Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Hull thickness (was: More Batteries....power configuration?

[Jeff Post <jeffpost@rawbw.com>]

Hi Jack,

I'm sure the factoid you heard about German verses U.S. subs was more a factor
of hull diameter. I don't think you should really think in terms of being less
effected by presure, in that it is the same on each hull at the same depth.
Hopefully we'll get some input from some of the members who studied engineering,
but I'm quite sure that it is an issue of a smaller diameter hull being more
rigid than a larger diameter. Hull failure generally is initiated by hull
deformation, so the more rigid the hull, the better (someone correct me if I'm
way off base here).

As for Alvin, it isn't because she's small. Her presure hull is a sphere instead
of a cylinder, and it's made out of thick titanium.

Jeff



Quoting JackThraven13@aol.com:

> In a message dated 5/1/2003 2:42:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> mckellar@earthlink.net writes:
> 
> 
> > I'm still wrestling with relating this to materials myself :(
> 
> 
> As far as hull material and thickness goes, am I mistaken in thinking that 
> the smaller the vessel, the less pressure becomes a problem? I think I read
> 
> somewhere that the German type VII U-boats could descend further than US 
> Fleet (Gato class) subs because they were smaller and hence less bothered by
> 
> pressure. I don't know, but it seems reasonable. After all, I've never come
> 
> across a 300-foot long DSV, but little ones, like Trieste and Alvin and 
> whatever are all over the place. Possibly there's a conversion table 
> (Pressure Vs. Required thickness over a given area for a given material or 
> whatever) or the like on the net somewhere, though to date my search has been
> 
> fruitless
> 
> In a message dated 5/1/2003 2:42:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> mckellar@earthlink.net writes:
> 
> > 
> > btw, any good recipes for submarine margaritas? :)
> 
> 
> When in deep water, only use high-proof juice and lots of it. :P  Go for the
> 
> gusto.
> 
> Regards,
>        Matt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Jeff Post

Everything can be inherited except sterility.