----- Original Message ----- 
  
  
  Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 6:03 
  PM
  Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re: Variable 
  Ballast Calculations, Rick M
  
  Hi Joe.
   
  I agree with Rick. I would like to add though, 
  that some subs only have one set of tanks.
   
  The ideal situation would be to have both soft and hard ballast tanks of course, but some 
  
   
  designs just use one set. Sometimes the soft ballast is not only used as soft ballast, 
  but 
   
  is also used instead of hard 
  ballast for trimming too. Some ambient subs such as the 
   
  silent runner 2 just use the air bubble in the 
  ambient cockpit as a ballast tank. That means
   
  the cockpit interior upper bubble 
   functions as a single ballast tank for the whole sub.
   
  I believe what Rick was trying to tell you is 
  what the different TERMS "soft ballast tank" and 
   
  "hard ballast tank" meant. He already explained 
  the primary function of the soft tank for freeboard 
   
  purposes, and the primary function of the hard 
  tank is usually for trimming the boat. That is 
   
  the difference between the two TERMS so that 
  everyone knows what they mean and what each
   
  other is talking about when we say soft or hard 
  tanks. But it does not mean that a sub always has 
   
  to have both sets. Like the silent runner 2 it 
  could just have ONE single ballast tank. The explaination 
  Rick
   
  told you was like term descriptive meaning 
  purposes, it did not mean all designs have to have both or
   
  even that they have to fullfill ONLY what would 
  be their normal primary function. 
   
  Did that help?
   
  Bill.
   
   
   
  
    
    
    Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 7:28 
    PM
    Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re: 
    Variable Ballast Calculations, Rick M
    
    joe 
     
        the concept is 
    easy
     
    soft ballst used on the surface to provide 
    additional boyancy for safe operationand crew egerss. the sub 
    with these tanks flooded flooded will still have a slight positive 
    boyancy
     
    hard ballast used to provide negative boyancy 
    and depth control. normally much smaller then soft ballast 
    tanks.
     
    this is where it gets confusing hard ballast 
    can be either a hard tank ie able to withstand full working pressure 
    or  a soft design that is open to the sea at all times and only has to 
    withstand 2psi pressure
     
    rick m
    
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      
      
      Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 3:49 
      PM
      Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re: Variable 
      Ballast Calculations, Rick M
      
      
      Rick,
          "the tanks they are 
      refering to are the soft ballast tanks.
      which does not effect submerged 
      displacement"
      Now I'm confused again. Just when I think I 
      have a concept down, bang along comes a problem. It's been a long day for 
      me, I need to take a break and review terms again later. I can't possibly 
      do the math now, info overload!
      I will review what you're trying to tell me 
      when I have a clear mind again.
      Thanks
      Joe
       
      
      
        
        From: "rick miller" 
        <rickm@pegasuscontrols.com>
Reply-To: 
        personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To: 
        <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Subject: Re: 
        [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re Variable Ballast Calculations
Date: Sun, 13 
        Nov 2005 15:34:22 -0800
        
        joe 
         
            the tanks they are 
        refering to are the soft ballast tanks.
        which does not effect submerged 
        displacement, they effect surface displacement. soft ballast is normally 
        free flooding
        the only time they effect submerged 
        displacement is durring emergency blow. but due to the large quantity of 
        air require to do this and the chance of an uncontrolled accent this is 
        not thee prefered method of operation. 
         
            lets look at what is 
        happening in the soft ballast tanks if you want to use them for a 
        controlled accent , for ease of the numbers we will use an accent for 66 
        ft or 3 atm absolute. fixed factors accent raate is basesd upon 
        drag and the positive displacement. we will use an accent rate of 
        60 ft /min and a positive displacement of 128 or 2 ft^3.
        durring the first thirty three foot 
        rise you will have to vent 1 ft^3 of air thru an oriface/ 
        valve with a differential pressure. in  most tank designs 
        this space would be approx 1 inch allowing for a differential pressure 
        of .03 psi ie a really shitty flow rate.
         
            for the next thirty 
        three feet of rise you will need to vent off 2 cf of air , while 
        the  air density has decreased the flow is not linear based sloely 
        on density 
         
            so you would have 
        to throttle the vent valves in order to made any kind of controlled 
        accent. this could be done using control valves and a pid 
        controller incorporated in a plc.but that waywould increase costs 
        dramatically. 
         
            the cheapest way to 
        accomplise this is to use a small trim tank open at the bottom that has 
        only the capacity to give a small quanity of positive displacement. as 
        the air in it expands it will just blow out the bottom. this method will 
        using more air the a sealed trim tank if you are planing multiple 
        accents and decents durring a dive but eliminates the need of a high 
        preesure tank and control system for the water intake valve. although it 
        would require a crew wiegh in to establish basic trim. 
         
            a standard scuba tank is 
        80 cf a 3000 psi/200 bar. assuming a full tank at 1000 ft or 500 
        psi abient pressure. you will have a reserve lift capacity 
        of
         
        tanks size = .4 cf
        volume air 80 cf air compressed to five 
        hundred pai ==2.35 cf
        an available air supply of 1.95 cf or 125 
        lbs of lift.
         
        the formula is p1v1=p2v2
        size of tank 
        80*14.7=3000x
        80*14.7/3000=x
        .392= x
         
         
        3000*.4=500*x
         
        (3000*.4)/500=x
        x=2.4 cf total airremember the air that 
        will stay in the scuba tank
        2.4-.4 = 2 cf of available 
air.
         
        rick miller
         
         Original Message ----- 
        
          
          
          Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 
          1:28 PM
          Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re 
          Variable Ballast Calculations
          
          
          
          
          Rick,
          I had read in the NAVPERS manual for fleet boats, that a submarine 
          does precisely that to submerge, (reduce displacement by flooding the 
          tanks).
          As for practicality, well this is all just math for now. 
          Incidentally, I am not using terms correctly in these posts, ie hard, 
          variable, soft ballast.
           
          Thanks
          Joe
          
            
            From: "rick miller" <rickm@pegasuscontrols.com>
Reply-To: 
            personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To: 
            <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Subject: Re: 
            [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re Variable Ballast Calculations
Date: 
            Sun, 13 Nov 2005 12:16:22 -0800
            
            joe
                you dont reduce 
            displacement by adding water. displacement = the total volume of all 
            non free flooding  spaces.
             
            the introduction of large internal 
            ballast tanks  creates a sinificant engineering problem and a 
            possible piont of flooding for the passenger spaces. most hard tanks 
            are hard to inspect for corrosion. not to try to rain on your 
            parade, the kiss pricipal seems to be the way to go here, if you 
            ever want to get in the water. 
            rick 
          m
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