FAU’s human-powered sub comes ashore with speed, performance records
BOCA RATON–FloridaAtlanticUniversity’s human-powered submarine team was awarded the absolute speed award, fastest speed by category (one person propeller), smooth operator award, and second place in overall performance at the 11th annual International Submarine Races at the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock Division inBethesda,Md.
FAU competed against 34 universities from countries such as Greece, England, France, Mexico, Oman andVenezuela, as well as the United States and Canada. The team’s race was particularly competitive with rival boat-Omer 8 from Ecole de Technologie Superieure, a university inQuebec,Canada. However, with the top speed of 6.814 knots, FAU pulled through similar to its race in 2009 when the FAU team was awarded the absolute speed award for having the fastest sub at the race.
“These students were incredibly motivated to work on this project. They have a variety of skills that go from performing computations to fabrication and machining submarine parts,” said Edgar An, Ph.D., the team advisor and professor in the department of ocean and mechanical engineering within the College of Engineering and Computer Science at FAU. “The sub project is the best way to get the students to learn how to apply and integrate their knowledge acquired from the classes taken.”
FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science has other competitive student race teams that have had similar successes.
The Owls Race Team recently competed at the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers competition and took second best finish in school history with 45th place overall despite an engine failure in the endurance event. The race team also had a commendable design score of 15th out of 122 teams that competed.
The American Society of Civil Engineers team also had a great showing at the National Concrete Canoe Competition, placing in various events, including the women’s endurance race, men’s sprint race, hydraulics, transportations, surveying and T-shirt design.
