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Ong Li Koon
Liu Chee Kong
Toh Chee Wee
Introduction to
Submarine Design
50
Modular Payloads
Submarine Design
52
of the UMM. For example, a machine gun as heavy as 30 tonnes and very few navies can
can be stowed in a UMM cartridge, which can afford submarines that are large enough to
then be raised to deploy the gun. The UMM carry them.
concept has been adopted by new generation
submarines such as the UK Royal Navy’s latest Designers of smaller submarines which are
Astute-class submarines. incapable of carrying such heavy locks have
explored innovative means to achieve covert
DESIGN for SPECIAL delivery. For example, the German builders
Figure 5. A re-configurable torpedo room
of the U212A class diesel-electric submarines
OPERATIONs FORCES overcame the lack of space in the submarines
by modifying part of the sail fin to become an
The SOF form an important element of internal lock (Wallner, 2006).
Figure 5). This allows the submarine to be Lead-Acid Battery
customised without having to lengthen its
modern warfare. Armed forces require the
hull to house the additional SOF crew. The lead-acid battery has been the battery
SOF to perform a wide variety of missions Besides supporting the covert delivery and
such as Search and Rescue, Reconnaissance of choice for submarine applications. Despite
extraction process, the submarine has to
The US Virginia-class submarine is an having a low energy-to-weight ratio and a
and Sabotage, and Forward Observation. allocate supporting resources to the SOF
excellent example of an SOF-friendly correspondingly low energy-to-volume ratio,
For these operations, the SOF may be sent to team, such as accommodation, food, stowage
submarine. It has a dedicated modular lock lead-acid batteries are able to supply high
their mission areas using submarines, aircraft, space for equipment, as well as mission
section that can deliver a nine-man SOF surge currents and maintain a large power-
helicopters, parachutes or surface craft. As planning and control areas. At the same time,
team for a single operation. The submarine to-weight ratio. This explains why they are
submarines are the only platform that can the submarine has to maintain sufficient
also features on-board modular spaces chosen for submarine applications. The lead-
guarantee covert delivery, they are a vital space for its own equipping needs to maintain
that can be re-configured to accommodate acid battery stores electrical energy in the
element of the SOF. its core fighting capability. It is difficult to
additional bunks, stowage space as well as form of chemical energy and releases this
optimise the small conventional submarines
mission planning and control equipment. The stored energy into an electrical circuit as the
Covert Delivery to support SOF operations while maintaining
submarine can also carry swimmer delivery battery discharges. The operation of a lead-
their core war fighting capability without a
vehicles and a decompression chamber acid cell is described in the reversible chemical
Up to the 20th century, covert delivery of substantial increase in the submarines’ size.
externally (Graves and Whitman, 1999). reaction shown in Figure 6.
the SOF could only be achieved by a large
submarine with a dedicated external lock Modular Add-on for the SOF
that is carried as an attachment on the BATTERIES FOR
Operations
submarine hull. Figure 4 illustrates an SUBMARINE
example of such an arrangement. This lock To overcome size constraints, submarine APPLICATIONS
acts as an interface between the submarine designers have used modular design to create
and the sea to transfer the SOF in and out capacity to accommodate the requirements Batteries are standard features in all
of the submarine while keeping the interior of the SOF without compromising the submarines to provide standby and
of the submarine dry. Following the flooding submarine’s performance and core mission propulsion power (Szymborski, 2008). Prior
and pressurisation of the lock, the SOF team is capability. For example, the torpedo room to the advent of AIP and nuclear technology,
able to swim out to its mission area. The SOF can be designed such that the designated a submarine’s submerged endurance
team also returns to the submarine via the torpedo racks can be removed to allow the depended entirely on its battery life. Thus, the
lock after its mission. These transfer locks are fitting of additional bunks for the SOF (see time required to charge its batteries remains
as one of the submarine’s key performance
indicators – this determines how long a
submarine has to snorkel and risk detection
by adversaries. While lead-acid batteries have
been the standard used in submarines, their
dominance is increasingly challenged by a Figure 6. Operation of a lead-acid battery
new generation of batteries that offer better
power and energy density.
Figure 4. Covert delivery of the SOF using external lock 53
Introduction to
Submarine Design
54
One of the key advantages of Li-ion batteries The main drawback of the molten salt
is their ability to be moulded into different battery is the need to charge the battery
shapes and sizes to fill any space available constantly so that the electrolyte will remain
in the devices they power efficiently. It has in liquid state and be ready for use when
a low self-discharge rate of approximately required. If the battery pack is shut down
five to ten percent, which is significantly and left to solidify, a re-heating process must
lower than other battery types in the market. be done to restore the battery pack and this
No memory and scheduled cycling is needed usually takes three to four days. The most
to prolong the battery’s life. Due to these notable example of molten salt batteries
desirable traits, Li-ion battery systems were used for underwater application is the
tested for application in underwater vehicles molten sodium aluminium chloride based
and have demonstrated high potential in ZEBRA battery that was first developed in 55
replacing lead-acid battery systems in diesel- 1985. However, its application in submarines
electric submarines. has been limited, with usage seen only in
small submersibles rather than submarines.
Figure 8. The Stirling AIP system
Introduction to
Submarine Design
56
infrared signature and noise emission levels. The FC system is operational on board the An established reformer technology will
The submarine’s submerged endurance is German U212A class submarines and the resolve the issue regarding the supply and CONCLUSION
determined by its storage capacity for the Type 214 class submarines. It has also been storage of hydrogen, which allows the FC AIP
liquid oxygen. selected for the S80 class submarines built solution to be implemented more easily in The key challenge to submarine design is to
for the Spanish Navy. The FC system is conventional submarine designs. balance the requirements for stealth, range
Fuel Cell System advantageous because the only by-product and adaptability with the need to control
cost and size of the submarine. This article
is pure water and it does not generate any MESMA presents critical solutions in response to these
The FC system is developed by HDW exhaust gas. Furthermore, the FC system is
in Germany. The system uses Polymer much quieter than other AIP systems, has modern challenges.
The French Module d’Energie Sous-Marine
Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. the lowest oxygen consumption rate and Autonome (MESMA) closed cycle steam-
PEM fuel cells are electrochemical energy potentially offers the highest underwater turbine system burns ethanol and liquid
converters in which hydrogen ions and endurance. oxygen in a combustion chamber, generating
oxygen ions are combined to produce steam to drive a turbo-electric generator.
electrical charge as illustrated in Figure 9. However, the hydrogen required in FC Figure 10 illustrates the MESMA’s working
Similar to the Stirling engine, the FC system systems is stored in the form of liquid principle. MESMA is currently fitted in the
generates electricity at a slow and steady rate, hydrogen in metal hydride which requires Pakistani Agosta 90B class submarines.
suitable for low-speed submarine operations. costly maintenance and support facilities. The
For high-surge operations, the submarine S80 class submarines will feature reformer In the search to extend the submerged
relies on its regular battery system, which in technology that generates the required endurance and operating capability of
turn is recharged by the FC system. hydrogen from ethanol through a reformer. conventional submarines, AIP technologies
proved to be a cost-effective solution.
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Introduction to
Submarine Design
58
REFERENCES BIOGRAPHY
Bergande, M. and Larsson, L. 2003. AIP Plug-in
Sections: A New Submarine Standard, Naval Ong Li Koon is a Senior Engineer (Naval Systems) managing the submarine
Forces Special Issue SUBCON 2003. upgrade programme. He was previously the Deputy Head of the Resident
Project Office overseas. He was a member of the Specialised Marine
Deconittignies, C. 2001. Submarine Craft Project Team which received the Defence Technology Prize Team
Modularity: An Innovative Concept Applied (Engineering) Award in 2006. Li Koon obtained a Bachelor of Engineering
to the French Submarines. Paper presented (Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering) degree with First Class Honours
at the Naval Platform Technology Seminar, as well as a Master of Science (Naval Architecture) degree from University
Singapore, 10 May. College London in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
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