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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

1. INTRODUCTION
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. The word submarine originally is an adjective meaning "under the sea, and so consequently other uses such as "submarine engineering" or "submarine cable" may not actually refer to submarines at all. Submarine was shortened from the term "submarine boat", and is often further shortened to "sub". Submarines are referred to as "boats" rather than as "ships", regardless of their size. Submarines have one of the largest ranges of capabilities in any vessel, ranging from small autonomous examples to one or two-person vessels operating for a few hours, to vessels which can remain submerged for 6 months such as the Russian Typhoon class - the biggest submarines ever built and in use. Submarines can work at greater depths that are not survivable or impractical for human divers.

The submarines have both military uses and civilian uses. The submarines are used for homeland defence and under-sea patrolling. The submarines are run with the help of parts such as sail, sail planes, rudder and propeller. The design of the submarine depends on the application it is used to. The propulsion of the submarine is done with the help of steam engines, diesel/gasoline electric transmissions, air-independent propulsion or nuclear energy. The parts and propulsion of the submarines will be dealt in detail in subsequent chapters.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

2. EARLY HISTORY
The first submersible with reliable information on its construction was built in 1620 by Cornelius Jacobszoon Drebbel, a Dutchman. It was created to the standards of the design outlined by English mathematician William Bourne. It was propelled by means of oars. Though the first submersible vehicles were tools for exploring under water, it did not take long for inventors to recognize their military potential.

American David Bushnell designed the Turtle, a one-man submersible. The Turtle attempted to sink a British warship in New York Harbor in 1776, but this first known attack by submarine failed. It was the first verified submarine capable of independent underwater operation and movement. After these there were many submarine designs that were aimed at being used for military purposes to gain upper hand over hand over the enemies, but all these like Brandtaucher, Flach and Alligator were a failures to name a few. As the time progressed the evolution of scientific knowledge led to better designs and as a result the attack of Hunley on Housatonic became the first successful submarine attack on a warship. All the submarines till now were run by either treadmills or screws which had to be propagated by humans. The first submarine not relying on human power for propulsion was the French Plongeur (Diver), launched in 1863, and using compressed air at 180 psi (1241kPa). Many more designs were built at this time by various inventors to run on steam engines, electrical engines, but submarines were not put into service by navies until 1900. The first somewhat reliable American submarine was the invention of John Holland. It could travel 6 knots (7 miles, 11 kilometers) per hour under water. Named the USS Holland, it was added to the Navy fleet in 1900. The submarines were run by steam engines or electrically powered. The low efficiency led to further research. The turn of the 20th century marked a pivotal time in the development of submarines, with a number of important technologies making their debut, as well as the widespread adoption and fielding of submarines by a number of nations. Diesel electric propulsion would become the dominant power system and equipment such as the periscope would become standardized. Large numbers of experiments were done by countries on effective tactics and weapons for submarines, all of which would culminate in them making a large impact on the coming World War I. In the next few years, Germany led the way in submarine development. Germanys Unterseeboote, or U-boats, became a deadly menace to surface ships as World War I (1914-1918) unfolded. After

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

Americas entry into the war in 1917, U.S. submarines were used largely to patrol American coasts. After the war, American designers made improvements in their submarines by studying the much more reliable German subs. Americas undersea war was fought largely against the Japanese, and it was a major success. American subs sank over 30 percent of the Japanese Navy and over half of its merchant ships, a total of 1,314 military and merchant ships 1 including 8 Japanese aircraft carriers and almost 5 million tons (4.6 million metric tons) of shipping. Submarines also carried World War II raiders (similar to the Special Forces of today) to enemy shores, laid mines, and rescued downed flyers and shipwreck survivors. Fifty-two American subs were lost along with 3,506 submariners, all of themthen, as nowvolunteers. The Nautilus, launched in 1954, was revolutionary. As the first nuclear-powered submarine, it broke all existing speed and endurance records for submarines. In the late 1950s the U.S. Navy developed the first ballistic missile submarines. By 1981, the United States had launched the first of the big (560-foot, 171-meter), Trident-carrying Ohio-class submarines. American attack submarines fired cruise missiles at targets in Iraq and in Serbia during conflicts in the 1990s.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUBMARINE
A submarine is long and rounded, like a cigar with a teardrop head. That shape slices more easily through an undersea, all-water environment than through a water-and-air environment, which a sub encounters on the ocean surface. Modern American submarines can actually travel faster under water, their primary environment, than on the surface. Even the first American nuclear sub, the Nautilus, was designed with a narrow bow for more surface speed.

Almost like a steel cigar, the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Albany slips through Chesapeake Bay after a six-month mission.

A submarines streamlined hull is made of titanium, a very strong but lightweight metal. The smooth flow of the hull is interrupted by the submarines sail, or conning tower, the tall, slender structure that rises from the submarine hull. About 20 feet (6 meters) tall, the sail houses periscopes and radar and radio equipment. The submarine captain uses the top of the sail as a command bridge when the ship is on the ocean surface The nuclear energy that powers a submarine allows a sub to stay on patrol almost indefinitely. If necessary, it can spend up to six months submerged, returning to base only for food and supplies. The nuclear material of a submarine needs to be replaced only once or twice in the ships lifetime.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

A submarines sail, or conning tower, houses its periscope and much of its electronic systems.

High-strength alloy steel remains the primary material for submarines today. Titanium can be stronger than steel, lighter and is not ferromagnetic, important for stealth. Titanium alloys allow a major increase in depth. Despite its benefits, the high cost of titanium construction led to the abandonment of titanium submarine construction as the Cold War ended.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

4. SUBMARINES NOMENCLATURE

Periscope: - Periscope allows a submarine, submerged at a shallow depth, to search for targets and threats in the surrounding area. When not in use, the periscope is retracted to into the hull. A sub commander in tactical conditions must exercise discretion when using his periscope, since it creates an observable wake and may detected to radar, giving away the subs position. Sail planes: - The sail planes are approximately amidships, and by tipping them up, the sown force they impart pushes the boat down. The sail planes take advantage of the boats neutral buoyancy. The force generated by the planes when they are used will act in a way that causes the boat to sink a bit more or rise a bit more. It remains level while slowly hanging depth. Radio antenna: - The radio antenna includes a solid hemisphere of conductive material concentric with a hollow hemisphere of a dielectric material. The hemispheres are contained in a flotation jacket which carries them above the surface of a liquid on which the jacket floats. Concentric spheres may used if desired. The dielectric material permits an antenna of small physical dimensions. This is how a submarine is able to receive and send out radio communications while submerged. Sail: - Sail of a submarine is the tower-like structure found on the top surface of the submarines. A submarine sail usually houses the conning tower (command and communications data center), the periscope, radar and the antenna. Rudder: - A rudder is one of the oldest innovations in the ship design. The earliest rudders were oars, held vertically, and moved from side to side to steer the ship. The rudder works by acting against the water flow as the ship moves through the water. Swinging the rear end of the rudder to the right makes the stern to move to the left. Propeller: - Propeller design is so important to both speed and noise levels. While designing the submarine propeller the focus is on achieving the greatest speed possible so the submarine can

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

speed through the water while having the least amount of noise and turbulence which could revel the boats position. Stern planes: - Boats have stern planes back at the aft. When the boat needs to surface or dive steeply, the bow and stern planes are used to point the boat in the desired direction. The angle that the vessel is moving through the water, the bubble of the boat is changed. By tipping the bow planes up and the stern planes down, the boat can be pointed to the surface. Tipped oppositely, the boat heads down. Inner hull: - The inner hull is the inner wall of the submarine that separates the crew from the ballast tanks and the outer hull which are used to submerge and surface a submarine. This is the portion of the hull that we see from the inside. Outer Hull: - The outer hull is the outer wall of the submarine which is what we see on the outside of submarine. The outer hull is spaced apart from the inner hull on a submarine and in between is the ballast tank. Ballast tanks: - the ballast tanks are in an essence the spacing between the inner and outer hulls. It has vents and openings to take on water which will allow the ship to surface or submerge. When there is no water in the ballast tanks the submarine is lighter or more buoyant and will float. So when there is no water in the ballast tank the submarine will be surfaced. As it takes on water it will submerge as the submarine is taking on weight.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

5. WORKING OF A SUBMARINE
Submarines are designed for use at great depths. Their rigid, double-walled hulls allow the crew to live and work normally underwater for as long as air and power supplies last. Submarines are steered by turning a rudder left and right. A propeller moves the sub through the water, pushing water backward so that the submarine moves forward. The crucial problem for a submarine is that it must either sink or float on command. Most things either sink or float, but can't do both. When an object is placed into water, it either sinks or floats according to its density. Objects denser than water (like metal) sink, while objects less dense than water (like air-filled balloons) float. Submarines are a mixture of metal (the hull), air, and water (the "ballast"). The secret of a submarine's ability to either sink or float lies in a special property of air. Unlike water or metal, air can be squashed into a tiny space. While the submarine is sinking, its air is compressed. Water fills the compartments called the ballast tanks. The combination of water and metal, with just a little bit of air in the centre for the crew to breathe, is more dense than the surrounding ocean water, and so the submarine sinks. Once the submarine is underwater, air is pumped into the ballast tanks. The new combination of metal, water, and air is just as dense as the surrounding water, so the submarine hovers, neither sinking nor rising. This is called "neutral buoyancy", and allows the sub to maneuver underwater. When it's time to rise, even more air is pushed into the ballast tanks. This pushes water out, resulting in a mixture of air, metal, and water that is now less dense than the water surrounding the sub. Under these conditions, the sub rises to the surface.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering 6. SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGIES

Submarines

Submersion

All surface ships, as well as surfaced submarines, are in a positively buoyant condition, weighing less than the volume of water they would displace if fully submerged. To submerge hydrostatically, a ship must have negative buoyancy, either by increasing its own weight or decreasing its displacement of water. To control their weight, submarines have ballast tanks, which can hold varying amounts of water and air. For general submersion or surfacing, submarines use the forward and aft tanks, called Main Ballast Tanks, or MBTs, which are filled with water to submerge or with air to surface. For more precise and quick control of depth, submarines use smaller Depth Control Tanks, or DCTs - also called hard tanks, due to their ability to withstand higher pressure. The amount of water in depth control tanks can be controlled to change depth or to maintain a constant depth as outside conditions (chiefly water density) change. Depth control tanks may be located either near the submarine's center of gravity, or separated along the submarine body to prevent affecting trim. When submerged, the water pressure on submarine's hull can reach 4 MPa (580 psi) for steel submarines and up to 10 MPa (1,500 psi) for titanium submarines like Komsomolets, while interior pressure remains relatively unchanged. This difference results in hull compression, which decreases displacement. Water density also increases with depth, as the salinity and pressure are higher, but this incompletely compensates for hull compression, so buoyancy decreases as depth increases. A submerged submarine is in an unstable equilibrium, having a tendency to either fall or float to the surface. Keeping a constant depth requires continual operation of either the depth control tanks or control surfaces.

Trimming
Trimming is a method of operating seagoing vessels in a way that ensures minimum water resistance in all circumstances.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

Submarines in a neutral buoyancy condition are not intrinsically trim-stable. To maintain desired trim, submarines use forward and aft trim tanks. Pumps can move water between these, changing weight distribution, creating a moment pointing the sub up or down. A similar system is sometimes used to maintain stability. The hydrostatic effect of variable ballast tanks is not the only way to control the submarine underwater. Hydrodynamic maneuvering is done by several surfaces, which can be moved to create hydrodynamic forces when a submarine moves at sufficient speed. The stern planes, located near the propeller and normally horizontal, serve the same purpose as the trim tanks, controlling the trim.

Submarine hull
We have already learnt that most modern submarines are cigar shaped structures. It reduces the hydrodynamic drag when submerged. The outer hull is covered with a layer of sound-absorbing rubber, or anechoic plating, to reduce detection. The occupied pressure hulls of deep diving submarines are spherical instead of cylindrical. This allows a more even distribution of stress at the great depth. Large submarines generally have an additional hull or hull sections outside. This external hull, which actually forms the shape of submarine, is called the outer hull (casing) or light hull, as it does not have to withstand a pressure difference. Inside the outer hull there is a strong hull or pressure hull, which withstands sea pressure and has normal atmospheric pressure inside. Initially, it was realized that the optimal shape for withstanding pressure conflicted with the optimal shape for safekeeping and minimal drag, and construction difficulties further complicated the problem. This was solved either by a compromise shape, or by using two hulls; internal for holding pressure, and external for optimal shape.

Building a pressure hull is difficult, as it must withstand pressures at its required diving depth. When the hull is perfectly round in cross-section, the pressure is evenly distributed, and causes only hull compression. If the shape is not perfect, the hull is bent, with several points heavily strained. Inevitable minor deviations are resisted by stiffener rings, but even a one inch (25 mm) deviation from roundness results in over 30 percent decrease of maximal hydrostatic load and consequently dive depth. The hull must therefore be constructed with high precision. All hull parts must be welded without defects, and all joints are checked multiple times with different methods, contributing to the high cost of modern submarines.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

Propulsion
Originally, submarines were human propelled. The first mechanically driven submarine was the 1863 French Plongeur, which used compressed air for propulsion. Later many other chemical processes were experimented to provide both the heat to run the steam engine and oxygen to the crew (including hydrogen-peroxide based method). Early submarines used gasoline, but this quickly gave way to kerosene (paraffin), then diesel, because of reduced flammability. Diesel-electric became the standard means of propulsion. The diesel or gasoline engine and the electric motor, separated by clutches, were initially on the same shaft driving the propeller. This allowed the engine to drive the electric motor as a generator to recharge the batteries and also propel the submarine. The clutch between the motor and the engine would be disengaged when the submarine dived, so that the motor could drive the propeller. Air independent propulsion system for submarines, Air independent propulsion (AIP) system is a term that encompasses technologies, which allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a snorkel to access atmospheric oxygen. The term usually excludes the use of nuclear power, and describes augmentation or replacing the electric propulsion system of nonnuclear vessels. AIP is usually implemented as an auxiliary source. Most such systems generate electricity which in turn drives an electric motor for propulsion or recharging the submarine batteries. As we know that the diesel or gasoline engine will require oxygen for the combustion purposes, this would result in reduced oxygen being available for the crew. This would reduce the amount of time that the submarine could be submerged. This problem was overcome by powering the steam engines with the help of nuclear energy. The nuclear-powered steam turbine will be driving the generator. By eliminating the need for atmospheric oxygen, the length of time that a modern submarine could remain submerged was limited only by its food stores, as breathing air was recycled and fresh water distilled from seawater. Nuclear-powered submarines have a relatively small battery and diesel engine/generator power plant for emergency use if the reactors must be shut down. The nuclear reactor also supplies power to the submarine's other subsystems, such as for maintenance of air quality, fresh water production by distilling salt water from the ocean, temperature regulation, etc. All naval nuclear reactors currently in use are operated with diesel generators as a backup power system. Nuclear power is now used in all large submarines, but due to the high cost and large size of nuclear reactors, smaller submarines still use diesel-electric propulsion. Diesel-electric submarines have a stealth advantage over their nuclear counterparts. The stealth weakness of nuclear submarines is the need to cool the reactor even when the submarine is not moving; about 70% of the reactor output heat is coupled into the sea water. This leaves a

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

"thermal wake", a plume of warm water of lower density which ascends to the sea surface and creates a "thermal scar" observable by thermal imaging systems Nuclear submarines generate noise from coolant pumps and turbo-machinery needed to operate the reactor, even at low power levels. Diesel-electric engines are used to cool off the reactor, when the nuclear reactors are shut down.

Armament
The success of the submarine is inextricably linked to the development of the torpedo, invented by Robert Whitehead in 1866. His invention is essentially the same now as it was 140 years ago. Until the perfection of the guided torpedo, multiple "straight-running" torpedoes were required to attack a target. With at most 20 to 25 torpedoes stored onboard, the number of attacks was limited. The ability of submarines to approach enemy harbors covertly led to their use as minelayers. Mine laying submarines of World War I and World War II were specially built for that purpose. Modern submarine-laid mines, such as the British Mark 6 Sea Urchin, are designed to be deployed by a submarine's torpedo tubes. After World War II, both the US and the USSR experimented with submarine launched cruise missiles. Such missiles required the submarine to surface to fire its missiles. They were the forerunners of modern submarine launched cruise missiles, which can be fired from the torpedo tubes of submerged submarines.

Sensors
A submarine will have a variety of sensors determined by its missions. Modern military submarines rely almost entirely on a suite of passive and active sonar to find their prey. Active sonar relies on an audible "ping" to generate echoes to reveal objects around the submarine. Active systems are rarely used, as doing so reveals the sub's presence. Passive sonar is a set of sensitive hydrophones set into the hull or trailed in a towed array, generally several hundred feet long. The towed array is the mainstay of submarine detection systems, as it reduces the flow noise heard by operators. Hull mounted sonar is employed to back up the towed array, and in confined waters where a towed array could be fouled by obstacles.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

Submarines also carry radar equipment for detection of surface ships and aircraft. Sub captains are more likely to use radar detection gear rather than active radar to detect targets, as radar can be detected far beyond its own return range, revealing the submarine. Periscopes are rarely used, except for position fixes and to verify a contact's identity.

Navigation
Submarine navigation underwater requires special skills and technologies not needed by surface ships. The challenges of underwater navigation have become more important as submarines spend more time underwater, travelling greater distances and at higher speed. Military submarines travel underwater in an environment of total darkness with neither windows nor lights. Operating in stealth mode, they cannot use their active sonar systems to ping ahead for underwater hazards such as undersea mountains, drilling rigs or other submarines. Surfacing to obtain navigational fixes is precluded by pervasive anti-submarine warfare detection systems such as radar and satellite surveillance. Antenna masts and antennaequipped periscopes can be raised to obtain navigational signals but in areas of heavy surveillance, only for a few seconds or minutes; current radar technology can detect even a slender periscope while submarine shadows may be plainly visible from the air. Surfaced submarines entering and leaving port navigate similarly to traditional ships but with a few extra considerations because most of the ship rides below the waterline, making them hard for other ships to see and identify. Deep water navigation is provided by, dead reckoning course information, obtained from the ship's gyrocompass, measured speed and estimates of local ocean currents, this could also be considered an estimated position as long as the ocean current is computed in. Surface and near-surface navigation is provided by GPS, active sonars, radial navigation and celestial navigation.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

7. APPLICATIONS OF SUBMARINE 1. Military applications


Submarines would attack either on the surface or submerged, using torpedoes or (on the surface) deck guns. Mine laying submarines are useful in sinking the enemy ships. Submarines are also used to rescue aircrew during air attacks on islands, where the airmen would be told of safe places to crash-land so the submarines could rescue them. Submarines could carry cargo through hostile waters or act as supply vessels for other submarines. Submarine-launched ballistic missile and submarine-launched cruise missiles give submarines a substantial and long-ranged ability to attack both land and sea targets with a variety of weapons ranging from cluster bombs to nuclear weapons. Active sonar uses the reflection of sound emitted from the search equipment to detect submarines.

2. Civilian applications
Tourism Exploration Oil and gas platform inspections and pipeline surveys Polar expeditions. Tourism Academic research Under water cable repairs. Undersea archeology

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

8. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SUBMARINES

Advantages
Stealth operations. Rescue operations for under water scenarios. Tourism for reefs at greater depths of the oceans. Defence operations for the country.

Limitations
High cost of production. Complex running operations. No emergency backup available from the surface in case of accidents. High maintenance cost.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

9. INDIAN SUBMARINES
In 1988, India acquired an ex-Soviet Charlie class nuclear powered guided missile submarine with eight Ametist (SS-N-7 Starbright) anti-shipping missile launchers on a 3-year lease. In the Indian Navy, the vessel was commissioned as the INS Chakra, and the submarine was manned by an Indian crew. Upon expiration of the lease term in 1991, the submarine was returned to Russia and joined the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy. The Indian Navy operates a sizeable fleet of Sindhughosh and Shishumar class submarines. India has started construction of six Scorpne class submarines with MESMA. These submarines will join the Indian Navy starting from the second half of 2015. India issued a request for information for another six submarines in 2011.

Classes of Indian submarines


Class Sindhughosh Submarines Sindhughosh (S55) Sindhudhvaj (S56) Sindhuraj (S57) Sindhuvir (S58) Sindhuratna (S59) Sindhukesari (S60) Shishumar (S44) Shankush (S45) INS Chakra INS Arihant S-2, S-3, S-4 6SSN Propulsion Diesel electric

Shishumar class Akula class (SSN) Arihant class Arihant Class (SSBN) Scorpne class

Diesel electric Nuclear nuclear Nuclear Diesel Electric

INS Sindhughosh

Shishumar class

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

INS Chakra

3 SSBN (Arihant class)

S-71 (INS chakra, Charlie Class submarine)

Scorpne class submarine

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Submarines

11. FUTURE OF SUBMARINES

Submarine technology changes quickly. Ships already under construction cannot always accommodate the new technology. But the plans are on to build its newest class submarines with a modular design that will permit easier replacement of outdated equipment and systems. The evolution of future submarines for military use will be driven by the trend to use smaller, autonomous, and unmanned vehicles to perform missions both under and above the sea. Submarines of the future will be used for their inherent stealth to link and provide support to a deployed network of sensors and weapons. These deployed systems will act to increase the area over which the submarine performs its missions and improve its effectiveness in performing these missions, while reducing the threat to the submarine and its crew. Modularization coupled with the development and use of off-board systems will allow a wide range of payloads to be employed by submarines. These remote sensors and weapons will include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs); advanced cruise missiles; undersea acoustic and non-acoustic sensors and weapons; and new forms of submarine based systems for Anti-Submarine, Anti-Surface, and Anti-Air Warfare. These capabilities combined with the submarines advantage of being able to remain on-station and undetected for extended periods will multiply the effectiveness of these systems by adding the element of surprise and survivability.

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RVCE

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering 12. REFERENCES

Submarines

http://www.webcadets.com/training/nctp/submariner.php http://www.michellehenry.fr/transport.htm "Physics Of Liquids & Gases". Elementary Classical Physics. Retrieved 2006-10-07 http://www.usna.edu/naoe/courses/en200/ch10.pdf http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Magazines/Bulletin/Bull413/article1.pdf http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/scorpene/scorpene1.html Thompson, Roger (2007). Lessons Not Learned. US Naval Institute Press. p. 34.ISBN 9781591148654. http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/Submarines.htm

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