Hovercraft clarifications...Please help!!!!

[eddie_fox]

Hi!

I am a product design student doing my project 'Design of a personal single seater hovercraft'. My strength is not engineering, though I have a good sense of the engineering aspects. I am actually required to just do the body design. However, I need to design this body based on a chasis. i am also required to know the technical specifications for my designed product.

I have already conceptualised the design of the body. I just need a few clarifications on issues I expect to creep in during the presentation.

As per my concept, the craft base board length is close to 6 feet and width close to 2.5 feet. The body designed will stand close to 3 feet from the base (exclusing skirt and hover height). I plan to use 2 different engines for lift and thrust. The total weight including the rider is predicted to be approximately 300 kgs. Here are my queries:

1. Will such a design work?

2. Is there any relation to lift and total surface area of the base board (I think it is the pressure difference of the air enclosed in the skirt to the outside air pressure that causes the lift, isn't it)?

3. Can you suggest the ideal(if not exact) specifcations and placements for the 2 engines, lift fan and thrust fan?

4. Apart from closing down the thrust fan power and maybe blocking the air flow from the thrust fan, is there any other effective braking systems?

5. As per my concept, the lift fan place at the centre doesnt have an open top( there is no hole directly over the fan, but there is enough space for air to flow into it through ducts provided in the body), is this a problem?

PLEASE HELP WITH CLARIFICATIONS........ THANK YOU!!!!!

[Louise]

Hi!

I am a product design student doing my project 'Design of a personal single seater hovercraft'. My strength is not engineering, though I have a good sense of the engineering aspects. I am actually required to just do the body design. However, I need to design this body based on a chasis. i am also required to know the technical specifications for my designed product.

I have already conceptualised the design of the body. I just need a few clarifications on issues I expect to creep in during the presentation.

As per my concept, the craft base board length is close to 6 feet and width close to 2.5 feet. The body designed will stand close to 3 feet from the base (exclusing skirt and hover height). I plan to use 2 different engines for lift and thrust. The total weight including the rider is predicted to be approximately 300 kgs. Here are my queries:

1. Will such a design work?

2. Is there any relation to lift and total surface area of the base board (I think it is the pressure difference of the air enclosed in the skirt to the outside air pressure that causes the lift, isn't it)?

3. Can you suggest the ideal(if not exact) specifcations and placements for the 2 engines, lift fan and thrust fan?

4. Apart from closing down the thrust fan power and maybe blocking the air flow from the thrust fan, is there any other effective braking systems?

5. As per my concept, the lift fan place at the centre doesnt have an open top( there is no hole directly over the fan, but there is enough space for air to flow into it through ducts provided in the body), is this a problem?

PLEASE HELP WITH CLARIFICATIONS........ THANK YOU!!!!!

Have you tried an internet search on this topic? There are a bunch of sites that look like they will help you. In particular-
http://www.olshove.com/HoverHome/hovcalc.html

will calculate parameters relating to the lift/fan speed/ size.

The site:
http://www.olshove.com/HoverHome/hoverfaq.html

has a bunch of information, including a discussion of braking.

Building hovercrafts is apparently a very popular hobby and I imagine you will get much more practical advice on one of the message boards devoted to hovercraft building. The faq page lists a bunch of resources including a usenet group. Googling will probably reveal more.

Louise