HEAT TRANSFER TESTBED

Abstract

Hydronalix is a company that produces unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for commercial and military use. They are currently hoping to improve the longevity of their vehicle operation time as prolonged use and high loads can result in motor burnup. Our team was tasked with designing a heat transfer test bed with the ability to determine the minimum cooling water flowrate necessary to prevent overheating when the motor and ESC are cooled in series. The heat transfer test bed had to be versatile in terms of what motor and ESC combination was being tested as well as the configuration of the two electronics in the bed. Because Hydronalix uses a variety of motors in the different boats they make, the test bed needed the ability to collect accurate data for a variety of electronics. Additionally, the test bed needed to be mobile and relatively simple to use so operation could be possible for any Hydronalix employee throughout the facility. It was concluded that there are likely limits in heat transfer capabilities from the cooling jackets on the motor and ESC that cause the motor burnout, meaning cooling water flow rate is not the current issue. It is recommended that Hydronalix redesign the cooling jackets for the electronics or utilize more sophisticated forms of internal cooling if necessary.