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Re: ballast



David Buchner wrote:
> 
> This is something I've been wondering about. How much buoyancy does one
> need to change? Like, how big should I be thinking about making those
> tanks?

SNIP

Use two types of tanks.  Big ones to give you freeboard and another to adjust to neutral 
bouyancy.  Blow the main tanks when at the surface after ascending using a small amount 
of variable tank.

To descend:

Blow main ballast completely to be "decks awash."   (actually to a line painted on the 
conning tower glass to calibrate where I'm at so I can add/subtract lead weights to 
allow for payload changes)

I control variable bouyancy using the small reversible hydraulic pump which allows oil 
in and out of a bladder external to the pressure hull in a fairing behind the conning 
tower.  The hard internal tank has a sight glass to determine variable bouyancy status. 
 It, as well as the larger freeboard ballast, can be blown by compressed air in 
emergencies.

-- 
Martin Sanderse
---------------
The Ingenuity Group Inc.                 http://www.ingenuitygroup.com/~tigroup/
Professionals harnessing quantitative methods for effective management decisions.