Underwater Scooter Magnetic Drive & Propeller Design
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
Mechanical Engineer for Magnetic Coupling & Propeller Design (Underwater DPV)
Project: Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) – Torque-Optimized Magnetic Drive & Propeller
About the Project
We’re developing a next-gen DPV (underwater scooter) and are hiring an experienced mechanical/hydro-mechanical engineer to design two key subsystems:
A magnetic coupling to transfer BLDC motor torque to a sealed propeller shaft (no dynamic shaft seal).
A high-efficiency propeller (likely ducted) that achieves our required shaft-torque → thrust efficiency at the target operating RPM.
We will provide a detailed requirement pack including the target torque curve at the prop shaft, nominal shaft RPM range, envelope constraints, electrical power budget, and reference CAD of the motor pod.
Scope of Work
A) Magnetic Coupling (wet side prop, dry motor)
Architecture trade-off & selection (axial vs. radial flux, cup/can geometry, magnet topology—e.g., Halbach).
Torque capacity sizing to meet our specified shaft torque (with ≥X safety factor at stall).
Eddy-current & thermal loss analysis in the containment shell (material & wall-thickness optimization; e.g., Ti-6Al-4V / 316L / thin-wall non-magnetic alloys or composites).
Misalignment & vibration tolerance; balancing spec (target e.g., G2.5 or better).
Thrust reaction path and bearing selection (subsea-rated ceramic hybrid angular contacts or equivalent).
Static sealing (O-rings, face seals) and serviceability.
B) Propeller / Duct
Propeller concept (blade count, diameter, pitch distribution, hub geometry) to deliver the required torque→thrust efficiency at the provided operating points.
Hydrofoil section selection and CFD (RANS) performance prediction: open-water curves (T-Q-η vs advance ratio), cavitation inception margin at specified depth/salinity, off-design behavior.
Duct (Kort/nozzle) evaluation vs. open prop: safety, efficiency at low advance ratio, stall characteristics.
Prototype iteration plan (e.g., 3D-printed/CF-nylon blades for tank trials → CNC aluminum/PAI final).
Final design for manufacture: hub, blade, shroud, anti-vortex features, corrosion protection, balancing and QA.
C) Integration & Test
Shaft/hub interface & keying/spline/specimen for dyno.
Benchtop water-tank test fixture concept for measuring torque, thrust, RPM, efficiency, and temperature.
Acceptance criteria & test matrix tied to our target torque/efficiency points.
BOM, materials, heat-treat/coatings (anodize, hard-coat, DLC/TiN if needed), and estimated lead times.
Deliverables
Design package: 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) + STEP; fully dimensioned 2D drawings (ISO tolerances & fits).
Analyses: CFD reports (meshing setup, boundary conditions, convergence), FEA of coupler can & hub, thermal/eddy-loss estimation, bearing life (ISO 281).
Manufacturing package: CAM notes, material specs, coatings, assembly instructions, balancing procedure.
Test plan & data templates: Procedures for bench and in-water validation; pass/fail thresholds aligned to required torque efficiency.
Iteration support: Two design loops after initial test results.
IP/NDA: All work-product and IP assigned to client.
Candidate Profile
Must-have:
Experienced in underwater propulsion or magnetically coupled drives (pumps, mixers, or thrusters).
Proven propeller/duct design with CFD (ANSYS CFX/Fluent or OpenFOAM) and correlation to test data.
Mechanical design & FEA (ANSYS/Creo/Simulia/SolidWorks Simulation).
Materials & corrosion for saltwater: 316L/2205 duplex/Ti-6Al-4V, anodizing, passivation, galvanic isolation, encapsulation.
Understanding of BLDC/VESC integration, shaft-torque estimation from motor T-n curve, and thermal limits.
Nice-to-have:
Experience with DPV/ROV thrusters, ducted props, or magnetic gear/couplers (axial/radial).
Test-rig design, water-tunnel/tank testing, DAQ & dynamometry.
Familiarity with low-noise, low-cavitation design, ISO 21940 balancing, pressure-vessel can design.
Key Technical Inputs (we provide)
Target shaft torque vs RPM and efficiency requirement (from our system model).
Motor & controller reference (e.g., high-power inrunner BLDC, VESC-class ESC), DC bus & duty cycle.
Packaging envelope for motor pod, target depth/pressure rating, and runtime constraints.
Constraints & Targets
Meet or exceed [Target shaft torque: ___ N·m @ ___ RPM] with coupler efficiency ≥ ___% at nominal.
Propeller hydraulic efficiency ≥ ___% at design point; robust off-design performance.
Cavitation margin suitable for [design depth ___ m] in seawater; minimal vibration & tonal noise.
Envelope: Max OD ___ mm, axial length ___ mm (to be provided).
Materials, coatings, and sealing suitable for long-term saltwater use.
Timeline & Collaboration
Proposed schedule with milestones (concept → analysis → proto → test → revision → release).
You should be comfortable working from supplied specs and asking targeted technical questions.
How to Apply
Please include:
Short cover note with your approach to magnetic couplers + prop CFD/FEA.
Portfolio/links to relevant underwater propulsion or magnetic-drive work (before/after test correlation is a big plus).
Timeline & budget breakdown by milestone.
Project: Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) – Torque-Optimized Magnetic Drive & Propeller
About the Project
We’re developing a next-gen DPV (underwater scooter) and are hiring an experienced mechanical/hydro-mechanical engineer to design two key subsystems:
A magnetic coupling to transfer BLDC motor torque to a sealed propeller shaft (no dynamic shaft seal).
A high-efficiency propeller (likely ducted) that achieves our required shaft-torque → thrust efficiency at the target operating RPM.
We will provide a detailed requirement pack including the target torque curve at the prop shaft, nominal shaft RPM range, envelope constraints, electrical power budget, and reference CAD of the motor pod.
Scope of Work
A) Magnetic Coupling (wet side prop, dry motor)
Architecture trade-off & selection (axial vs. radial flux, cup/can geometry, magnet topology—e.g., Halbach).
Torque capacity sizing to meet our specified shaft torque (with ≥X safety factor at stall).
Eddy-current & thermal loss analysis in the containment shell (material & wall-thickness optimization; e.g., Ti-6Al-4V / 316L / thin-wall non-magnetic alloys or composites).
Misalignment & vibration tolerance; balancing spec (target e.g., G2.5 or better).
Thrust reaction path and bearing selection (subsea-rated ceramic hybrid angular contacts or equivalent).
Static sealing (O-rings, face seals) and serviceability.
B) Propeller / Duct
Propeller concept (blade count, diameter, pitch distribution, hub geometry) to deliver the required torque→thrust efficiency at the provided operating points.
Hydrofoil section selection and CFD (RANS) performance prediction: open-water curves (T-Q-η vs advance ratio), cavitation inception margin at specified depth/salinity, off-design behavior.
Duct (Kort/nozzle) evaluation vs. open prop: safety, efficiency at low advance ratio, stall characteristics.
Prototype iteration plan (e.g., 3D-printed/CF-nylon blades for tank trials → CNC aluminum/PAI final).
Final design for manufacture: hub, blade, shroud, anti-vortex features, corrosion protection, balancing and QA.
C) Integration & Test
Shaft/hub interface & keying/spline/specimen for dyno.
Benchtop water-tank test fixture concept for measuring torque, thrust, RPM, efficiency, and temperature.
Acceptance criteria & test matrix tied to our target torque/efficiency points.
BOM, materials, heat-treat/coatings (anodize, hard-coat, DLC/TiN if needed), and estimated lead times.
Deliverables
Design package: 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) + STEP; fully dimensioned 2D drawings (ISO tolerances & fits).
Analyses: CFD reports (meshing setup, boundary conditions, convergence), FEA of coupler can & hub, thermal/eddy-loss estimation, bearing life (ISO 281).
Manufacturing package: CAM notes, material specs, coatings, assembly instructions, balancing procedure.
Test plan & data templates: Procedures for bench and in-water validation; pass/fail thresholds aligned to required torque efficiency.
Iteration support: Two design loops after initial test results.
IP/NDA: All work-product and IP assigned to client.
Candidate Profile
Must-have:
Experienced in underwater propulsion or magnetically coupled drives (pumps, mixers, or thrusters).
Proven propeller/duct design with CFD (ANSYS CFX/Fluent or OpenFOAM) and correlation to test data.
Mechanical design & FEA (ANSYS/Creo/Simulia/SolidWorks Simulation).
Materials & corrosion for saltwater: 316L/2205 duplex/Ti-6Al-4V, anodizing, passivation, galvanic isolation, encapsulation.
Understanding of BLDC/VESC integration, shaft-torque estimation from motor T-n curve, and thermal limits.
Nice-to-have:
Experience with DPV/ROV thrusters, ducted props, or magnetic gear/couplers (axial/radial).
Test-rig design, water-tunnel/tank testing, DAQ & dynamometry.
Familiarity with low-noise, low-cavitation design, ISO 21940 balancing, pressure-vessel can design.
Key Technical Inputs (we provide)
Target shaft torque vs RPM and efficiency requirement (from our system model).
Motor & controller reference (e.g., high-power inrunner BLDC, VESC-class ESC), DC bus & duty cycle.
Packaging envelope for motor pod, target depth/pressure rating, and runtime constraints.
Constraints & Targets
Meet or exceed [Target shaft torque: ___ N·m @ ___ RPM] with coupler efficiency ≥ ___% at nominal.
Propeller hydraulic efficiency ≥ ___% at design point; robust off-design performance.
Cavitation margin suitable for [design depth ___ m] in seawater; minimal vibration & tonal noise.
Envelope: Max OD ___ mm, axial length ___ mm (to be provided).
Materials, coatings, and sealing suitable for long-term saltwater use.
Timeline & Collaboration
Proposed schedule with milestones (concept → analysis → proto → test → revision → release).
You should be comfortable working from supplied specs and asking targeted technical questions.
How to Apply
Please include:
Short cover note with your approach to magnetic couplers + prop CFD/FEA.
Portfolio/links to relevant underwater propulsion or magnetic-drive work (before/after test correlation is a big plus).
Timeline & budget breakdown by milestone.
Related categories:
Mechanical Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Design
Manufacturing Engineering