Determining the Optimal Route for a Tethered Manure Applying Robot

Lely is developing a tethered manure applicator robot, designed to work on the fields of farms. This vehicle called the Jojo, is constrained in its movement due to the attached tether. It can not make tight turns and can only reverse by backtracking the driven path. This thesis explores the path planning issue and provides a novel solution. The...

Electrodynamic Tethers For Deep Space Missions: A Feasibility Study

With current technology, it has been found that the feasibility of long-term adaptable exploration missions at the far reaches of the Solar System and beyond is limited, due to shortcomings in conventional propulsion systems. Electrodynamic tether (EDT) propulsion methods may provide a viable alternative, utilising either the interplanetary...

Reliability analysis of Submerged Floating Tunnels

A submerged floating tunnel (SFT) can be a promising solution for crossing a deep or wide waterway. This tunnel concept will consist of an immersed tube, either attached with anchor cables to the seabed or attached to pontoons floating on the water surface. The reliability of the tether-stabilized SFT is assessed in this research. A suitable...

The Submerged Floating Tunnel: An experimental study on the hydrodynamics and kinematics of a submerged rectangular cylinder in a wave-current environment

This study presents the results of small scale flume experiments on a submerged rectangular cylinder subjected to a current, regular wave and combined wave-current environment. The objective of the study is to gain more knowledge about the hydrodynamics around and the kinematics of a submerged structure, to give a contribute to the research...

Methodology Improvement for Performance Assessment of Pumping Kite Power Wing

Pumping kite power systems are a promising way of harnessing clean energy from high-altitude winds. A large kite flies crosswind developing a strong pulling force through a tether which is connected at the ground to an electrical generator. The power output of such innovative systems is directly related to the wing aerodynamic properties which...

Tether Dynamics Analysis and Guidance & Control Design for Active Space Debris Removal

Recent years have seen a steep increase in research being performed towards active space debris removal: space debris has proven to be a very real threat to operational spacecraft, and studies indicate that the frequency of collisions will only increase if nothing is done to remove large pieces of debris. In particular, ESA has done studies...

Electrodynamic Tether Experiment onboard the Delfi-1 Satellite

Space debris is becoming an increasing problem requiring a low cost propulsion system capable of disposing non operable satellites and spent rocket stages. To this end electrodynamic tethers have been proposed as a viable alternative to conventional propulsion. Aside from a de-orbit system electrodynamic tethers have a wide range of applications...