----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 4:45
PM
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] On sub
rescue....
I've been thinking lately, ever since that
latest near disaster with the Russian mini-sub, and I have a question.
If I'm correct, if a big sub hits the
bottom, and a DSRV or something is to attempt a rescue, generally the idea is
for the docking collar on the DSRV to mate with the "mirror" (read:highly
polished steel surface) which runs around the outside of the escape trunk
hatch on the disabled sub, right? Then the water in the docking collar
on the DSRV side is pumped out, and it pretty much "sucks down" to the mirror
due to the difference in pressures between the ambient sea pressure and the
now nearly 1atm in the docking collar, and this is when the hatches can be
opened and the submariners in theory live happily ever after, right?
So, basically, it's the much greater outside pressure which creates the
seal between the two metal surfaces which have mated, and this is enough to
keep the water out, correct? Even with it being a bare metal to metal
mating surface, with no o-rings or anything?
If this is the case, does the depth at which
this operation occurs, and hence the pressure involved, play a role in the
integrity of the seal between the mated surfaces? In other words,
when comparing a sub rescue done with this method at say, 1000 fsw, to say,
200fsw, will the lesser pressure at 200 ft mean a weaker seal?
I'm just curious about the mechanics
involved.
Chris
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