Ameye - Koshko 1

The Effect of Propeller Size and Rotational Speed on Maximizing Thrust

Joshua Ameye and Jack Koshko

Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center

Physics

11C

Mr. McMillan, Mrs. Cybulski, Mrs. Tallman

9 June 2016

The Effect of Propeller Size and Rotational Speed on Maximizing Thrust

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of propeller size and

rotational speed on maximizing thrust. This research is useful to study because thrust is

important in how boats and planes move since thrust is the force that propels these

machines forward.

The overall goal was to construct and test plastic boats in water with different

sized propellers (3, 4, and 5 inches) and different motors that would spin the propellers at

different speeds (11,600 rpm (3 Volt Motor), 17,000 rpm (6 Volt Motor), and 24,000 rpm

(9 Volt Motor)) in order to see which combination produced the most thrust. Once the

boats were constructed, trials were randomized and the boats were placed in the water.

The boats were attached to a string which was attached to a force sensor. The boat pulled
 Ameye - Koshko 2
the string which the force sensor recorded into a chart on the Logger Pro software. This

was repeated for each boat 20 times and the averages were recorded. The low (-) 3-inch

propeller diameter and low (-) 11,600 rpm rotational motor speed produced the most

thrust. The high (+), high (+) trials produced an average thrust of 0.0862 Newtons while

the low (-), low (-) trials produced a significantly higher average of 0.56005 Newtons.

This research can help the global community because millions of people travel

around the world by plane and by boat. Propellers are a key tool in both modes of

transportation because they create thrust to move them forward. Larger scale business

corporations and manufacturing companies can also use this research by using this data

as the basis of their designs to build better boats. This data is on a small scale so by

enlarging the scale and finding the right ratio, these results can be used to design the

newer and better boats of the future.

Table of Contents

Introduction..........................................................................................................................1

Review of Literature............................................................................................................3

Problem Statement...............................................................................................................9

Experimental Design..........................................................................................................10

Data and Observations.......................................................................................................12

Data Analysis and Interpretation........................................................................................15

Conclusion.........................................................................................................................26

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................29

Appendix A........................................................................................................................30
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Appendix B........................................................................................................................33

Appendix C........................................................................................................................35

Appendix D........................................................................................................................37

Works Cited........................................................................................................................38

Introduction

Over the past few centuries global interaction has grown exponentially. More and

more people want to travel to new and exciting places across the planet but the question

is how can you get to where you want to go? Can you get there by boat? Or by plane?

Have you ever wondered what is actually making you move? The answer is simple and

without it traveling to all these places would not be possible.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of propeller size and

rotational speed on maximizing thrust. Thrust is important in how boats and planes move
 Ameye - Koshko 4
because thrust is the force that propels these machines forward. Thrust is created when a

fluid is pushed in the opposite direction from which the vehicle is moving in. For this

experiment the propellers pushed water in the opposite direction the boats would be

travelling in. The overall goal was to test boats in water with different sized propellers

and different motors that would spin the propellers at different speeds in order to see

which combination produced the maximum amount of thrust.

During the experiment all of the boats were used with numerous diameters of

propellers (3 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches) subjected to varying revolutions per minute

based on motor voltages (11,600 rpm (3 Volt Motor), 17,000 rpm (6 Volt Motor), and

24,000 rpm (9 Volt Motor)) to determine how each combination of factors affects the

thrust force produced from the system. This allows for several combinations for each trial

to be tested, including the standard values for the factors. The high factors for the

experiment were 5 inches and 24,000 rpm. The low factors for the experiment were 3

inches and 11,600 rpm. The standard factors for the experiment were 4 inches and 17,000

rpm. The standard diameter of the propellers was chosen due to the size restrictions for

the small sizes of the boats being constructed in the experiment and it was found to be a

diameter of 4 inches. The revolutions per minute was chosen based on the voltages of the

three different motors being used and it was found that the motor with a voltage of 6

volts, which was 17,000 rpm, would be used as the standard. In order to measure values

during the experiment, a Vernier force sensor was used to identify the magnitude of the

thrust produced. The entire purpose of the experiment was to determine which

combination of factors would produce the largest amount of thrust.

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In the past century transportation has become one of the most important parts of

society. This research can help the global community because millions of people travel

around the world by plane and by boat. Propellers are a key tool in both modes of

transportation because they create thrust to move them forward. Larger scale business

corporations and manufacturing companies can also use this research. These companies

can use this data as the basis of their designs to build better boats. This data is on a small

scale so by enlarging the scale and finding the right ratio, these results can be used to

design the newer and better boats of the future.

Review of Literature

Today one of the most sought after resources is the opportunity to travel and go to

new places around the world. Throughout history, millions even billions of people have

travelled around the globe using various modes of transportation. By car, by boat, or by

plane, no matter what method they used it was their natural inclination to branch out into

the world. From the boom of the auto industry to the pioneers of the aeronautics industry,
 Ameye - Koshko 6
transportation has become an essential part to our daily lives. Some of the most common

methods of travel today are by boat and by plane. Though thousands of people rely on

these modes of transportation daily, many people do not understand just how they

operate. Of all the different techniques and devices attributed to the transportation

revolution, the propeller may be one of the most significant. Since they were first

developed, propellers have been a major tool in transportation, especially in boat and

plane design.

Today scores of boats and airplanes use propellers. A propeller is a mechanical

device consisting of a revolving shaft and two or more broad, angled blades attached to it.

The design of a propeller is very basic; however, the size, the number of blades, and the

angle of the blades can vary. The angle in which the blades are connected to the revolving

shaft is known as the pitch of the propeller blades. The size of the propeller blades is

known as the diameter of the propeller blades.

Figure 1. Propeller Diagram

Figure 1 shows an example of the setup of a propeller. The propeller blades are

attached to the revolving shaft at an angle. That angle, also known as pitch, creates a flow
 Ameye - Koshko 7
of a fluid behind the blade. This generates the thrust force that propels modes of

transportation such as boats and planes forward.

When an object propels itself forward it is acted upon by a force. To propel an

object means to push or drive that object forward. This also means that a propulsion

system produces a forward force also known as thrust. Thrust can result from a propeller

directing the flow of a fluid, a liquid, or gas, in the opposite direction the object moves,

such as a boat or airplane, which is how they operate (What is thrust?).

This property refers to Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every

action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Generally speaking this means that all

forces occur in pairs (Lucas). The experiment tested how propeller diameter and

revolutions per minute affected the thrust produced in the system, which in this case was

a boat. As the propeller pushes the fluid backwards, thrust propels the object forward. In

this experiment, the initial action that took place was the propeller revolving in the water.

Due to the shape of the propeller blades, the water flowed behind the blades and the angle

of the blades altered the flow of water away from the boat. As the water was forced

backwards, the boat propelled forward.

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Figure 2. Propeller Thrust

Figure 2 shows an example of thrust and water flow created from a propeller. The

water comes in from one side and as it interacts with the propellers it is pushed back

through the other side behind the boat which causes the boat to move forward. The shape

of the propeller can change the way the water flows which can be seen in the image

above. The blades that are perpendicular to the shaft have an even horizontal thrust

produced whereas the blades on an angle produce thrust on an angle (Bow-Lifting and

Stern-Lifting Propellers).

Pitch, otherwise known as the distance a propeller travels in one revolution due to

the angle of the propeller blades, makes the propeller more effective. In a propellers

design, the angle of the blades provides the direction in which the displaced fluid will

travel in as well as how far the propeller moves. This is because the angle of the propeller

blades creates an empty space behind them. The water flowing past the blades naturally

fills those empty spaces and gets propelled backwards as the propeller rotates. A propeller

with a pitch too small will not be able to use all the energy produced by the motor and

will not be able to displace as much water. When a propeller has a pitch too large it
 Ameye - Koshko 9
begins to displace too much water for the motor to handle. Because the weight

overpowers the energy produced by the motor the propeller barely rotates or does not

rotate at all and in order to move, more energy is needed.

An unknown factor that affects the speed of the boats is the size of the propeller.

This means that the larger the propeller, the larger the surface area. A larger surface area

produces more drag. When this occurs the propeller rotates much slower. However, when

the propeller size remains small then the boat produces less drag. This then causes the

propeller to rotate much faster.

The twisting force that causes rotation is known as torque (What is torque?). As

propeller diameter increases the amount of torque decreases. This is caused by the

increase in surface area. With more surface area both drag and thrust have a larger impact

of the propeller and cause more stress on the motor. The stress from the motor makes it

harder for the propeller to rotate, which means that the torque has significantly decreased.

One experiment that is similar to the research being conducted was an experiment

headed by Yansheng Li and his team of scientists who work for Wuhan University in

Wuhan, China. Their experiment was published in the Journal of Vibroengineering which

is an international journal covering recent discoveries in the fields of shocks, vibrations,

engineering, and physics. The team built a spherical robot that mainly consisted of a

spherical shell, pitching axis, pendulum, pipe, motor, and propeller. The robot was used

throughout the experiment to gather data that would eventually be used to calculate

resistance and thrust.

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Figure 3. Prototype of the Spherical Robot

Figure three shows the spherical robot, built by Yansheng Li and his team that

mainly consisted of a spherical shell, pitching axis, pendulum, pipe, motor, and propeller.

This robot was used throughout the experiment to gather data.

In this experiment, they tested changing the pipe diameter, shell diameter, and

propeller rotation speed to see their effect on the resistance of the shell and the thrust of

the propeller which would determine the velocity of the robot. The results of their

experiment were as follows. When the pipe diameter of the robot was increased, the

spherical shell resistance decreased, but the propeller thrust was mostly unchanged. When

the spherical shell diameter of the robot increased, the spherical shell resistance

increased, but the propeller thrust was mostly unchanged. When the propeller rotation

speed of the robot became larger, the spherical shell resistance, and the propeller thrust

increased (Li). This compares to the experiment being conducted because, similarly, the

propeller size and the motor power is being tested to see which combination has the

highest thrust output, causing the boat to move the fastest in the shortest amount of time.

This is similar to the hypothesis because when the rotational speed was increased the
 Ameye - Koshko 11
amount of thrust also increased which was predicted in the original hypothesis. Although,

the results from Lis experiment contradict the results that were obtained in the

experiment conducted, this research will help to gain an understanding of how this

experiment should happen and the results that should come from it.

Strides in new technology are affecting the world constantly and are rapidly

improving. One area this technological movement is transforming the world is through

transportation, especially on planes and boats which both involve the use of propellers

and motors. The research conducted in this experiment was mainly to determine the

effect of propeller diameter and rotational speed on maximizing the amount of thrust

produced. The results showed that the low (-), low (-) trials produced the most thrust

which was the exact opposite from what was originally hypothesized. It was found that

the propeller diameter had a larger effect on the results than rotational speed did. This is

similar to other research because as the rotational speed was increased in the experiment,

the amount of thrust also increased. Propellers are a key tool in many ways because they

create thrust to move objects forward. One of the most significant ways of this is through

transportation which is vital in today's society.

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Problem Statement
Problem:

To determine which combination of propeller diameter and rotational speed will

maximize the amount of thrust produced by a propeller.

Hypothesis:

The high (+) 5-inch propeller diameter and high (+) 24,000 rpm rotational speed

will maximize the amount of thrust produced by a propeller.

Data Measured:

In this experiment the independent variables consisted of propeller diameter

(3 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches) and rotational speed (11,600 rpm (3-volt motor),

17,000 rpm (6-volt motor), and 24,000 rpm (9-volt motor)). The change in thrust was the

dependent variable. The thrust was measured in Newtons (N) using the Vernier force

sensor. Twenty sets of five trials were conducted. From there the sets of data were then

averaged producing a final set of data. A two-factor design of experiment (DOE) was

conducted to statistically analyze the effects of the two independent variables on thrust as

well as the interaction effects between the two variables.

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Experimental Design

Materials:

Laptop with Logger Pro Software

Lab Quest Mini
Testing Bin (Appendix B)
Boats (Appendix A)

Procedure:

***Note: Before data is recorded make sure to randomize each of the trials, except
for the standards, or the control group, to reduce the chance of bias and skewed
data.

1. First, build the boats that will be used to collect data throughout the experiment
(Appendix A).
2. Setup the large plastic bin, which will be used as the testing environment for the
experiment being conducted (Appendix B).
3. When starting the experiment, make sure the computer Logger Pro Software is
setup and ready to run. This means the Logger Pro Software icon had been opened
and the scales changed so force is recorded in a time period of 10 seconds for
each trial.
4. On the software, set the time for ten seconds, set the rate at which the force is
recorded to five times per second, and before each trial, zero out the force sensor
to get an accurate reading for each trial.
5. Set the boat in the large plastic bin and tie the string to hook on the force sensor
(Appendix B). Make sure that the string is straight so the boat does not move into
the sides of the bin.
6. Press the switch, turning the motor on while holding the boat in place.

7. Click the green collect data button on the Logger Pro Software to start the time,
then release the boat.
8. The boat will pull the string attached to the force sensor and the thrust produced
by the boat will be recorded and graphed on the computer using the Logger Pro
Software for ten seconds.
9. Identify the highest value for the data points recorded in the chart on the Logger
Pro Software and write down the value in the data table for the corresponding
trial.
 Ameye - Koshko 15
10. Repeat steps 5-9 for all five boats 20 times to get a total of 100 trials.

Figure 4. Testing Basin

Figure 4 shows the testing basin used in the experiment. On the right side,

clamped to the edge of the bin, is the force sensor that was used to record data in the

experiment. In the middle of the bin one of the boats that was tested. The boat in the bin

is the (low, low) 3-volt motor (11,600 rpm motor) with the 4-inch propeller.
 Ameye - Koshko 16

Data and Observations

Table 1
Data Results of Trials
Propeller Propeller
Trial Speed Force (N) Trial Speed Force (N)
Diameter Diameter
1 - - 0.627 37 - - 0.747
2 + + 0.111 38 standard standard 0.093
3 standard standard 0.042 39 + + 0.067
4 - + 0.508 40 - + 0.300
5 + - 0.162 41 - - 0.747
6 + - 0.212 42 - + 0.319
7 - + 0.262 43 standard standard 0.067
8 standard standard 0.086 44 + + 0.067
9 + + 0.225 45 + - 0.093
10 - - 0.187 46 - + 0.168
11 + - 0.099 47 + - 0.086
12 - - 0.268 48 standard standard 0.080
13 standard standard 0.080 49 + + 0.061
14 + + 0.086 50 - - 0.785
15 - + 0.218 51 - - 0.294
16 - - 0.646 52 + + 0.074
17 + + 0.130 53 standard standard 0.067
18 standard standard 0.067 54 - + 0.168
19 + - 0.086 55 + - 0.099
20 - + 0.212 56 - - 0.350
21 - - 0.608 57 - + 0.395
22 + + 0.086 58 standard standard 0.080
23 standard standard 0.080 59 + - 0.111
24 - + 0.187 60 + + 0.080
25 + - 0.086 61 + + 0.067
26 - - 0.646 62 - - 0.867
27 + - 0.067 63 standard standard 0.080
28 standard standard 0.067 64 + - 0.074
29 + + 0.080 65 - + 0.206
30 - + 0.149 66 + + 0.074
 Ameye - Koshko 17
31 + + 0.093 67 - - 0.319
32 - + 0.218 68 standard standard 0.086
33 standard standard 0.105 69 + - 0.086
34 + - 0.093 70 - + 0.294
35 - - 0.722 71 - + 0.231
36 + - 0.080 72 + + 0.067
Propeller Propeller
Trial Speed Force (N) Trial Speed Force (N)
Diameter Diameter
73 standard standard 0.099 87 - + 0.344
74 - - 0.621 88 standard standard 0.080
75 + - 0.086 89 - - 0.621
76 + + 0.061 90 + - 0.093
77 + - 0.093 91 + + 0.067
78 standard standard 0.093 92 + - 0.105
79 - - 0.470 93 standard standard 0.086
80 - + 0.313 94 - - 0.652
81 - + 0.287 95 - + 0.268
82 - - 0.602 96 - - 0.422
83 standard standard 0.086 97 + - 0.089
84 + - 0.093 98 standard standard 0.076
85 + + 0.080 99 + + 0.074
86 + + 0.074 100 - + 0.319

Table 1 shows the data collected throughout the experiment. It gives the trial

number along with the high, standard, and low values for the propeller size and motor

speed. It shows the total force in Newtons produced from each combination of propeller

and motor.

Table 2
Observations
Tria Observation
l

10 During data collection of the low, low boat, the propeller fell off after five
seconds.

12 During data collection of the low, low boat, the propeller fell off after three
 Ameye - Koshko 18
seconds.

17 During data collection of the high, high boat, the boat turned sideways.

36 During data collection of the high, low boat, the propeller fell off after eight
seconds.

54 During data collection of the low, high boat, the boat turned sideways.

85 During data collection of the high, high boat, the boat turned sideways.

Table 2 shows the observations made throughout the experiment. Only the trials

in which an error occurred are shown in the table above. The majority of the trials ran

smoothly with the exception of trials 10, 12, 17, 36, 54, and 85. In these trials small

errors occurred, like the propellers falling off and the boat turning sideways while data

was being collected. Also during majority of the trials, as the trials were conducted the

boats would float towards the sides of the testing container, this caused the propeller to

hit the side of the testing container

towards the end of the data collection for

some trials.
 Ameye - Koshko 19

Figure 5. Boat Stability

Figure 5 shows the high, low trial being tested. During many of the trials the boats

would move from one side of the testing basin to the other occasionally hitting the edge.

When the boats hit the edge data collection was stopped and the trial was restarted to

achieve better and more accurate results.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The experiment was to investigate the effects of propeller diameter (inches) and

speed (rpm) on the amount of thrust produced by a boat. To collect the data, a force

sensor was connected to a lab quest which was then connected to a computer with logger

pro software. This allowed for data to be recorded over a period of time. The data

collected was analyzed by averaging the data of all the trials and inserted into a two

factor design of experiment. This test was appropriate because the goal was to find out

which of the factors had the largest impact on the amount of thrust produced. The

standards were not averaged, but were displayed in a graph of the range of standards to

tell whether there were any lurking variables and if they had a significant effect on the

data.

To find out whether the effects of each factor is significant a standard was

introduced to compare the collected data to. The standard used was a boat with a 4-inch

diameter propeller and spun at a speed of 17,000 rpm. Based on the plot of standards, if
 Ameye - Koshko 20
there are any trends then it is expected that the trials will also follow that trend. The trend

itself could be caused by certain system changes as the experiment was conducted. In the

two factor DOE conducted, trials were randomized except for the standards that were set

at regular intervals within the data trials. Throughout the entire experiment there were a

total of one hundred trials conducted; twenty were standards and the rest were split

among the different combinations of factors.

The results from the experiment were found to be valid. This is because of the

control, randomization, and replication of the trials. A control group was imposed in the

experiment in order to have a way to compare the data and determine if the factors were

significant because if there were lurking variables, they would happen to all groups

equally. The trials were randomized (Appendix B), replicated, and had an imposed

control group in order to help reduce the effects of lurking variables that could skew the

data from the experiment.

Table 3
Independent Variable Levels
Propeller Diameter (Inches) Speed (rpm)

- Standard + - Standard +

3 4 5 11,600 17,000 24,000

Table 3 shows the factors the researchers chose to use throughout the experiment.

The propeller diameters were chosen based upon accessibility as well as the size of the

boats being tested, which were uniform for all trials. The speed of the propeller was based
 Ameye - Koshko 21
on the voltages of the motors used in the boats. A 3-volt motor was used for the low trials,

a 6-volt motor for the standard trials, and a 9-volt motor for the high trials.

Table 4
Data Results of Trials
Propeller Propeller
Trial Speed Force (N) Trial Speed Force (N)
Diameter Diameter
1 - - 0.627 37 - - 0.747
2 + + 0.111 38 standard standard 0.093
3 standard standard 0.042 39 + + 0.067
4 - + 0.508 40 - + 0.300
5 + - 0.162 41 - - 0.747
6 + - 0.212 42 - + 0.319
7 - + 0.262 43 standard standard 0.067
8 standard standard 0.086 44 + + 0.067
9 + + 0.225 45 + - 0.093
10 - - 0.187 46 - + 0.168
11 + - 0.099 47 + - 0.086
12 - - 0.268 48 standard standard 0.080
13 standard standard 0.080 49 + + 0.061
14 + + 0.086 50 - - 0.785
15 - + 0.218 51 - - 0.294
16 - - 0.646 52 + + 0.074
 Ameye - Koshko 22
17 + + 0.130 53 standard standard 0.067
18 standard standard 0.067 54 - + 0.168
19 + - 0.086 55 + - 0.099
20 - + 0.212 56 - - 0.350
21 - - 0.608 57 - + 0.395
22 + + 0.086 58 standard standard 0.080
23 standard standard 0.080 59 + - 0.111
24 - + 0.187 60 + + 0.080
25 + - 0.086 61 + + 0.067
26 - - 0.646 62 - - 0.867
27 + - 0.067 63 standard standard 0.080
28 standard standard 0.067 64 + - 0.074
29 + + 0.080 65 - + 0.206
30 - + 0.149 66 + + 0.074
31 + + 0.093 67 - - 0.319
32 - + 0.218 68 standard standard 0.086
33 standard standard 0.105 69 + - 0.086
34 + - 0.093 70 - + 0.294
35 - - 0.722 71 - + 0.231
36 + - 0.080 72 + + 0.067
Propeller Propeller
Trial Speed Force (N) Trial Speed Force (N)
Diameter Diameter
73 standard standard 0.099 87 - + 0.344
74 - - 0.621 88 standard standard 0.080
75 + - 0.086 89 - - 0.621
76 + + 0.061 90 + - 0.093
77 + - 0.093 91 + + 0.067
78 standard standard 0.093 92 + - 0.105
79 - - 0.470 93 standard standard 0.086
80 - + 0.313 94 - - 0.652
81 - + 0.287 95 - + 0.268
82 - - 0.602 96 - - 0.422
83 standard standard 0.086 97 + - 0.089
84 + - 0.093 98 standard standard 0.076
85 + + 0.080 99 + + 0.074
86 + + 0.074 100 - + 0.319
 Ameye - Koshko 23
Table 4 shows the data collected from the experiment. All of the trials were

randomized except for the standards, which were used as the control group throughout

the experiment.

Table 5
Standards
Standards
0.08
0.042 0.086 0.080 0.067 0.080 0.067 0.105 0.093 0.067 0
0.07
0.067 0.080 0.080 0.086 0.099 0.093 0.086 0.080 0.086 6

Tables 5 shows how much thrust was produced with the standard values of the

factors in the experiment. The range is 0.105 0.042 making the range of standards 0.063

Newtons.

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3
Thrust Produced (N)
0.2

0.1

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
-0.1

Standards

Figure 6. Plot of Standards

Figure 6 shows the thrust produced when given the standard values of both

factors. Most of the trials were held between 0.05 and 0.1 Newtons so there was very

little variation in the values recorded during the standard trials of the experiment. This
 Ameye - Koshko 24
means that there were no lurking variables that caused the experiment to run

inconsistently. The results were as low as 0.042 Newtons and as high as 0.105 Newtons.

The range of standards was found by subtracting 0.042 from 0.105. Doubling the range of

standards would yield a thrust of 0.126 Newtons.

Table 6
Average Amount of Force Produced in the Experiment
Trials
Averages
Propeller Diameter Speed

+ + 0.0862

+ - 0.09965

- + 0.2683

- - 0.56005

Table 6 shows the averages of each of the types of trials in the experiment. The

highest propeller diameter along with the highest speed produced the lowest amount

thrust on average, when propeller diameter was lowest along with the lowest speed it

produced the highest amount of thrust on average.

 Ameye - Koshko 25
Grand Average = 0.25355

Table 7
Effect of Propeller Diameter
Propeller Diameter
- +
0.56005 0.09965
0.2683 0.0862
Avg = 0.414175 Avg = 0.092925

Table 7 shows the amount of thrust produced when the propeller diameter was

applied to the system. It gives both the high and low values, as well as the averages of

both. When the high value of propeller diameter was applied an average of 0.092925

Newtons of thrust was produced. When the low value of propeller diameter was applied

an average of 0.414175 Newtons of thrust was produced.

0.6

0.5
0.41
0.4

0.3
Thrust Produced (N)
0.2
0.09
0.1

0
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
-0.1

Propeller Diameter

Figure 7. Effect of Propeller Diameter

Figure 7 shows the effect of propeller diameter. It was found by subtracting the

low value of 0.414175 from the high value of 0.092925. The effect of the propeller
 Ameye - Koshko 26
diameter is -0.32125. This shows that as the size of the propeller diameter increases the

amount of thrust produced decreases by 0.32125 Newtons.

Table 8
Effect of Speed
Speed
- +
0.56005 0.2683
0.09965 0.0862
Avg = 0.32985 Avg = 0.17725

Table 8 shows the amount of thrust produced when the factor of speed was

applied to the system. It gives both the high and low values, as well as the average of

both. When the high value of speed was applied an average of 0.17725 Newtons of thrust

was produced. When the low value of speed was applied an average of 0.32985 Newtons

of thrust was produced.

0.6

0.5

0.4
0.33
0.3
Thrust Produced (N)
0.18
0.2

0.1

0
-2 -1 0 1 2
-0.1

Speed

Figure 8. Effect of Speed

 Ameye - Koshko 27
Figure 8 shows the effect of speed. It was found by subtracting the low value,

0.32985 from the high value of 0.17725. The effect of speed is -0.1526. This shows that

as the speed of the propeller increases the amount of thrust produced decreases by 0.1526

Newtons.

Table 9
Interaction Effect
Propeller
Diameter
(Inches)
(-) (+)
Solid
0.268 0.086
Segme (+)
3 2
Speed nt
(rpm) Dotted
0.560 0.099
Segme (-)
05 65
nt

Table 9 compares the total averages between the Propeller Diameter and Speed

when interacted with each other.

0.56 0.6

0.5

0.4

0.27 0.3
S
Thrust Produced (N)
(-)
0.2
0.1
0.09
0.1
S (+)

0
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5

Propeller Diameter

Figure 9. Interaction of Propeller Diameter and Speed

 Ameye - Koshko 28
Figure 9 shows the interaction effect of Propeller Diameter and Speed. The solid

segment represents the high value for Speed and the dotted segment represents the low

value for Speed. The slope of the solid segment is -0.09105. The slope of the dotted line

is -0.2302. Knowing these values, the interaction effect can be found. The interaction

effect of these factors is 0.13915. This is found by subtracting the slope of the dotted

(low) segment from the slope of the solid (high) segment. There is an interaction between

propeller diameter and speed because the dotted line and the solid line have different

slopes.

-0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

Figure 10. Dot Plot of Effects

Figure 10 shows the effects of Propeller Diameter (PD), Speed (S), and their

interaction (PDS). The significant factors that affect an experiment can be seen by using a

dot plot of effects. The effect values can be compared to the double range of standards to

find significant factors based on the data. The dotted lines represent the double range of
 Ameye - Koshko 29
standards; in this case it has an absolute value of 0.126. If the effects are on or outside of

the dotted lines, then they are significant. If they are not, then they are not significant. It

can be seen that Propeller Diameter, Speed, and their interaction appear to be significant.

The prediction equation is used to predict the variables of future experiments. The

parsimonious prediction equation does the same thing but only includes significant

effects. They can both be found in Appendix C.

The two factor design of experiment resulted in both effects as well as their

interaction having a significant impact on the amount of thrust produced by a propeller.

This means that as propeller diameter increases we can expect a decrease in the amount

of thrust produced by 0.32125 Newtons. Next if speed were to increase the amount of

thrust produced by a propeller would decrease by 0.1526 Newtons. Finally, if both effects

were to increase the amount of thrust produced by a propeller can be expected to increase

by 0.13915 Newtons every time.

 Ameye - Koshko 30

Conclusion

The experiment was to determine the effect of propeller diameter and speed on the

amount of thrust produced. It was hypothesized that the high (+) 5-inch propeller

diameter and high (+) 24,000 rpm rotational motor speed would maximize the amount of

thrust of a propeller. However, based on the results of the two-factor design of

experiment the original hypothesis could not be accepted. Instead of the high (+) 5-inch

propeller diameter and high (+) 24,000 rpm rotational motor speed producing the largest

amount of thrust, it was actually the low (-) 3-inch propeller diameter and low (-) 11,600

rpm rotational motor speed that produced the most thrust. The high (+), high (+) trials

produced an average of 0.0862 Newtons while the low (-), low (-) trials produced a

significantly higher average of 0.56005 Newtons. The data also showed that between the
 Ameye - Koshko 31
two factors of propeller diameter and speed, propeller diameter had the largest effect

which was -0.32125. Speed had a smaller effect on the results and was -0.15260.

The test used to analyze the data collected from the experiment was a two-factor

design of experiment. This allowed the factors to be compared side by side to figure out if

they had a significant effect on the amount of thrust produced. The setup of the two-

factor design of experiment required a total of five separate boats, one for each

combination of factors. It also required a testing basin filled with water and a force sensor

clamped to the side. Once the boats were completed they were placed in the testing basin

and attached to the force sensor. Once the boat string was attached to the force sensor, the

motor was turned on and data was recorded using logger pro software on a laptop.

The results of the two-factor design of experiment showed us that as propeller

diameter increases and speed increases the amount of thrust produced decreases. Though

the results did not prove the hypothesis to be true they suggested that a larger propeller

diameter caused more strain on the motor which led to a smaller amount of torque. As the

size of the propeller increases it causes the surface area of the propeller increases. An

increase in surface area causes both an increase in thrust and an increase in drag. This

causes more stress on the motor to rotate the propeller and reduces the amount of torque.

The smaller amount of torque on the propeller makes the speed in which the propeller

rotates at much slower making the amount of thrust produced much lower also. The

results of this data do agree with other current work in the field. It supports the idea that a

larger propeller size has an increase in the amount of drag and thrust acting on the

propeller, which then reduces the amount of torque produced by the motor and resulting
 Ameye - Koshko 32
in a smaller thrust produced. This was noticed during the trials throughout the entire data

collection.

The setup of the experiment significantly helped with the overall project. Due to

each boat being built to mimic one of the five different combinations of factors allowed

for quicker data collection. Another design aspect that helped the overall experiment was

the metal hooks glued to the front of each of the plastic boats. These metal hooks made it

easier for the researchers to control the boats and keep them operating away from the

sides of the testing container. However, if the experiment were to be repeated again, a

couple of things should be done differently. The first thing would be to create a more

stable testing environment. During the course of the trials many of the boats would start

off in the middle of the container, but as the data collection period went on they would

end up bumping against the sides of the container. This could have altered the results of

the two-factor design of experiment by causing the propellers to stop operating at full

potential. Also, this would cause for inaccurate thrust values to be recorded for the trials

when the boats did hit the sides. However, trials were redone if a boat hit the sides of the

testing basin or a propeller fell off of it.

Further research that could be done could include the testing of propellers with

different amounts of blades. With more blades a larger volume of fluid can be displaced

and directed backwards producing a larger thrust to propel the boat forward. Also the

propellers used in the experiment had a design mostly used in airplanes so instead of just

using that type of propeller another type of propeller commonly found in boats can also

be used. Lastly, the boat shapes could be changed or different plastic containers could be
 Ameye - Koshko 33
used to make the boats in order to help provide less resistance on the boat. This research

could eventually lead to breakthroughs in the best design of boats and planes in order to

maximize the amount of thrust produced.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Mr. McMillan for the materials borrowed, for helping guide this

experiment, and for providing helpful insight when needed. Also, thanks to Mr. Supal for

providing us with a place to perform our experiment as well as the materials we

borrowed. Thanks to Mrs. Cybulski for providing statistical knowledge and moral

support throughout the semester.

 Ameye - Koshko 34
Appendix A

Boat Assembly

In order to find the difference propeller size and revolutions per minute creates in

the thrust produced, several boats had to be constructed based on the factors of the

experiment.

Materials:

(20) 2 by 2 Inch Styrofoam Sheets (10) Metal Rods

(5) Battery Packs Rubber Tubing
(10) Double A Batteries Drill
(2) 4 Inch Propellers (2 blades) (5) Switches
(1) 5 Inch Propeller (2 blades) (5) Straws
(2) 6 Inch Propellers (2 blades) (5) Tupperware Containers
(2) 3 Volt Motors Wire
(1) 6 Volt Motor Wire Cutters
(2) 9 Volt Motors Electrical Tape
Scissors Metal Cutters
Hot Glue Gun

Procedure:

1. Take a battery pack and attach the black (positive) wire from the battery pack to
the motor.
2. Then connect the red (negative) wire from the battery pack to the middle prong on a
three-pronged switch.
3. To complete the circuit, connect the switch to the motor using a black (positive)
wire.

4. After circuit is complete seal all connections with electrical tape.

5. Next drill a hole into a plastic container large enough for a straw to fit through.

6. Fit the straw through the hole, angle it downwards, and glue it into place.

7. Cut 2 inch by 2 inch Styrofoam sheets and stack three inside the boat directly in front
of the end of the straw.
8. Connect the motor and metal rod with a strip of rubber tubing.
 Ameye - Koshko 35
9. Slide the metal rod through the straw and place the motor on top of the Styrofoam. To
hold the motor down place a bent metal rod on top of the motor in the Styrofoam and
glue into place.
10. Place the entire circuit into the plastic container making sure the battery pack fits
underneath the straw.
11. Glue the propeller to the end of the metal rod.

12. Finally glue two metal hooks to the front of the plastic container and place the lid on
top.

Figure 11. Boat Setup

Figure 11 shows the basic setup of all the boats used in the experiment. Each boat

had a different combination of motor and propeller. Based on the size of the motors,

different amounts of Styrofoam and metal rods were used to secure the motors in a

position just in front of the straw opening.

 Ameye - Koshko 36

Figure 12. Experiment Materials

Figure 12 shows some of the tools and materials the researchers used in the

experiment. The AA batteries, propellers, wires, motors, switches, and Tupperware

containers were bought by the researchers. Not pictured in this image are the testing bin,

Styrofoam, straws, battery packs, propellers, and drill. The ti-nspire pictured above was

used to randomize the trials throughout the experiment to reduce bias in the results of the

trials. Logger pro software used to record the force generated by each boat.
 Ameye - Koshko 37

Appendix B

Testing Environment Setup

Materials:

22 Gallon Large Plastic Bin

Vernier Force Sensor
Clamp

Procedure:

1. Fill the testing basin with water until a quarter of the basin is full.

2. Clamp the force sensor to the end of the testing basin.

3. Place a boat into the water and hook the string from the boat to the force sensor.

4. Connect the force sensor to the Lab Quest mini and then connect it to a laptop with
the Logger Pro Software.
 Ameye - Koshko 38
Figure 13. Testing Basin

Figure 13 shows the testing basin used in the experiment. On the right side,

clamped to the edge of the bin, is the force sensor the researchers used to record data in

the experiment. In the middle of the bin is one of the boats that was tested. The boat in

the bin is the (low, low) 3-volt motor (11,600 rpm motor) with the 4-inch propeller.
 Ameye - Koshko 39

Appendix C

Statistical Formulas

Y = grand average + all effects + noise

Y = 0.25355 + (-0.32125(PD)) + (-0.1526(S)) + 0.13915(PDS) + noise

Figure 14. Prediction Equation

Figure 14 shows the prediction equation. This can be used to predict the variables

of future experiments. The prediction equation is the grand average totaled with half of

the effects. Noise is an unquantifiable variable that allows for inaccuracies due to

experimental design and follow through issues. The variables can be used to make

predictions. The accuracy of the math can be checked during this sequence.

Y = grand average + all significant effects + noise

Y = 0.25355 + (-0.32125/2(PD)) + (-0.1526/2(S)) + (0.13915/2(PDS)) + noise

Figure 15. Parsimonious Prediction Equation

Figure 15 shows the parsimonious prediction equation. The difference between

this and the prediction equation is that only the significant effects are used. All of the

effects were significant to all of the factors were used.

Y = grand average + all significant effects + noise

Y = 0.25355 + (-0.32125/2(1)) + (-0.1526/2(-1)) + (0.13915/2(1) (-1)) + noise

 Ameye - Koshko 40
Y = 0.09965

Figure 16. Parsimonious Prediction

Figure 16 shows the parsimonious prediction. The high-low trials were used and

it yielded an effect of 0.09965, which corresponds to the average amount of thrust

produced during the high-low trials.

 Ameye - Koshko 41

Appendix D

Randomization

The trials were randomized using a TI- nspire calculator until all the trials, except

for the standards, were in a random order.

Figure 17. Calculator Randomization

Figure 1 shows how to randomize the trials. Begin by opening up a calculator

application. Once there you click menu, then probability, random, and finally integer.

When there, assign numbers to your trials and randomize them by placing 1, last trial

number within the parenthesis.

 Ameye - Koshko 42

Figure 18. Example Randomization

Figure 18 is an example of how to randomize trials between 1 and 4.

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