Coupled vibration of piezoelectric-based propeller blades for a novel unmanned underwater vehicle

Abstract

To reduce the vibration of the propeller blades, a novel unmanned underwater vehicle–integrated piezoelectric additive manufacturing technology is proposed in this article. The operating principle and design procedure of the proposed unmanned underwater vehicle are illustrated. Utilizing piezoelectric dynamic theory and Lagrange’s equation, the coupled vibration equations of piezoelectric-propeller blades system under complex excitation are established. Applying MATLAB simulation method, the dynamic responses of the coupled blades under external and piezoelectric excitation are investigated. With finite-element method software, the correctness of the theoretical analysis is verified. Results show that the maximum amplitudes of the propeller blades are distributed at the end of the blades, thus placing the piezoelectric layers at the terminal blades can minimize the vibration of the propeller blades. Meanwhile, the vibration amplitudes of propeller blades can be reduced by more than 70% by applying piezoelectric coating. These results can be used to reduce the vibration and improve the dynamic performance during the unmanned underwater vehicle operating.