SBIR Phase I: DEEP-MOP - Development of an Electrification Enabling Platform for Maritime Outboard Propulsion

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响是减少休闲游艇市场的水道污染和噪音，并为搜索和救援行动、国防和执法提供安静、可靠的替代方案。该项目将产生一个重要的舷外发动机原型，从一开始就被设计为电力船舶推进系统。该项目将使目前商用电动舷外发动机的续航里程增加一倍，从而在续航里程方面与汽油动力发动机相媲美，而十年的拥有成本不到汽油发动机的一半。这对环境也有重要的好处。这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在为长达25英尺的船只提供具有竞争力的电动舷外马达和电池系统，这将与汽油发动机的范围相匹配，同时在很大程度上消除维护成本。中国正在追求四种发展轨迹：(1)用现代传动材料替换轴和锥齿轮系统，以降低噪音和提高效率；(2)采用更大的、经过重新设计的螺旋桨，使电动机在每分钟低转数的情况下运行更高效，从而提高螺旋桨的推力，并优化总成的流体动力学特性；(3)开发一种冷却系统，避免海水的吸入，以减少维护工作和成本。(4)采用更灵活的电池形式，优化电池控制系统，实现最大续航里程。技术要求和挑战包括：(A)证明新传动材料的耐久性超过现有齿轮传动；(B)预测流体动力学，以及计算模型和储罐试验之间的成功相互作用；(C)设计一个完全密封的冷却系统，在电机的使用寿命期间不会泄漏，即使在高峰运行时也不会过热，(D)了解电机和电池控制系统之间复杂的相互作用。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to reduce pollution and noise in and on waterways for the recreational boating market, and provide a silent, reliable alternative for search and rescue operations, defense, and law enforcement. The project will result in an important prototype outboard motor designed as an electric marine propulsion system from inception. This project will double the cruising range of current commercial electric outboard motors, thereby matching gasoline-power engines in terms of range, while resulting in less than half the ten-year cost of ownership. This has important environmental benefits as well. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to provide a competitive electric outboard motor and battery system for boats up to 25 ft in length which will match the range of gasoline engines, while mostly eliminating maintenance costs. Four development trajectories are being pursued: (1) replacing shaft-and-bevel gear systems with modern transmission materials to reduce noise and improve efficiency, (2) improving propeller thrust by adopting a larger and redesigned propeller enabled by electric motors running more efficiently at low revolutions per minute, and optimizing fluid dynamics properties of the assembly, (3) developing a cooling system that avoids sea water ingestion to reduce maintenance effort and cost, and (4) adapting batteries with more flexible form factors and optimizing the battery control system to maximize cruising range. Technical requirements and challenges include: (A) demonstrating that the durability of the new drive materials exceeds existing gear drives; (B) predicting fluid dynamics, and the successful interplay between computational modeling and tank testing; (C) designing a completely sealed cooling system, which will neither leak during the lifetime of the motor, nor overheat even during peak operation, and (D) understanding the complex interplay between motor and battery control systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.