Article

2004-12-15 Europe

German translator in China espionage scandal

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Posted by Steve 2004-12-15 11:31:38 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Article: It enables the vessel to operate submerged for several weeks at a time, with no noise or heat from exhaust fumes that could give it away to sub-hunters.

Nuclear subs can stay submerged until they need to come up for food.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-12-15 1:38:42 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2004-12-15 1:38:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 fuel-cell propulsion system, said to have all the benefits of nuclear power with none of the disadvantages A laughable claim. Fuel cells are just better batteries.

Posted by phil_b 2004-12-15 3:25:53 PM|| 2004-12-15 3:25:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Phil, they are using the fuel-cell to charge the batteries, details on the 212 here:The outstanding feature of this new type of submarine is its air-independent propulsion system using a silent hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell system which not only makes the submarine more difficult to detect, but also increases the time it can stay submerged. The class 212 submarine is the first in the world to be equipped with this rovolutionary propulsion system. Its performance has already been successfully tested on a German Navy submarine.

Its hybrid diesel-electric and air-independent fuel-cell propulsion system will meet the vital requirement for low detectability. A noiseless propeller will be driven by a low-noise, high-performance, permanent-magnet motor. The reactants for the fuel cell (hydrogen and oxygen) will be stored in the after part of the boat between the pressure hull and an outer, free-flooding hull. The low-detection-probability requirement will be met also by reducing the boat's acoustic, magnetic, radar, and visual signatures and by minimizing the sonar target strength (against active detection) and sonar target level (against passive detection). The pressure hull, made of high-strength nonmagnetic steel, is optimized for hydrodynamic properties and maneuverability.
A submarine that uses fuel cells rather than a diesel engine to recharge its batteries produces much less sound while doing so, and consequently the effective detection range of many of the current passive acoustic sonobuoys is reduced.
The drive system is appropriate for speed and continuous operations without snorkel times. The gas cell makes possible submerged operations of up to one month, without the necessity once to snorkels. The boat form is very hydrodynamically clean, which suggests a high speed (> 20kn). Using the X-helm for the first time for the German navy also improves the agility of the new submarine. New stainless and a-magnetic steel for the pressure hull could make over approximately 300m for submerged depths possible.

Posted by Steve 2004-12-15 4:02:37 PM|| 2004-12-15 4:02:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I bet it won't go over 20 kt submerged for more than 24 hours. That submerged for a mounth deal is for station keeping speed, say 3 kts. If you see 'em without the diesel, then you may have something. Still a dang good submarine tho.

Posted by Shipman 2004-12-15 5:44:42 PM|| 2004-12-15 5:44:42 PM|| Front Page Top

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