There are several other issues to consider when comparing the small PSUB vs. large PSUB that are not often discussed:
1. Reserve Buoyancy – Smaller submersibles have an exponentially smaller reserve buoyancy in case of an emergency. What might be a minor leak in a large submersible can be catastrophic in a small sub as it will take a smaller mass to adversely affect buoyancy.
2. Ease of Repairs – As Carsten noted, it is much easier to craft a large PSUB with plenty of room to work. In case of an emergency, this makes it possible to accomplish repairs while underwater. In the smallest PSUBs this is impossible and you might not be able to surface.
3. Probability of Escape – There are two points here:
a. Moderate flooding in a larger hull allows time for thought about how to go about your escape as every emergency is different. Minor flooding in the smaller subs that have the operator prone or semi-prone can quickly lead to incapacitation of the operator.
b. The smaller PSUBs are very cramped and do not allow much room to move around inside and will be difficult to egress from in an emergency. Body form-fitting small PSUBs should be considered for the building of an escape simulator to work out and practice emergency egress under a variety of conditions. The largest PSUBs are multiple compartmented and facilitate isolating the leak to a compartment while escaping to another. Moderate sized submersibles may provide sufficient room if properly designed to allow a successful escape of a single operator; multi-passenger moderate sized PSUBs require much more design, thought, and practice for successful egress of all personnel.
Carsten makes some good points for both large and small PSUBs. While I would love to build a big PSUB, practicality of my situation (and probably most PSUBERS) dictates the moderate sized personal submersible.
R/Jay
Respectfully,
Jay K. Jeffries
No comments:
Post a Comment