Subj : Sterling Dif.Compression
To   : Tom Walker
From : James Bradley
Date : Fri May 06 2005 01:03 am

05-03-05  07:37, Tom Walker told James Bradley about Sterling Dif.Compression

 How do, Tom?

 JB>I believe they retrofitted a diesel-electric to putt 
 JB>along with the Sterling
 JB>or go full speed with the original propulsion. I just 
 JB>don't recall if they e
 JB>mentioned the transmission, or if they were using the retrofit to generate
 JB>electricity. They did mention they were using kerosene and bottled O2 as a
 JB>fuel.

 TW> Most posabibly that is it. They still had the Main Diesels  for
 TW> surface propulsion and battery chargi8ng. BUT teh Self contained, Fuel
 TW> and Oxygen, Sterling engine was to increase the underwater endurance.

Like I mentioned, I just don't recall hearing if they were generating power to 
drive the electric motor, or if they geared into the screw directly.

 TW> ALWAYS a prolbem with the battery submarines. A BIG problem during
 TW> WWII untill the Germans invented the Snorkel Air intake ofr rinning on
 TW> the main engines at periscope depth. We didn't adapt it in any large
 TW> way until the Korean "Police Action"

Even that would leave a wake. At least a sight better (NOT a pariscope pun!) 
than surfacing to do it, to be sure. Nothing like nucs! <G>

 TW> Teh British experiements with the "Self Contained" Internal combustion
 TW> engines using Hydrogen Peroxide for fuel, As the name implies Fuel and
 TW> Oxidizer in one package, also to enhance submerged endurance.

Until just now, I never realized Hydrogen Peroxide would be combustable. (Shows 
how far my chemistry took me. ;-) I suspect the 3% stuff we find on the shelves 
wouldn't be?

 TW> The problem that killed the project was the instability of the
 TW> Hydrogen Peroxide fuel. With age depending on humidity and temperature
 TW> factors it became instable to the point of Spontenious explosions.
 TW> Becasue of that the submarine had a system of monitoring the
 TW> decomposition rate and was tied up when in post at an isolated spot.
 TW> The fuel were outside the strong pressure hull and fairly safely blew
 TW> Out from the sub, Sometimes severly damaging anything along side.

Well, it'd still be bangin' on the pistons, so it wouldn't be so quiet either.


.... James

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