zimerman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Jacob Ben-david Zimmerman) (12/12/90)
From: zimerman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Jacob Ben-david Zimmerman) I had a couple questions about two topics recently discussed here on the net. First of all, some folks were talking about battlefield or tactical missile defense, and the Patriot was mentioned, along with ADATS. I remember seeing/reading about a system which was designed for naval vessels which was essentially a hypervelocity BB launcher with HUGE amounts of shot being thrown. If I recall correctly, it looked somewhat like a garbage can on a swivel mount and was designed for point defense. Can anyone tell me if I am dreaming this, or if it was a project that never got off the ground, or if it actually was designed/built, or whatever? Secondly, about reactors- in a recent message it was mentioned that a naval reactor officer had been heard to say that in emergency he would simply flood the reactor. I remember reading about something called a 'cold-water accident' involving a sub reactor. I believe it was in 'Hunt for Red October' so I am not at all sure of the accuracy or veracity of the description, but from what I could gather it seemed that cold water thrown on a malfunctioning reactor was a Bad Idea. Could someone elucidate? Thanks very much. -JBZimmerman! ___________ |-The problem with reality, is it's taken much || | too seriously. -An Emotional Fish || ||acob Zimmerman!+> <zimerman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> INTERNET === | <zimerman@PUCC> BITnet
megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23) (12/17/90)
From: megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23) In article <1990Dec12.030807.9667@cbnews.att.com> zimerman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Jacob Ben-david Zimmerman) writes: >vessels which was essentially a hypervelocity BB launcher with HUGE >amounts of shot being thrown. If I recall correctly, it looked somewhat >like a garbage can on a swivel mount and was designed for point defense. Ah, CIWS. Close In Weapons System. This is a system which uses an M61A1 Vulcan cannon, 20mm 6-barrel. The dome contains a radar which guides the gun by tracking the outgoing rounds and the target and causing the two too meet. It fires rounds which have a core of depleted uranium, very dense. I believe the firing rate is between 4,000 and 6,000 rounds per minute. The cannon is the same one as carried by nearly every US tatical aircraft. (F-14,15,16,18,4) General Electric, maker if the Vulcan, also produces a system using the 30mm Avenger cannon carried by the A-10. This 30mm weapon has a longer range and a much higher KE per round. The Avenger system was adopted by one of the Northern Eyropean nations whose name eludes me. The Vulcan system is carried by nearly every ship in the US Navy. Both systems are designed for protection against anti-ship missiles and planes which somehow elude all other forms of defense. (Not very easy.) >mentioned that a naval reactor officer had been heard to say that in >emergency he would simply flood the reactor. I remember reading about Yes, the US can. >something called a 'cold-water accident' involving a sub reactor. I >believe it was in 'Hunt for Red October' so I am not at all sure of the >accuracy or veracity of the description, but from what I could gather it >seemed that cold water thrown on a malfunctioning reactor was a Bad >Idea. Could someone elucidate? Thanks very much. All US Naval reators in service are Pressurized Water Reactors. These reactors use water, pressurized to prevent boiling, as the coolant and the moderator. The same design is used by most US nuclear power plants. Three Mile Island was of this design, and they flooded that to stop the meltdown. A PWR can be flooded with little harm. Many Russian Reactors used Pressurized Liquid Sodium. Now a leak in one of these is bad. And flooding one would be a disaster. Sodium and water reacter very violently. If you read it in THFRO it was probably one of the RUssian subs. I believe one of the Alfas melts its reactor down by running it to hard, and it ends up melting through the hull into the sea. BOOM! ############################################################################### # "Calling Garland operator 7G," EVE Email megazone@wpi.wpi.edu # # MEGAZONE, aka DAYTONA, aka BRIAN BIKOWICZ Bitnet Use a gateway. Sorry. # ###############################################################################