In line with the climatic challenges the world faces today, more and more industry projects are being launched with the aim of minimizing the environmental impact of products. This is particularly true of the sailing industry, which uses mainly polluting and non-recyclable composite materials, and therefore has a major role to play in this transition. This thesis topic is the design and manufacture of a low-carbon-footprint Moth-type hydrofoil-flying dinghy hull. The main objective was to propose a hull with a reliable, high-performance structure made from materials with a low environmental impact.
Firstly, the functioning of a hydrofoil Moth was reviewed, and then, based on this and the physical principles of sailing, the balance of forces for the main loading cases was defined. These forces were then calculated using a static approach and a dynamic simulation (DVPP) of the boat's sailing behavior. The materials to be used were then selected based on mechanical and environmental considerations. They were then characterized using a variety of tests intended firstly to provide the engineer's constants for the design, and then to validate the manufacturing processes. Following this, the external and internal geometry of the hull was drawn, and its in-flight equilibrium verified using DVPP. Finite element modeling was carried out to dimension the laminates in the various zones of the structure. Failure and buckling analysis results were used. Finally, the tooling and hull were manufactured and assembled, and the environmental impact of the project was assessed using a life-cycle analysis.
A recyclable thermoplastic resin (Elium®) sandwich composite reinforced with flax fibers was mainly used for the hull construction. Part of the more stressed internal structure was infused with carbon / Elium®. The molds were manufactured by large-scale 3D printing using recycled PET reinforced with 30% glass fiber. They can be shredded and recycled to make new tooling using the same process. The project's global warming potential was estimated at 745 kg CO2,eq, around three times less than for an equivalent carbon/epoxy hull.
| Date | 7 Jun 2024 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Simon Joncas (Supervisor) & Louis Laberge Lebel (Co-supervisor) |
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Legrand, Q. (Author),
Joncas (Supervisor) & Laberge Lebel (Co-supervisor),
7 Jun 2024Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Mechanical Engineering