www.ierjournal.

org ISSN: 2395-1621

Design and Fabrication of Hovercraft

Ajay Anil Durgawale (ajaydurgawale9@gmail.com), Shubham Sanjay Raut (ssraut9549@gmail.com), Akash Laxman
Suryawanshi (akashsuryawanshi757@gmail.com),Suraj Pradeep Patil, Prof. Vaibhav P. Mali

Padmabhooshan Vasantdada Patil Institute Of Technology

ABSTRACT

Hovercrafts are vehicles that are able to glide over a relatively smooth surface by
levitating upon air pockets or air cushion. This ability negotiates diverse terrain from
land, water or marshy lands for transport, rescue and military operations. The design
process is quite similar to that of boat and aircraft. Detail analysis has been done in
accordance with standard requirements applicable in the air cushion model. Use of two
lift engines have been made to obtain stable lift whereas dimmerstat controlled motor is
used for thrust fan. Our attempt was to study the design characteristics and working
principle of the hovercraft, and use standard calculations to determine the lift forces
required and power. The total study process is concluded with mention of details for the
constituent parts, which will be ascertained further by calculations from standard
formulae. When the average person thinks of hovercraft, they think of huge vehicle that
makes lot of noise. This statement is partly true and partly false, as you’ll see it yourself
when further study is presented to you.

Keywords: Hovercraft ,Lift Engine ,Thrust Fan.

that rides slightly above the earth’s surface. The air is

I. INTRODUCTION continuously forced under the vehicle by a fan, generating
A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or the cushion that greatly reduces friction between the moving
ACV, is a craft capable of traveling over land, water, mud vehicle and surface. The air is delivered through ducts and
or ice and other surfaces both at speed and when stationary. injected at the periphery of the vehicle in a downward and
Hovercrafts are hybrid vessels operated by a pilot as an inward direction. This type of vehicle can equally ride over
aircraft rather than a captain as a marine vessel. Hovercraft ice, water, marsh, or relatively level land.
use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull
that is slightly above atmospheric pressure. The pressure
difference between the higher pressure air below the hull II. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
and lower pressure ambient air above it produces lift, which The hovercraft floats above the ground surface on a
causes the hull to float above the running surface. For cushion of air supplied by the lift fan. The air cushion
stability reasons, the air is typically blown through slots or makes the hovercraft essentially frictionless. Air is blown
holes around the outside of a disk or oval shaped platform, into the skirt through a hole by the blower as shown in
giving most hovercraft a characteristic rounded rectangle Figure 1. The skirt inflates and the increasing air pressure
shape. Typically this cushion is contained within a flexible acts on the base of the hull thereby pushing up (lifting) the
"skirt", which allows the vehicle to travel over small unit. Small holes made underneath the skirt prevent it from
obstructions without damage. Vehicles designed to travel bursting and provide the cushion of air needed. A little
close to but above ground or water. effort on the hovercraft propels it in the direction of the push.
Figure below shows how pressure is developed in the skirt.
These vehicles are supported in various ways. Some of As soon as the assembly floats, a blower incorporated in the
them have a specially designed wing that will lift them just thrust engine blows air backwards which provides an equal
off the surface over which they travel when they have reaction that causes the vehicle to move forward. Little
reached a sufficient horizontal speed (the ground effect). power is needed as the air cushion has drastically reduced
Hovercrafts are usually supported by fans that force air friction. Steering effect is achieved by mounting rudders in
down under the vehicle to create lift, Air propellers, water the airflow from the blower or propeller. A change in
propellers, or water jets usually provide forward propulsion. direction of the rudders changes the direction of air flow
Air-cushion vehicles can attain higher speeds than can either thereby resulting in a change in direction of the vehicle.
ships or most land vehicles and use much less power than This is achieved by connecting wire cables and pulleys to a
helicopters of the same weight. Air-cushion suspension has handle. When the handle is pushed it changes the direction
also been applied to other forms of transportation, in of the rudders.
particular trains, such as the French Aero train and the
British hover train. Hovercraft is a transportation vehicle
www.ierjournal.org ISSN: 2395-1621
Pressure Development in and they moves large volume of air for a given rotational
Skirt speed than a propeller with the same speed and power input.

Thrust Fan:
It is used to obtain the forward motion of the craft. It
is fitted to the top of the Craft and is powered by a
petrol/diesel engine. The fan is supposed to overcome the
force of the entire craft in order to propel it in forward
direction. It can come with minimum of two blades and can
increase up to 8- 10 blades in standard fans. In our case we
are using dimmerstat controlled motor for the rotation of the
fan.

Rudders (Steering System):

Rudders are plate like thick sheets of metal or wood
which are used for changing the direction of hovercraft by
III. MAIN COMPONENTS
hydraulic systems or by a suitable steering mechanism.
Frame: These are attached at rear end of thrust fan. On moving of
It is the basic structure on which the Hovercraft floats the rudders in either direction, there is a corresponding
when the engine is stopped while moving over water or land. change in direction of hovercraft. They can also be used for
It supports the whole weight of the craft. It includes the craft slowing down the speed of hovercraft by tuning them 180
floor, side panels, forward and aft panels till the top skirt degrees (Inward) thus causing the resistance for forward
attachment line. The lower hull. motion.
Need to have adequate size for supporting the total
weight of the craft and payload. Engine:
Must be strong enough to support craft off cushion (on Engine is the device which powers the blower to blow the
landing pads). air beneath the hull or frame. Two petrol engines of capacity
Have enough freeboard to support craft in displacement 2HP and 3HP were connected to the blowers by their output
mode on water. shaft. Engine is powered by petrol/diesel as a fuel (input).
Must be watertight and as smooth as possible. The lift engine coupled with the blower provides necessary
The lower hull can be built by all boat building materials, air flow in downward direction causing the pressure to rise
from simple ply to very complicated composite panels. in skirt and form the air cushion. It is necessary for the
engines to run at max RPM to maintain the required flow
Skirt: rate.
The skirt is a shaped, flexible strip fitted below the
bottom edges of the plenum chamber slot. As the hovercraft Specifications:
lifts, the skirt extends below it to retain a much deeper
cushion of air. The development of the skirt enables a Length – 2.0828 m
hovercraft to maintain its normal operating speed through Base width – 1.2192
large waves and also allows it to pass over rocks, ridges and Surface Area (As) = 1.879 m2
gullies. The skirt of a hovercraft is one of its most designed Perimeter – 5.9325 m
sensitive parts. The design must be just right or it may result Air cushion height – 2 cm
in uncomfortable ride for passengers or damage to the craft
and the skirt. Also, excessive wear of the skirt can occur if Lift Calculations:
its edges are flapping up and down on the surface of the
water or on land. The skirt is taken to hold the air pressure Gross weight = Fan Unit + 2 Engines + 2 Blowers +
which is generated inside the base or downside of the Motor + Hull + Pilot + Steering Mechanism = 180 kg
platform. The skirt is mounted on the base by the nail or
glue or other thing which can bear the pressure of air. Force = Weight * 9.81 m2/s
= 1765.8 N
Lift system:
It is fitted to the primary structure of the hovercraft. The Exit Pressure (Pe) = Force/ As
air is pumped under the craft between the skirt spaces to (i)
produce a cushion of air in order to accelerate a hovercraft = 1765.8/1.879 = 939.75 N/m2
in a vertical direction. Propeller is designed to be most
efficient in open air but are not efficient in application when Area of Air = Perimeter * Air cushion height (ii)
an air backpressure is need to be applied as they rotate. Cushion (Ac) =5.9325 * 0.02 = 0.1186 m2
Because of this the lifting of most of the Hovercraft model
uses what is known as a centrifugal fan or blowers. Two Escape Velocity (Ve) = Dc * √ (2 Pe/ρ)
blowers are used of capacity 2 HP and 3 HP. When the (iii)
assembly is rotated at high speed, air is sucked into the
= 0.53 * √ (2*939.75/1.225) = 20.76 m/s
center hole in the fan and the slots forces it out at the edges.
(Where, Dc – Coefficient of discharge
The advantages of the fan are twofold. They operate
ρ – Density of Air = 1.225kg/m3)
efficiently in an environment when back pressure is high
www.ierjournal.org ISSN: 2395-1621
Discharge (Q) = Ve * Ac (iv) CFD analysis (Pressure Distribution)
=20.76 * 0.1186 = 2.462 m3/s

Total Power required (P) = (Q * Pe) / (η * 1000) (v)

= (2.462 * 939.75) / (0.7 * 1000) = 3.305 KW
= 3.305/746 = 4.43 HP

Position of Engines/Blowers

Taking moment about CG,

(FB * 30) – (* 20) = 0

Therefore, FB = 1.5 FA

Thus, for proper balancing of hovercraft the power

generated by Engine B (at the base) should be equal to 1.5
times the power of Engine A (at apex)

For constant pressure,

Power is directly proportional to Discharge (Q)…from (v) Future Scope
Therefore, QB = 1.5 QA To develop lighter hovercraft by using best materials for
Total discharge (Q) = 2.462 m3/s better efficiency
= QA + QB Make more research on hovercraft background and
= 2.5 QA construction.
Thus QA = 2.462/2.5 =0.9848 m3/s To find appropriate position and number of lift engines
QB = 1.5 QA = 1.4772 m3/s for better flow and pressure distribution.
To recognize all hovercraft applications and limitations
Therefore, and also to define a hovercraft as per classification.
Power of Engine A
PA = (QA * Pe) / (η * 1000)
= 1.773 HP ≈ 2 HP (Standard Value)

Power of Engine B
PB= (QB * Pe) / (η * 1000)
= 2.662 HP ≈ 3 HP (Standard Value)

Thrust Calculations:

Model of Hovercraft
Thrust Force = Lift force/2
= 1765.8 / 2 = 882.9 N

Flowrate = 268.4437 m3/min IV. CONCLUSION

= 4.466 m3/s Hovercrafts are generally simple mechanisms in theory.
One must take under consideration the weight and the shape
For overcoming above thrust force, the 1st fan with of each component in order to avoid problems such as
indicated specifications can be used. instability and dysfunction. This is a marvelous machine
which greatly cuts down the friction which in turn helps it to
attain greater speed and more stability. Varieties of
problems and factors have to be taken into account in
designing and constructing a hovercraft.
www.ierjournal.org ISSN: 2395-1621

V. REFERENCES
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