
Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO
Intellectual Property: NO
PROPOSED CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECT Computational Design of a Quieter Electric Outboard Motor Housing Torqeedo Deep Blue 50 RXL electric outboard (see manufacturer image) Purpose and Scope An electric outboard motor housing can radiate objectionable noise when vibration from the motor and drivetrain excites its structural modes. A team of four to six senior engineering students will design a quieter housing by developing and applying an integrated structural-acoustic computational procedure during one 15-week semester. AI programs will be made available for use in this project. The principal design modification will be strategically placed concentrated masses that alter natural frequencies and mode shapes. The team will produce and evaluate a computational prototype rather than fabricate or acoustically test a physical housing. Stiffeners may be considered as an additional concept or recommended for future work. Computational Approach • Develop or adapt a finite-element model of a simplified electric outboard motor housing and calculate its natural frequencies and mode shapes using MATLAB-based FEM software. • Transfer housing geometry, surface normals, modal frequencies, and surface-normal velocities to acoustic code supplied by the advisor. • Calculate and rank the relative acoustic power radiated by approximately three to five normalized structural modes; absolute operating sound level will not be predicted unless a motor-force model is available. • Conduct a structured parametric study of added-mass locations and values, repeating the structural and acoustic calculations for each candidate design. For this step, AI programs will be used in the optimization search. • Select a preferred configuration that substantially reduces the dominant radiating mode without significantly increasing radiation from the other selected modes. • Prepare a preliminary engineering design and financial justification based on added weight, sensitivity, manufacturability, implementation cost, and potential customer value. Sponsor Support and Design Criteria Students will use MATLAB-based finite-element analysis tools available through Penn State. The sponsor will provide the acoustic solver, initial models, example inputs, operating guidance, and regular design reviews. Student-developed intellectual property will be assigned to the sponsor. No nondisclosure agreement is requested. Principal Deliverables • Documented baseline FEM model, natural frequencies, mode-shape visualizations, and FEM-to-acoustic data-transfer procedure. • Baseline acoustic-power results and ranking of approximately three to five selected structural modes. • Parametric comparison of baseline and modified designs, including mode shapes, acoustic power, added mass, and sensitivity. • Recommended preliminary housing design with engineering drawings or mass-location specifications and a financial/manufacturing assessment. • Simulation models and data, final technical report, presentation, poster, and one-page summary; future-work recommendations may include stiffeners and experimental validation. One-Semester Plan Period Principal activity Weeks 1-4 Software instruction; examples; baseline FEM model Weeks 5-8 Baseline modes; FEM-to-acoustic transfer; initial radiation results Weeks 9-12 Mode ranking; added-mass location and value study Weeks 13-15 Design refinement, tradeoffs, final report and presentation
