[PSUBS-MAILIST] A/C

[JIMFTODD@aol.com]

Dave & Vance,

 

Next year I intend to be designing a mini-tender for small subs.  One of the components on the list is an A/C unit to supply cool, dry air when the sub is on the surface.  That's difficult to do from a larger boat (actually it's not easy from a small boat either), but I'm researching and trying to come up with a practical method of accomplishing the objective.  Hopefully it will at least reduce the load on whatever onboard system is used on the sub.

 

Before I can even start I need to gather a lot of information on interior environmental factors on small subs in various hot and cold ambient environments.  Temperature, humidity, and condensation affect not only the occupants, but various components of the sub as well.  I'm reading what I can find and will be picking some brains. 

 

Dave, that little experience you and I shared in an underwater sauna sure brought the issue home.  It has been on my mind for the past year, but now I appreciate the extent and significance of the issue.  Thanks for bringing it up.

 

Jim T.

 

In a message dated 7/27/2010 8:47:04 P.M. Central Daylight Time, vbra676539@aol.com writes:

Dave,

That is almost exactly the semi-stone age air conditioning unit that Wil and Charlie Kohnen install on all the Seamagine subs. It works like a champ, and I suspect you will see one aboard Gamma pretty soon, as well.

Vance

-----Original Message-----
From: David Bartsch <dbartsch2236@hotmail.com>
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Sent: Tue, Jul 27, 2010 9:33 pm
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] idea

To all: Not sonar related but...
 
  It is said that necessity is the mother of invention...
 
  The only dive I have ever been on aboard a small submarine was hotter than hell. Nothing against this sub captain or his submarine as I feel all small submarine experience this problem when working in warm water and in the Summer months.
 
  Solution?...
 
  A small container installed aboard this submarine thru the already available access hatch and set upright and out of the way. It appears as a small cooler with an easy to open upper lid.
  Prior to diving, this lid is opened and a small bag of ice or perhaps several is simply poured into this opening. It lands on a screen about 3/4 of the way down into this opening. This lid is then closed and a small toggle switch is then turned on.
  A 12 volt dc fan draws air from an intake port above this ice and is supplied by a funnel such as is used on household  clothes dryers from perhaps somewhere aft in the submarine. This air passes thru this ice and into the this fan which exhaust it again into a tube sent forward perhaps to several exhaust ports.
  As this ice melts, the condensate drips down and is collected into a pan at the units base. This pan is designed to slide out once full for disposal of this collected water of perhaps 2 gallons. A high water level alarm could be installed as an extra.
  At the dives end, this collected water is simply slid out and thrown over the side as fresh ice is again installed into the units upper lid assembly in preparation for the next dive.
  Of but the power used to circulate air, no addition power is used to operate this device so it is not much of an additional drain on the boats electrical systems as would an actual ac unit.
  Although not perfect, this device should lower the temperature enough to make diving a bit more comfortable for both the submarine operator and that of his passengers.
 
  Does this device seem worth while to develop?
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                 David Bartsch
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