Senior Project Report

Making a Submersible Multi-terrain Aquatic Car

By Joey Alfred

Joey Alfred
Mr White
Period 5
10/30/15

Senior Project: 3D Modeling a Submersible Aquatic Car

An aspiring inventor is obligated be able to visualize and optimize their

invention. Since middle school, I have desired to invent an unique vehicle. I aspire
to be able to create something new with my own hands. I am compelled to use 3D
modeling software in order to fabricate, print, and optimize a 3D scale model of a
unique multi-terrain submersible aquatic vehicle. This machine must be able to float,
submerge to a depth of approximately one hundred feet without leaking, and be able
to traverse multiple terrains. This will most likely create some challenges for me, as it
is my first experience using 3-dimensional modeling software of any sort. My plan is
to research structure, aerodynamics, engines, drivetrain, maneuvering fans, and fuel
sources in order to obtain the best options, which are required to design such a
vehicle. This research will make the vehicle as realistic and efficient as possible.

This is a tremendous step into a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,

and Math) and vehicle design.
Manned vehicles need to be structurally sound and feasible. To make it
structurally sound, they require a material that will retain its rigidity and strength. This
material must be able to survive and keep the driver in one piece in the event of a
crash or impact. Scientists are beginning to introduce a material that is stronger
than carbon fiber, yet cheaper and still made of pure carbon: graphene. (de
Quetteville, 2015; Colapinto, 2015) Among other traits, graphene is an atomically 2dimensional plane of carbon atoms, linked in a hexagonal structure, and is derived
from graphite. (de Quetteville, 2015; Colapinto, 2015) This plane can be molded into
any form and layered to create a composite material multiple times stronger than
steel, and lighter than aluminum. An epoxy of this material can retain around 90
percent of its integrity and strength. (de Quetteville, 2015; Colapinto, 2015) The
original form can also be manipulated to suit a persons needs. (de Quetteville,
2015; Colapinto, 2015) This will be explained in another paragraph. To make the
structure of any vehicle feasible, it is essential for it to accommodate or house the
cargo as well as transport passengers safely and in relative comfort. Realistically
speaking, this vehicle will need to adapt to the environment it may face. To allow for
passenger safety and comfort in a model, a representation of the passenger is
required. Therefore, the vehicle must be built around the representation of the
passenger. It also should be aerodynamic.

A vehicle cannot be optimized without recognizing the effect of air on it. The
manipulation of how air and other fluids move is called fluid dynamics. As an
airplane uses its wings to produce lift, other vehicles and machines use structures
that change the air around it to serve a purpose. (Lahos, 2015) Formula 1 cars, for
example, use fin-like structures to keep them on the ground at high speeds.
Likewise, a large surface area of a parachute causes air to be trapped underneath,
making it fall slowly. One method of getting submersibles underwater is to use
propulsion and a fin-like structure resembling an upside-down plane wing. These
structures push the submersible down as the vehicle goes faster. This is one of the
features the model will implement to allow for better control.
When an object is moving on Earth, there will be air resisting that motion,
called drag. Drag effects the surface area of an object that is facing the direction of
travel. The shape that this surface area comes in changes how strong the drag is.
The dimples on a golf ball move the air hitting them behind the ball, creating less drag
and the ability to go farther. A bullet has a cone-like nose to allow movement of air,
thus dramatically decreasing drag and increasing distance fired. Drag also affects
the efficiency of a vehicle. A sports car that has the same engine and mass as a
truck will be able to go further on a full tank of gas. The sports car has a more
aerodynamic frame than the truck, which allows it to cut through the air more
efficiently, so that the engine doesnt need to work as hard to move the car.
Modern vehicles move because of a rotating axle that changes the
environment around it, thus pushing it in the direction required. This method

facilitates the use of a motor to turn the axle. There are many types of motors that
serve this purpose and many others as well. Piston engines use explosions to turn
the axle and are known for their loud growl. Steam engines use boiling water to turn
turbines that propel it. These are famous for their use in older ships, trains, and
power plants; and for their tendency to belch black smoke into the air. The electric
motor uses magnetism to turn a shaft and rotate an object, a method that doesnt
have significant emissions. The downside is that they are currently not as powerful
as other motors and engines.
A vehicle cannot move without a force driving it. A modern vehicle uses the
force of gasoline exploding inside of the engine to turn the wheels and move the car.
There are potential fuel sources that have yet to make it out in the world, which
could be revolutionary. For example, thorium, a radioactive element that can be
easily and cheaply made. This element could be mixed with waste plutonium and
can act as an energy source, which could replace power plants with a safer, cleaner,
cheaper, and more efficient fuel-cell that can shut itself down in lieu of a meltdown.
(Anthony, 2015) Solar power, which is not very efficient yet, may become more
adept at harnessing the power of the sun and could also replace present power
plants. (NASA, 2015) Graphene can be made to store energy from solar radiation
and convert it into electricity. (de Quetteville, 2015; Colapinto, 2015) Graphene can
also be made into a paint that could work as a solar cell or as a wire capable of
transferring electricity better than copper. (de Quetteville, 2015) This would allow
people to use a graphene-based paint that could make ordinary objects act as solar

cells. A vehicle also needs a way to store the energy it requires in order to keep it
moving. Using a battery allows electric vehicles to travel a long time without a
charge. A lithium battery is the modern way to store electricity, but graphene may be
able to hold as much as ten times that of a similar sized lithium battery and be
charged ten times faster. (de Quetteville, 2015; Colapinto, 2015) In order to optimize
a vehicle, it is essential to recognize a potential fuel for the future.
Initially, I need to start my project by discovering a reliable and affordable 3D
modeling program which has the capability to test the design and print it out. This
turned out to be a major problem, since I had no idea how to be able to tell whether
or not the program was trustworthy. Professional 3D modeling programs cost
between three to four thousand dollars, and some of them charge yearly. Luckily,
my Robotics and Engineering teacher told me about a student version of a
professional program called Autodesk Inventor that gives students and teachers a
three year license to use the program. (Autodesk, 2015) This will be a new
experience considering I am completely inexperienced when it comes to 3D
modeling.
In order to create my model, I needed to learn how to use Inventor. These
concepts will be taught later this year in the Robotics and Engineering class Im
presently taking. It is essential that I learn it before the teacher implements the
program if I am going to create my design by the date I want to finish. Autodesk has
a tutorial page that demonstrates how to use it, but it is kind of confusing. My
mentor didnt have any experience with 3D modeling programs either. This was a

difficulty that I had not anticipated. At first, I couldnt figure out how to convert a 2D
sketch into a 3D model, so I went to my teacher for help and mastered the
processes of extrude, revolve, and loft. These features allowed me to create the
parts that would fabricate my model.
Optimizing a model for a multi-terrain submersible aquatic vehicle is grueling
work. The primary problem was that I hadnt mastered the ability to use the 3D
modeling program. In addition, a vehicle like the one I chose would be a difficult
project for multiple engineers to accomplish. The materials used in the vehicle
greatly affect how well the vehicle fares when pressurized, as it would be
underwater. Plus, it also affects the density and efficiency of the vehicle. The vehicle
would also need some kind of life-support system if someone wanted to stay
underwater for an extended period of time.
A vehicle of this complexity is built for a purpose. It may not be the fastest car
around, nor is it the best submarine or even the best boat. The point of it is, to allow
someone to utilize the capability of all three, combined into one complex vehicle. If
there is someone who lives on a tropical island and works on another island, they
would be able to drive right in and out of the water without needing to get a boat. If
that person wanted to look at the aquatic wildlife around them, they could dive and
look at all the life without needing to put a suit on. This vehicle could lead to a new
form of transportation that, though not the best at each of its uses, is the best at
doing all of those things together.

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