Re: External stiffeners, paint, 'exotic' metals?

[Dick Morrisson <rmorrisson@unidial.com>]

Nathanael,
Better bone up on your Russian, comrade!  The most plentiful supplies of Ti
come from that part of the world.  The Mig29 and the Russian attack sub both
have a large amount of Ti in them (or so I've heard).  Unless you are planning
a sub which will run very deep you will just add ballast to make up for the
lightness of the hull material (i.e. "the strength of steel with the weight of
aluminum").  Maybe there are some folks from that area of the world checking
in on this site who could comment?

Submarines probe not only the depths of the ocean but of the imagination!

Dick



Nathanael Henderson wrote:

>     It appears most subs have internal stiffening T beams, but I see a
> number of references to external ones as well.   External beams certainly
> have their appeal from the standpoint of internal space (and even some
> ease of construction).  BUT, what do you do after putting on external
> stiffeners?   How do you restore the hydrodynamic body shape to escape the
> drag of exposed beams?  Putting on a second thin hull (perhaps with
> internal ballast tanks, etc.) seems like the inevitable thing to do, but
> then how would you maintain/rust proof the inner hull?
>     Along those lines, is there any advice on how to treat the hull?  A
> special type of paint?  Anybody up to hot-dip galvanizing a whole sub? :-)
>
>      Materials.  Steel is cheap and easily worked, but what about aluminum
> and titanium?   Aluminum would sacrafice some strength, but for a person
> with money titanium seems like the gold standard for submarine material.
> Besides the strength of titanium, it's almost complete invulnerability to
> corrosion makes it a very appealing material.   Anybody know what
> titanium costs in bulk and if it's unreasonably hard to work?  (The last
> time I saw a price on titanium it was about $30 a pound, but that was for
> wire, not plate/beam.)