Re: HDW Hydrogen submarine

From: bw (bwegher_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 10/09/04 

Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2004 01:04:23 -0500

"Harry Conover" <hhc314@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7ce4e226.0410081955.7d5c962e@posting.google.com...
> "Don W." <dNOSPAMwiddersAThotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:<Co2dnUI3L_eMifrcRVn-pw@comcast.com>...
>
> Sorry Don, I didn't read to the bottom of your last post. Thanks for
> pointing out this web site.
>
>> Here are 'shaft horsepower' specs on some attack submarines (15,000 shp
>> to
>> 52,000 shp):
>> http://www.combatindex.com/hardware/hardware_sea_sub_ssn_main.html
>
> Oh my! 52,000 SHP on the Sea Wolf. I'm suitably impressed! (When at
> Raytheon, I worked on part of the Sea Wolf electronic warfare
> facility, and was struck by the fact that all the operator positions
> had not only seat belts but shoulder harnesses. Now I understand why!
> :-)
>
>> I think HDW is using the hydrogen as motive fuel strictly to allow
>> limited
>> mobilty during short periods of stealth operation. For this purpose,
>> hydrogen makes sense (poor sense) -- rechargeable lithium batteries make
>> better sense and probably at much lower cost.
>
> Indeed, batteries represent time proven and effective technology.
> Still, I would remind you that the newer reactors are considerably
> more stealthy than those of the past...So, what's the point?
>
> As a somewhat technical question, since modern subs like Sea Wolf are
> driven by a single shaft steam turbine, where would a supplementary
> propulsion system come into play, or is it a secondary system like a
> bow thruster on a ship? I have trouble envisioning what role a less
> than MW capacity system would have on a boat displacing (from what
> I've read) 9,500-Tons when submerged.
>
> Harry C.

The 52000 HP is plausible, possible dis-information, since exact numbers are
presumably classified. Note that most US subs use twin steam turbines geared
to a single drive shaft. If reactor/steam is lost, emergency DC electric
motors are available, driven by battery. One is wound directly onto the main
drive shaft. If that motor (or the main drive shaft) is lost, there is a
small independently stearable "outboard" motor that may be deployed. It is
normally 'retracted' inside one of the ballast tanks with a fairing. I doubt
it could make headway against the gulf stream current.

Electric generating capacity is also classified, but certainly in the
multi-MWs, with redundancy.

Military reactors have higher power density than commercial, due to size
constraints.

Brent Wegher

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