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A hydraulic jump is a sudden rise in fluid depth in open channels, occurring when high-velocity (supercritical) flow transitions to low-velocity (subcritical) flow. This phenomenon requires an upstream Froude number greater than 1, as flows with Fr1<1 remain subcritical, making a hydraulic jump impossible due to the need for negative head loss, which violates thermodynamic principles.The characteristics of a hydraulic jump depend on the upstream Froude number and are classified as...
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To analyze a hydraulic jump in a rectangular channel with a flow speed of 6 meters per second, follow these steps:Calculate Effective Upstream Velocity:When the downstream gate closes, a hydraulic jump forms, traveling upstream at 2 meters per second. This wave speed combines with the initial channel flow velocity, creating an effective upstream velocity.Identify Flow Velocities Before and After the Hydraulic Jump:Upstream of the hydraulic jump, the effective flow velocity includes both the...
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Consecutive aquatic jump-gliding with water-reactive fuel.

R Zufferey1, A Ortega Ancel1, A Farinha1

  • 1Aerial Robotics Lab, Imperial College of London, London, UK.

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Summary
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This study introduces a novel robotic vehicle capable of aerial-aquatic mobility. It uses calcium carbide and water to generate gas for powerful water-to-flight transitions, enabling multiple jumps and glides.

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Area of Science:

  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Combustion Science

Background:

  • Autonomous aerial-aquatic robots are crucial for exploring challenging environments.
  • Transitioning from water to flight is a significant power and engineering challenge for small-scale robots.
  • Existing methods face limitations in power density and scalability for aquatic takeoffs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the use of solid reactants for propulsion in aerial-aquatic robots.
  • To develop an untethered robot capable of multiple water-to-flight transitions.
  • To demonstrate a novel propulsion method for high-power density aerial-aquatic locomotion.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized calcium carbide reacting with water to produce acetylene gas for propulsion.
  • Developed an untethered robot for consecutive aquatic jump-gliding sequences.
  • Conducted numerical modeling and experimental validation of the combustion, jetting, and glide phases.

Main Results:

  • The 160-gram robot achieved a 26-meter flight distance using only 0.2 grams of calcium carbide.
  • Successfully demonstrated multiple launches and transitions from water to glide.
  • Collected on-board and external tracking data to analyze performance.

Conclusions:

  • Solid reactant combustion provides a viable, high-power density solution for aerial-aquatic robotic propulsion.
  • The developed system enables efficient and repeatable water-to-flight transitions.
  • This approach offers a promising pathway for future amphibious robotic exploration and sensing.