kml@mosquito.cis.ufl.edu (Kevin Lahey) (08/05/90)
From: kml@mosquito.cis.ufl.edu (Kevin Lahey) In article <1990Aug2.042311.3031@cbnews.att.com> c8636248@cc.nu.oz.au writes: >A book I have at home on modern submarines and submarine warfare has a >similar reference to the Royal Navy submarine HMS Explorer ( I think the >class name was Safari ). This had been fitted with an experimental hydrogen >peroxide propulsion system of such dubious propensities that the crew took to >calling it 'HMS Exploder'. I remember reading about a similar propulsions system which the Germans developed, and apparantly used, at the end of WWII. It was mentioned just as a sidelight, as one of those "if only the war had continued for another year or so, things might have been different..."-type things, but it sounded like it worked for them, and had alot of potiential. Does anybody have any more information about this? It always sounded like a wonderful idea, and I wondered why we didn't hear any more about it. Thanks, Kevin kml@mosquito.cis.ufl.edu _Ubi Libertas, Ibi Patria_ - "Where liberty is, there is my country." - some Revolutionary War naval hero's motto, anybody know who?
fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM (Steve Hix) (08/08/90)
From: fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM (Steve Hix) In article <1990Aug5.042837.29342@cbnews.att.com>, kml@mosquito.cis.ufl.edu (Kevin Lahey) writes: > In article <1990Aug2.042311.3031@cbnews.att.com> c8636248@cc.nu.oz.au writes: > >A book I have at home on modern submarines and submarine warfare has a > >similar reference to the Royal Navy submarine HMS Explorer ( I think the > >class name was Safari ). This had been fitted with an experimental hydrogen > >peroxide propulsion system of such dubious propensities that the crew took to > >calling it 'HMS Exploder'. > I remember reading about a similar propulsions system which the Germans > developed, and apparantly used, at the end of WWII. It was mentioned just The german hydrogen peroxide engine was developed by Walther. Next best thing to a nuke engine, according to some. There are still small, coastal defense subs being built in German shipyards for various customers. I think they're diesel-electric boats, though. ------------ The only drawback with morning is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day. ------------
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (08/09/90)
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) >From: kml@mosquito.cis.ufl.edu (Kevin Lahey) >>... This had been fitted with an experimental hydrogen >>peroxide propulsion system... > >I remember reading about a similar propulsions system which the Germans >developed, and apparantly used, at the end of WWII... >any more information about this? It always sounded like a wonderful idea, >and I wondered why we didn't hear any more about it. This is probably the Walther engine, which decomposed hydrogen peroxide and then burned diesel fuel (I think) in the oxygen that resulted. The big advantage, obviously, was a high-powered engine that did not need air. (Most people don't realize how limited the conventional subs of the time were; once they submerged, they could stay under for a day or two at most, and speed on batteries was typically *two knots*.) The idea looked good, but three things stalled it. One was the obvious problem, that Germany was rapidly going down the tubes. Another was competition from a rethinking of the conventional design, in favor of much higher battery capacity. That improved the conventional sub so much that it became the standard for later versions, and the Walther engine's advantages did not look as impressive any more. The death knell was nuclear propulsion, which made all the chemically-fuelled subs look like toys by comparison. Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
cg47+@andrew.cmu.edu (Chap Godbey) (08/19/90)
From: Chap Godbey <cg47+@andrew.cmu.edu> It could be a fuel cell the Germans are currently developing which just might have an endurance to rival nuclear propulsion (e.g. underwater until the crew runs out of food). It's under wraps, but a bit was put out in the press a year ago. After a trial run on a new boat, the W. Germans were building eight new with this propulsion. ________________________________________________________ | | | Chap Godbey (WACK@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU) | | (cg47+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU) | |========================================================| | | | Un! Znqr lbh ybbx! | |________________________________________________________| <FLAME ON> What? The letter is finished? Darn.. <fizzle>