Re: Diesel/Electrics

[Nathanael Henderson <jude@pconline.com>]

On Sat, 22 May 1999, Marsee Skidmore wrote:

> nice if you're trying to hide from ASW aircraft, and it's nice if you want
> to go as fast submerged as on the surface. Psubbers aren't running or hiding
> from anybody.

   <tucks pack of cocaine under one arm>  Err...of course not.  ;-)   A
diesel engine seems pretty much inevitable, but I think the pursuit of
exotic designs 'just because' is a good thing.   After all, how many of us
can really claim we need a sub at all?
    My first impulse for the sub's powerplant is a diesel generator set up
to operate both as a recharger for the batteries and as a direct power
supply to the electrical engine.   That way you can cruise on the surface
at a fairly decent speed, and have the means to regenerate your batteries
on your own (without plugging into an external power source.)   Not the
cheapest way to recharge a battery, but very convenient.