Horizontal Pressure Hull Weldment Supports?
I've been working on some design ideas for pressure hull structures and in regards to the support system for the outer pressure hull skin I've added horizontal support between the support rings. When it comes to support rings I've seen rolled I-beam styles like on Euronaut, L beam style like you see allot on old navy subs, T-beam style like you see on the new UC-3 and Persistence, and solid metal stock like you see in Kraka. Which is good but I always wondered why I never saw any large number or horizontal supports going between the support rings made out of the same type of material as the rings. I did see one piece added to the Euronaut but I'm not sure what it was for. Likely to attach some equipment.
These weldments would help support the edges of the interior parts of the rings from the the ribboning effect I-beams get when they start to fail. Also the area between the rings is not supported from crushing like a crease in a empty aluminum pop can when you start to squeeze it in the middle. I was thinking that if they are supported you could get a higher depth rating on the sub and if the sub hits something really hard and dents it badly you would have a better chance of being safe.
As far as crush depth calculations I don't know if there are any easy way or hard way to do them with this design.
Ok so enough with typing
Here are some pics of three different support systems for the outer skin I built in Solidworks CAD.
Design 1 T-beam style
Design 2 I-beam style
Design 3 is a new design a relative on mine that builds hyperbaric chambers and I came up with. I call it the High H-beam style. This design is allot of work much like the larger T-beam style, since you have to cut the rings out of steal plates and do allot of welding. I inserted the rolled middle section in such a way that you can weld it much easier then if it was wider and over lapped the side pieces. That way you don't have to weld around corners half blind. There is a large air void in between the outer ring pieces and the outer hull which can't be painted but if it's sealed I think it maybe ok. Of course if you could make your hull and support rings out of stainless steal you wouldn't have to worry about it. I don't know about you but I love rust it grows on you. If you can roll them straight you might
be able to roll C channel or I-beams on there side and get some thing like this weldment.
Enough said here's the pics
Brent Hartwig
Those that say it can't be done shouldn't be responsible for doing it.
