FinX is not an old company since it was created in May 2019. The following winter, it succeeded in raising 450 keuros to finance its project and manufacture an industrial demonstrator which, after being tested, will be the basis of a first series dedicated to the validation of the concept.
A team of well-made and well-filled heads
This team of young engineers, supported by an advisory board including Loïck Peyron (navigator) and Jérémie Lagarrigue (CEO of Energy Observer), is working hard to improve the product.
To strengthen their technical, strategic and business development approach, the team of 6 people does not hesitate to call on experts, there is no shortage of work. « We are not at the end of our troubles, that's what's exciting! ", says Harold.
Simple and flexible operation
To date the FinX product catalogue consists of 2 thrusters: the D70 for UAVs and small watercraft, and the D200 for tenders and sailing boats up to 3 tons.
« The pump principle integrated in the ogive is similar to the operation of a loudspeaker: the magnet creates a magnetic field, the moving coil, through which an alternating electric current flows, vibrates and transmits the movement to the diaphragm ", explains Harold. « It is thus possible to play on 2 parameters: the amplitude of the movement of the membrane to increase the flow of water like the sound volume of a loudspeaker and its frequency to increase the speed of the water flow or for a loudspeaker the level of bass and treble. »
For the system to work, an electrical power source is required. Power is supplied by 24 or 48 volts, then the thruster electronics convert the power and chop the signal correctly to control the movement of the diaphragm. The thruster control system can be adapted to an external control system.
Advantages, this propulsion system is azimuthal like a pod, it can rotate 360° to allow quick changes of direction and the pump is self-priming. The only moving parts are in the ogive and the thrust generated corresponds to the operation of a water jet.
The Future
Integrated into a low-voltage electrical power system, since it is powered by 24 or 48 volts, this biomimetic technology could become a serious alternative to the propeller. The next step is now to produce a small series of propellers to carry out a full-scale test, validate the performance and be able to offer these samples to partners.
