Ghorbel, Fathi Hassan2016-02-052016-02-052015-052015-02-26May 2015Kharrat, Houssem. "Optimization of Thruster Configuration for Swimming Robots." (2015) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/88442">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/88442</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/88442This thesis presents a design method of thruster configuration for swimming robots. This method can be used to analyze and optimize a given set of thruster configurations using three mathematical indices of measure. These indices measure the maneuverability and efficiency performance of a thruster configuration. Two of the three indices are used during the maneuverability evaluation. The first one uses the Manipulability index to evaluate the overall maneuverability and the second uses the linear programming method to evaluate the directional maneuverability with respect to the principal axes of motion. The third index measures the efficiency performance. In addition to their use in analyzing and optimizing a thruster configuration, these indices are shown to be useful in imposing a force and torque distribution. At first a detailed thruster configuration modeling method is presented. Then, the indices of measure are defined and used to evaluate and analyze a set of thruster configurations. Finally a parametric optimization is performed.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.Thruster configurationManipulabilityOptimizationUnderwater remotely operated vehicleThesis2016-02-05