Propeller-Based Wave Energy Harvesting and Hydrodynamic Damping System for Marine Vessels Using a Mechanical Rectifier

Overview

This project examines the effectiveness of a propeller-based energy harvesting system on a boat in mitigating the impact of waves while harvesting low-velocity, oscillatory water motion. Existing wave energy systems require large displacements or high flow speeds. While hydrodynamic damping devices use fins that rotate and do not recover and harvest energy. The system consists of a downward-facing propeller mounted on a fin that converts the boat’s vertical motion into bidirectional rotation, which is transferred to a dual ratchet-and-pawl mechanism that converts rotation in either direction into a single, continuous output direction. The output shaft drives a 6 V DC motor connected to a TI BQ25570 energy-harvesting board. To validate the design, I measured the time it took for the system with propellers and motors to float to the top of a tube of fixed distance. The full system with propellers and motors was slowest at an average of 470 ms compared to 435 and 413 ms without the propeller and motor, respectively, indicating increased damping. These tests revealed a power estimate of approximately 0.1 W under sustained wave motion. The results show that the propeller-based system increased damping, slowing the boat’s motion compared to models without the propeller or motor, while simultaneously harvesting energy at low velocities, estimated at around 0.1 W. Different propeller pitches were also tested to determine the optimal design for the propeller. These findings support the hypothesis that a propeller mechanism can provide stabilization while recovering energy from small, oscillatory movements. Future work could include testing different propeller designs and enclosures of the propeller.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Alternative Energy (Junior Division) · Entry J-01-07

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