Internship / Graduation project: Powering the robot

Introduction to Fleet Cleaner

Fleet  Cleaner  develops  and deploys robots for ship hull cleanings. We are an innovative technical company based in Delft. With our unique robot we offer the most complete solution for ship hull cleanings on the market, available in all Dutch seaports. The Fleet Cleaner robot removes fouling from a ship’s hull, thereby increasing fuel efficiency dramatically and reducing fuel costs. The cleaning is performed during loading and unloading in port; resulting in no down-time for the vessel. The fouling that is removed from the vessel is captured and filtered by our state-of-the-art filtering system aboard our support vessel. This is the reason that Fleet Cleaner is one of only a few companies licensed to perform hull cleanings in Dutch ports.

Research objectives

The Fleet Cleaner robot is powered by a combination of hydraulics, electronics and high pressure water. Because of these three forms of energy, the umbilical to the robot is quite large. So, eliminating or reducing one of these sources of power will have a big impact on the maneuverability of the robot. Technically it is possible to swap the hydraulic actuators for electrical or even water powered versions. This would reduce the umbilical size, but will also have an effect on the size and weight of the robot. To what extend these changes would be beneficial is unknown. Therefore we are looking for interns who are interested in one or more of the following topics:

• Investigating the alternatives for actuators on the robot
• Calculating the overall benefit or loss when replacing actuators
• Making a conceptual design for an optimal robot

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic MSc student, preferably with a background in maritime engineering, mechanical engineering, or related engineering fields. We offer the following:

• 3-12 months thesis assignment or internship at Fleet Cleaner (in Delft)
• Working in an innovative company
• Working together in a young, enthusiastic and multidisciplinary team
• An appropriate internship allowance