Optical drive floatplane and control method

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of water equipment, and discloses a light-driven floating ship and a control method, which comprise a ship body, a power driving system comprising a power piece and a paddle, the power piece is installed at the tail of the ship body through a fixing structure, the power driving system is rotationally connected with the fixing structure, the paddle is installed on the power piece, and when the power piece is in an illumination state, the power piece drives the paddle to rotate to drive the ship body to move; a light-heat-force-motion coupling model of the power driving system is established; through the coupling model, a mapping relationship between the illumination intensity and the ship body motion state is determined; and through adjusting the illumination intensity acting on the power driving system, the control of the ship body motion state is realized. The application solves the technical bottleneck that a traditional light-driven device needs an external power supply and a controller, has a complex structure and poor adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water equipment technology, and in particular to a light-driven floating boat and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as soft robots, micro-water transportation, and environmental energy harvesting, how to realize a self-sustaining propulsion device that does not require an external power source or a complex control system has become a current research hotspot. Traditional water propulsion devices generally rely on motors, batteries, fuel, or external control circuits, which have problems such as complex structure, large mass, high maintenance costs, and poor environmental adaptability, making it difficult to meet the requirements of micro-scale, long-term, low-disturbance operation.

[0003] In recent years, stimulus-responsive materials (such as liquid crystal elastomers, hydrogels, and shape memory alloys) have been widely used to construct self-sustaining motion systems because they can directly convert environmental energy such as light, heat, electricity, and magnetism into mechanical energy. Among them, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are considered ideal materials for constructing cableless, lightweight, and intelligent drive systems due to their programmable anisotropic mechanical behavior, optical / thermal wireless response capabilities, and rich motion modes such as self-excited oscillation / self-rotation.

[0004] Currently, research on self-sustaining motion based on light-dependent propulsion (LCE) mainly focuses on simple configurations such as cantilever beam oscillations, self-rotating rods, and self-rolling rings. Their motion is mostly characterized by periodic deformation or local displacement, and has not yet been effectively converted into continuous, directional propulsion. Furthermore, existing LCE drive devices are largely limited to material-level demonstrations, lacking complete system designs coupled with propulsion structures such as the hull and propellers, and also lacking theoretical models for speed regulation and parameter optimization. Designing a simple, power-free, control-free, directional self-sustaining aquatic device and establishing its optical-thermal-mechanical coupling theoretical model has become a current technological bottleneck.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a light-driven floating vessel and its control method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a light-driven floating boat and its control method to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a light-driven floating boat, comprising:

[0008] hull;

[0009] A power drive system includes a power unit and a propeller. The power unit is mounted on the stern of the hull via a fixed structure. The power drive system is rotatably connected to the fixed structure. The propeller is mounted on the power unit and configured such that when the power unit is in a state of illumination, the power unit drives the propeller to rotate and drive the hull to move.

[0010] According to the present invention, a light-driven floating boat is provided, wherein the power component is an LCE rod, which is rotatably connected to the fixed structure, and the propeller is fixedly connected to the middle part of the LCE rod.

[0011] According to the present invention, a light-driven floating boat is provided, wherein the fixing structure includes two ball bearings and two connecting rods, one end of each of the two connecting rods is fixedly connected to both sides of the stern of the hull, the ball bearings are fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rods, and both ends of the LCE rod are respectively mounted on the two ball bearings.

[0012] According to the present invention, a light-driven floating vessel is provided, wherein the LCE rod is made of photothermal responsive liquid crystal elastomer material and carbon nanotubes.

[0013] A control method for a light-driven floating boat includes the following steps:

[0014] Establish a light-thermal-mechanical-motion coupling model for the power drive system;

[0015] The mapping relationship between light intensity and the ship's motion state is determined by a coupling model;

[0016] The movement of the hull is controlled by adjusting the light intensity applied to the power drive system.

[0017] According to the control method of the optical drive floating ship provided by the present invention, the method for establishing a motion coupling model includes:

[0018] Establish a steady-state temperature field distribution model for the aforementioned dynamic component under illumination;

[0019] Based on the steady-state temperature field distribution, the thermally induced bending curvature of the dynamic component is calculated;

[0020] Based on the thermally induced bending curvature, the driving torque generated by the shift in the center of gravity is calculated.

[0021] According to the control method of the optically driven floating ship provided by the present invention, the steady-state temperature field distribution is obtained by solving the energy conservation equation, which is:

[0022] ;

[0023] in, For steady-state temperature field, The absorption coefficient is... For ambient temperature, The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod.

[0024] According to the control method of the optical drive floating boat provided by the present invention, the thermally induced bending curvature of the LCE rod is k, which satisfies:

[0025] ;

[0026] in, I is the moment of inertia of the LCE rod section, and E is the elastic modulus. Indicates the coefficient of linear thermal expansion. The normal stress on the cross section of the LCE rod. Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The absorption coefficient is... Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, ω is the angular velocity of the blade rotation.

[0027] According to the control method of the optical drive floating boat provided by the present invention, the angular velocity of the propeller blades satisfies:

[0028] ;

[0029] in, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. For LCE rod mass, It is the acceleration due to gravity. Let be the rotational damping coefficient of the blade. This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For blade length, Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer. To support the spacing.

[0030] According to the control method of the optical drive floating ship provided by the present invention, the forward speed of the ship satisfies:

[0031] ;

[0032] in, For the ship's speed, For blade length, This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For LCE rod mass, It is the acceleration due to gravity. Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer. To support the spacing.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and technical effects:

[0034] This invention provides a light-driven floating boat and its control method. In use, the assembled floating boat is placed on the water surface with its stern facing a constant parallel light source. When the light shines on the propulsion component, the liquid crystal cells on the light-facing side of the propulsion component undergo cis-trans isomerization, resulting in local contraction and inducing macroscopic bending. This bending causes the center of gravity to deviate from the support axis, thus generating a gravitational torque that drives the propulsion component to rotate continuously around its own axis. This rotation drives the propeller blades to rotate as well, and the blades continuously propel the boat backward. Based on the principle of action and reaction, this provides a continuous forward thrust to the hull, thereby achieving cable-free autonomous navigation. This invention utilizes the photothermal deformation characteristics of liquid crystal elastomers to construct a light-driven floating boat system that requires no external power supply, controller, or fuel. This significantly simplifies the system structure, reduces energy consumption and maintenance costs, and achieves precise control of the boat's forward speed and propeller rotation angular velocity by establishing a control equation between light intensity and the hull's motion state. The floating vessel device provided by this invention has a simple structure, light weight, and low cost, and is suitable for various application scenarios such as environmental monitoring, water sampling, and educational demonstrations, and has good prospects for promotion. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the hull structure of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a top view of the driving device of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a side view of the driving device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of photothermal power on kinetics in this invention. (a) shows different... Value of spin angular velocity and propulsion speed (b) is the driving torque With angular velocity Different The relationship between time;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the effect of the support spacing on dynamics according to the present invention. (a) shows different... angular velocity of self-rotation at value and propulsion speed (b) is the driving torque With angular velocity Different The relationship below;

[0041] Among them, 1. Hull; 2. Fixed structure; 21. Ball bearing; 22. Connecting rod; 3. Power drive system; 31. Propeller blade; 32. LCE rod. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0044] Reference Figures 1-5 The present invention provides a light-driven floating boat, comprising:

[0045] Hull 1;

[0046] The power drive system 3 includes a power component and a propeller 31. The power component is installed at the stern of the hull 1 via a fixed structure 2. The power drive system 3 is rotatably connected to the fixed structure 2. The propeller 31 is installed on the power component and is configured such that when the power component is in a state of illumination, the power component drives the propeller 31 to rotate and drive the hull 1 to move.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, during use, the assembled floating boat is placed on the water surface with its stern facing a constant parallel light source. When the light shines on the power component, the liquid crystal cells on the light-facing side of the power component undergo cis-trans isomerization, resulting in local contraction and inducing macroscopic bending. The bending causes the center of gravity to deviate from the support axis, thereby forming a gravitational torque that drives the power component to rotate continuously around its own axis. During rotation, the propeller 31 rotates together, and the propeller 31 continuously propels the water backward. According to the principle of action and reaction, it provides a continuous forward thrust to the hull 1, thereby achieving cable-free autonomous navigation.

[0048] As an optional implementation, the power component is an LCE rod 32, which is rotatably connected to the fixed structure 2, and the blade 31 is fixedly connected to the middle of the LCE rod 32.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is used as a power component. Initially a straight rod, it undergoes a UV stretching process to achieve a single-domain state, serving as the core element for photo-thermal-mechanical conversion. This rod possesses the dual characteristics of liquid crystal anisotropy and rubber elasticity: when irradiated by a constant linear light source, the liquid crystal units on the light-facing side of the rod undergo cis-trans isomerization, resulting in localized contraction and inducing macroscopic bending. This bending causes the center of gravity to deviate from the support axis, thereby generating a gravitational torque that drives the rod to continuously rotate around its own axis. Based on this characteristic, the LCE rod 32 directly drives the propeller blade 31 in a light-driven floating vessel structure, enabling autonomous propulsion on the water surface without cables, controllers, or chemical fuels.

[0050] As an optional implementation, the fixed structure 2 includes two ball bearings 21 and two connecting rods 22. One end of the two connecting rods 22 is fixedly connected to both sides of the stern of the hull 1, and the ball bearings 21 are fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rods 22. The two ends of the LCE rod 32 are respectively mounted on the two ball bearings 21.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, the LCE rod 32 is installed by means of a connecting rod 22 and a ball bearing 21, thereby enabling the LCE rod 32 to be rotated.

[0052] Specifically, the length of the connecting rod 22 is greater than the length of the propeller blade 31 to prevent the propeller blade 31 from rubbing against the hull 1.

[0053] As an alternative implementation, the LCE rod 32 is made of a photothermal responsive liquid crystal elastomer material and carbon nanotubes.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, light is used as a heat source, which has good controllability, environmental friendliness, and environmental adaptability. A 90mm long, 2.5mm diameter LCE rod 32 is installed on two connecting rods 22 at the rear of the floating vessel. When the LCE rod 32 is heated by a constant light source, it first bends and then initiates autonomous rotation. Under steady-state illumination, the bending of the LCE rod 32 causes a change in the center of gravity. When the center of gravity deviates from the support line, it enters an unstable state, thus driving rolling. This causes the propeller blade 31 to begin rolling and rotating stably at a certain angular velocity, thereby providing power to the hull.

[0055] A control method for a light-driven floating boat includes the following steps:

[0056] Establish a light-thermal-mechanical-motion coupling model for power drive system 3;

[0057] The mapping relationship between light intensity and the motion state of hull 1 is determined by using a coupling model;

[0058] The movement of the hull 1 is controlled by adjusting the light intensity applied to the power drive system 3.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, a light-heat-force-motion coupling model of the power drive system 3 is established, which describes the entire process from light energy input to final mechanical motion in a physical sense.

[0060] By using a coupled model, a quantitative mapping relationship between light intensity and hull motion states, such as forward speed and propeller speed, is determined. Based on this mapping relationship, the motion of the hull 1 is controlled by adjusting the light intensity applied to the power drive system 3.

[0061] As an optional implementation method, establishing a motion coupling model includes:

[0062] Establish a steady-state temperature field distribution model for dynamic components under illumination;

[0063] The thermally induced bending curvature of the dynamic component is calculated based on the steady-state temperature field distribution.

[0064] Based on the thermally induced bending curvature, the driving torque generated by the shift of the center of gravity is calculated.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, a steady-state temperature field distribution model of the cross-section of the LCE rod 32 under illumination is established. The heat generated by illumination is unevenly distributed inside the LCE rod 32, forming a specific temperature field.

[0066] Based on the steady-state temperature field distribution, the thermally induced bending curvature of LCE rod 32 due to thermal expansion and contraction is calculated.

[0067] Based on the thermally induced bending curvature, the driving torque generated by the shift of the center of gravity of LCE rod 32 due to bending is calculated.

[0068] As an optional implementation method, the steady-state temperature field distribution is obtained by solving the energy conservation equation, which is:

[0069] ;

[0070] in, For steady-state temperature field, The absorption coefficient is... For ambient temperature, The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. In the formula: assuming photothermal power... With light intensity Proportional, that is ( (This refers to the absorption coefficient).

[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, based on the structure of a light-driven driftboat, the temperature field is derived from the principle of energy conservation. Given that the driving torque is provided by the LCE rod 32, a steady-state energy conservation equation is established for the circular rod cross-section, and its expression is:

[0072] ;

[0073] In the formula: Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod; The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod; Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod; is the uniform temperature offset, where , The ambient temperature; , These are the temperature amplitudes in cosine mode and sine mode, respectively.

[0074] Two main temperature modes and According to:

[0075] ;

[0076] ;

[0077] In the formula: Temperature amplitude The rate of change over time, i.e. The derivative over time; Temperature amplitude The rate of change over time, i.e. The derivative over time; The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation; Angular velocity of rotation This refers to photothermal power.

[0078] After decoupling and calculating the amplitude using the aforementioned formula, we obtain:

[0079] ;

[0080] ;

[0081] Combining the aforementioned formulas, the steady-state temperature field simplifies to:

[0082] ;

[0083] In the optical-driven floating vessel proposed in this embodiment, the temperature field causes the LCE rod 32 to bend laterally after being heated by light, and the temperature field is the cause of the existence of the lateral curvature of the LCE rod 32.

[0084] As an optional implementation, the thermally induced bending curvature of the LCE rod 32 is k, satisfying:

[0085] ;

[0086] in, I is the moment of inertia of the LCE rod section, and E is the elastic modulus. Indicates the coefficient of linear thermal expansion. The normal stress on the cross section of the LCE rod. Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The absorption coefficient is... Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, ω is the angular velocity of the blade rotation.

[0087] In one embodiment of the present invention, due to uneven temperature distribution, the LCE rod 32 undergoes lateral bending after being heated by light. The lateral curvature and thermal strain of the LCE rod 32 after heating are determined by derivation. for:

[0088] ;

[0089] Total strain It consists of the sum of thermal strain and elastic strain; therefore, elastic strain... The formula is:

[0090] ;

[0091] From a geometric perspective, the total strain can also be expressed as:

[0092] ;

[0093] In the formula: This represents the average axial strain. Indicates the length after deformation. Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer rod.

[0094] Based on the fact that axial strain is negligible relative to thermal strain, the elastic strain of the liquid crystal elastomer rod during rotation... From dynamic thermal strain field Composition, elastic strain for:

[0095] ;

[0096] To simplify the calculation, we assume the material is a linear elastic body, and the normal stress on the cross section of LCE rod 32 is:

[0097] ;

[0098] To quantify the mechanical drive, the bending torque of LCE rod 32 about the x-axis needs to be calculated. Calculation:

[0099] ;

[0100] In the formula: This represents each tiny area unit in the polar coordinate system of the LCE rod 32 cross section. The stress on the lever arm The contributing "small bending moment" is integrated to obtain the total bending moment about the x-axis. This achieves the coupled transfer of "heat-strain-stress-torque". It is the differential symbol, used to mark minute changes in coordinates.

[0101] Considering that LCE rod 32 has no bending constraint, M=0 at this time. The curvature of LCE rod 32 can then be obtained. Its expression is:

[0102] ;

[0103] in .

[0104] In the optical drive floating vessel proposed in this embodiment, the curvature k determines the degree of bending of the LCE rod 32, which in turn directly determines the magnitude of the gravitational torque.

[0105] As an optional implementation, the angular velocity of the blades satisfies:

[0106] ;

[0107] in, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. Let be the rotational damping coefficient of the blade. For blade length, This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For driving torque.

[0108] As an optional implementation, the ship's forward speed satisfies:

[0109] ;

[0110] in, For the ship's speed, For blade length, This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For driving torque.

[0111] In one embodiment of the present invention, the curvature k determines the degree of bending of the LCE rod 32. After bending, the geometry of the rod becomes an arc, and its center of gravity is no longer located directly below the fulcrum, but is offset by a distance. This offset directly determines the magnitude of the gravitational torque. The specific process includes:

[0112] When LCE rod 32 bends, its center of gravity shifts, and the resulting driving torque can be expressed as:

[0113] ;

[0114] In the formula: For LCE rod 32 mass, It is the acceleration due to gravity. The vertical distance between the center of gravity of LCE rod 32 and the fulcrum O.

[0115] To simplify the calculation, the curved LCE rod 32 is considered as an arc-shaped structure. Represented by the formula:

[0116] ;

[0117] In the formula: Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer.

[0118] The central angle of the corresponding arc structure It can be represented as:

[0119] ;

[0120] in To determine the support spacing, we can solve the aforementioned formulas simultaneously to obtain:

[0121] ;

[0122] Substituting the aforementioned bending torque into the floating boat system, the propeller blade 31 simultaneously bears both bending torque and water resistance torque. Under steady-state paddling conditions, the driving torque... Torque of water resistance Equilibrium, the equilibrium equation can be expressed as:

[0123] ;

[0124] The resistance torque can be derived as follows:

[0125] ;

[0126] Under the driving torque of LCE rod 32, propeller blade 31 rotates, and hull 1 is subjected to the driving force generated by propeller blade 31 in the water. Damping force of water on the hull When hull 1 is rowing smoothly, the driving force and damping force reach equilibrium, and the equilibrium equation is expressed as:

[0127] ;

[0128] The driving force is set to be proportional to the relative velocity of the propeller blade 31 with respect to the still water surface. The expression is:

[0129] ;

[0130] In the formula: Let be the rotational damping coefficient of the blade. Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. For blade length, This represents the speed of the entire ship.

[0131] The damping force was set to be proportional to the rowing speed of the LCE turning boat. The expression is:

[0132] ;

[0133] By combining the above equilibrium equations, the angular velocity of the blade can be obtained:

[0134] ;

[0135] And the ship's forward speed:

[0136] .

[0137] In one embodiment of the present invention, the steady-state temperature field, the curvature of LCE rod 32, the driving torque of LCE rod 32, the rotational angular velocity, and the ship's forward speed are dimensionless. To simplify the analysis process, reduce calculation errors, and improve model stability, all parameters are normalized as follows:

[0138] , , , , , , , , , , ;

[0139] , , , , , , , , ;

[0140] The dimensionless form of the steady-state temperature field simplifies to:

[0141] ;

[0142] The dimensionless form of the curvature of LCE rod 32 is:

[0143] ;

[0144] The dimensionless equation for the driving torque of LCE rod 32 is as follows:

[0145] ;

[0146] The dimensionless form of the blade rotation angular velocity is:

[0147] ;

[0148] The dimensionless form of the ship's forward velocity is:

[0149] ;

[0150] The coupled equations for temperature, radius of curvature, driving torque, and angular velocity are transformed into explicit analytical expressions containing only a few dimensionless parameters. Based on the above derivation, the equations are solved using MATLAB software.

[0151] In one embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 4 , For photothermal power, as As the value increases, the angular velocity of LCE rod 32's rotation and the propulsion speed of the floating vessel increase accordingly. This is because, with the increase of photothermal power, LCE rod 32 absorbs more elastic potential energy, leading to a gradual increase in its curvature. This increases the distance between the center of gravity and the center point, thereby increasing the driving arm and moment of inertia, thus enhancing the angular velocity of rotation and the propulsion speed.

[0152] The driving torque-angular velocity variation of LCE rod 32 under different photothermal powers shows that the self-rotation driving torque increases with increasing photothermal power, which is in complete agreement with theoretical predictions and the corresponding physical mechanisms. The driving torque of LCE rod 32 decreases with increasing self-rotation angular velocity. This is because as the angular velocity increases, the rod rotation generates centrifugal force, the lateral curvature decreases, the center of gravity offset decreases, and the required gravitational torque decreases.

[0153] In one embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 5 Support spacing The influence on the dynamic behavior of the floating vessel, with other system parameters set as follows: , , , , When the support spacing When the distance between supports is less than 1, the floating vessel system is approximately in a static mode. When the support spacing is between 3 and 10, the rotational speed of the LCE rod 32 and the propulsion speed of the floating vessel increase rapidly. This is because the speed depends on the magnitude of the driving torque. When the support spacing is narrow, the center of gravity of the LCE rod 32 shifts less, and the center of gravity falls almost directly above the fulcrum, resulting in a very small lever arm of gravity on the rotation axis. Conversely, when the support spacing is large, the center of gravity shifts outward, and the driving torque causes the LCE rod 32 to rotate rapidly.

[0154] in, , This represents the average driving torque.

[0155] Support spacing The curves showing the changes in driving torque and angular velocity for values ​​1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are shown. The self-rotation driving torque increases with increasing support spacing, while the driving torque gradually decreases with increasing angular velocity. As the support spacing increases, the center of gravity shifts outward after the member bends, thus shifting the entire driving torque-angular velocity curve upward. When the rotational angular velocity increases, the centrifugal stiffness suppresses the bending amplitude, leading to... Follow Increasing the distance actually decreases the speed. The intersection of each curve with the frictional resistance torque is the steady-state operating point, which intuitively demonstrates the rule that "the larger the support spacing, the higher the steady-state angular velocity".

[0156] Addressing the bottleneck of traditional drive systems requiring external power supplies and complex controllers, this invention introduces a light-driven drifting boat based on a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE). The entire boat uses an LCE rod 32 as the sole drive unit: a linear light source illuminates the rod, establishing a non-uniform temperature field that induces periodic bending of the LCE; this bending causes a shift in the center of gravity, generating alternating gravitational torque, thereby driving the propeller blades to rotate continuously, achieving cable-free autonomous propulsion under constant illumination. Through theoretical modeling, dimensionless analysis, and parameter sensitivity analysis, the following conclusions are drawn: the driving torque... Blade angular velocity Ship propulsion speed With photothermal power The propeller blade angular velocity and ship propulsion speed increase with the increase of the support spacing; The effect increases with the increase of the support spacing, but the improvement slows down when the support spacing is greater than 10; damping coefficient and Increasing the angular velocity has a monotonic suppressive effect, and the attenuation is particularly significant when the damping coefficient is less than 0.5. (Radius) It is independent of the temperature field, but This increases the self-rotation speed of LCE rod 32 and the propulsion speed of the floating vessel.

[0157] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0158] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a light-driven floating boat, characterized in that, The control method controls the following types of optically driven floating vessels: hull(1); The power drive system (3) includes a power component and a propeller (31). The power component is installed at the stern of the hull (1) via a fixed structure (2). The power drive system (3) is rotatably connected to the fixed structure (2). The propeller (31) is installed on the power component and is configured such that when the power component is in a state of illumination, the power component drives the propeller (31) to rotate and drive the hull (1) to move. The power component is an LCE rod (32), which is rotatably connected to the fixed structure (2), and the blade (31) is fixedly connected to the middle part of the LCE rod (32); The LCE rod (32) is made of photothermal responsive liquid crystal elastomer material and carbon nanotubes; The fixed structure (2) includes two ball bearings (21) and two connecting rods (22). One end of each connecting rod (22) is fixedly connected to both sides of the stern of the hull (1), and the ball bearings (21) are fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rods (22). The two ends of the LCE rod (32) are respectively mounted on the two ball bearings (21). When in use, the assembled floating boat is placed on the water surface and its tail is facing a constant parallel light source. When the light shines on the power component, the liquid crystal cells on the light-facing side of the power component undergo cis-trans isomerization, resulting in local contraction and inducing macroscopic bending. The bending causes the center of gravity to deviate from the support axis, thereby forming a gravitational torque, which drives the power component to rotate continuously around its own axis. When rotating, it drives the propeller (31) to rotate together, and the propeller (31) continues to paddle backward. The control method includes the following steps: Establish the light-thermal-mechanical-motion coupling model of the power drive system (3); The mapping relationship between light intensity and the motion state of the hull (1) is determined by the coupling model; The motion state of the hull (1) is controlled by adjusting the light intensity acting on the power drive system (3); Establishing a motion coupling model includes: Establish a steady-state temperature field distribution model for the aforementioned dynamic component under illumination; Based on the steady-state temperature field distribution, the thermally induced bending curvature of the dynamic component is calculated; Based on the thermally induced bending curvature, the driving torque generated by the shift in the center of gravity is calculated.

2. The control method for a light-driven floating boat according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steady-state temperature field distribution is obtained by solving the energy conservation equation, which is: ； in, For steady-state temperature field, The absorption coefficient is... For ambient temperature, The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod.

3. The control method for a light-driven floating boat according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermally induced bending curvature of the LCE rod (32) is k, which satisfies: ； in, I is the moment of inertia of the LCE rod (32), and E is the modulus of elasticity. The normal stress on the cross section of LCE rod (32) is... Let be the radial coordinate within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The circumferential polar angle within the cross-section of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. Indicates the coefficient of linear thermal expansion. The absorption coefficient is... Let be the radius of the liquid crystal elastomer rod. The characteristic timescale of thermal relaxation. For light intensity, ω is the angular velocity of the blade rotation.

4. The control method for a light-driven floating boat according to claim 1, characterized in that: The angular velocity of the blades, calculated based on the driving torque, satisfies: ； in, Let be the angular velocity of the blade rotation. For the mass of LCE rod (32), It is the acceleration due to gravity. Let be the rotational damping coefficient of the blade. This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For blade length, Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer. To support the spacing.

5. The control method for a light-driven floating boat according to claim 1, characterized in that: The forward speed of the hull, calculated based on the driving torque, satisfies: ； in, For the ship's speed, For blade length, This represents the damping coefficient of the ship's hull. For the mass of LCE rod (32), It is the acceleration due to gravity. Let be the radius of curvature of the liquid crystal elastomer. To support the spacing.

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