Composite hull for full-ocean depth
A lightweight and economical modular design concept for a manned submersible is proposed to give two passengers repeated access to the deepest parts of the ocean in a safe, comfortable, and efficient manner. This versatile craft will allow work and exploration to be accomplished at moderate to maximum depths without any compromise in terms of capabilities or operating cost. Its design follows the experience acquired from the numerous existing minimum volume'' pressure hull submersible, and represents a radical departure from conventional designs. This paper addresses issues of gaining effective, safe working access for full ocean depth. Cylindrical composite hulls have the potential to achieve positive buoyancy sufficient to carry personnel and equipment swiftly back to the surface after completing exploration of the deepest ocean. Buoyancy for a submersible is similar to lift for an airplane, except that without lift, the airplane remains on the surface, but without buoyancy, the submersible never returns to the surface. There are two means of achieving buoyancy. The traditional method used to steel, titanium, or aluminium alloy deep-ocean vehicles is to add a very large buoy to compensate for the negative buoyancy of the hull. The alternate method is for the hull to displace more than its weight in water. This requires at least twice compression strength per unit mass of hull than steel, titanium, or aluminum alloys can provide. Properly constructed organic-matrix composites are light and strong enough to form a dry, 1-atm cabin with buoyancy to carry research staff and equipment to any depth in the ocean. Three different composite hull configurations are presented. Each is capable of serving as a cabin for a two-person crew. None would displace more than 4 tons of seawater. 30 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/ER
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6723433
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9006247-2; ON: DE90014446
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 4. annual thick composites in compression workshop, Knoxville, TN (USA), 26-28 Jun 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
OCEANOGRAPHY
SUBMARINES
DESIGN
CERAMICS
DIMENSIONS
FABRICATION
FIBERGLASS
GLASS
GRAPHITE
PERSONNEL
SPECIFICATIONS
STEELS
STRAINS
STRENGTH FUNCTIONS
STRESSES
TITANIUM
ALLOYS
CARBON
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
FUNCTIONS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
SHIPS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
423000* - Engineering- Marine Engineering- (1980-)