4 ms·

The propeller is giving way to the pump-jet propulsor on larger submarines

87 points by vinnyglennon 7y ago

topkai22 7y ago
My immediate reaction was “was the caterpillar drive in The Hunt for the Red October a pumpjet?” Answer, no, that was a Magnetohydrodynamic drive. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive Pretty cool though
- CommieBobDole 7y ago
  It was a pumpjet in the book, MHD in the movie.
  - andrewflnr 7y ago
    IIRC it was actually vertically-oriented impellers in a tunnel, but yeah, this is close enough to Red October for purposes of geeking out.
  - swish_bob 7y ago
    I remember trying to create an MHD proof of concept in physics at school after reading the book, well before the movie was released. I thought it was inspired by the book ...
- bloudermilk 7y ago
  There's a great video from one of my favorite YouTube channels about Magnetohydrodynamic drives. Really fascinating drive design and channel for anyone interested in engineering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS3GQk9ETRU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS3GQk9ETRU
  - tpowell 7y ago
    Great video.
  - blackrock 7y ago
    That was a great video! I watched the entire thing. It was like applied theoretical physics in 30 minutes.
- m463 7y ago
  Wow, it works for aircraft too.
  - fmjrey 7y ago
    And missiles
duelingjello 7y ago
Comrades, this is your captain. It is an honor to speak to you today, and I am honored to be sailing with you on the maiden voyage of our motherland's most recent achievement. Once more, we play our dangerous game, a game of chess against our old adversary — The American Navy. For forty years, your fathers before you and your older brothers played this game and played it well. But today the game is different. We have the advantage. It reminds me of the heady days of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin when the world trembled at the sound of our rockets. Well, they will tremble again - at the sound of our silence. The order is: engage the silent drive.
tyingq 7y ago
My mind went to a jet-ski, which I don't associate with stealth :) I suppose that's what drives the pump though, not the pump itself.
- daveslash 7y ago
  That's where my mind went as well. Interestingly, the Independence Class littoral combat ships of the U.S. Navy are, essentially, "Giant Jet-Skis", powered by 2 water jets. They're super fast, super maneuverable, and super light-weight. Their design allows them to operate in as little as 15 feet of water, despite being over 400 ft long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence-class_littoral_combat_ship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence-class_littoral_co...
ngcc_hk 7y ago
Watch that movie until my family objected - not that again.
Sophistifunk 7y ago
Singing, sir. I thought I heard singing.

87 points by vinnyglennon 7y ago

My immediate reaction was “was the caterpillar drive in The Hunt for the Red October a pumpjet?” Answer, no, that was a Magnetohydrodynamic drive. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive Pretty cool though

CommieBobDole 7y ago
It was a pumpjet in the book, MHD in the movie.
- andrewflnr 7y ago
  IIRC it was actually vertically-oriented impellers in a tunnel, but yeah, this is close enough to Red October for purposes of geeking out.
- swish_bob 7y ago
  I remember trying to create an MHD proof of concept in physics at school after reading the book, well before the movie was released. I thought it was inspired by the book ...
bloudermilk 7y ago
There's a great video from one of my favorite YouTube channels about Magnetohydrodynamic drives. Really fascinating drive design and channel for anyone interested in engineering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS3GQk9ETRU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS3GQk9ETRU
- tpowell 7y ago
  Great video.
- blackrock 7y ago
  That was a great video! I watched the entire thing. It was like applied theoretical physics in 30 minutes.
m463 7y ago
Wow, it works for aircraft too.
- fmjrey 7y ago
  And missiles

duelingjello 7y ago

Comrades, this is your captain. It is an honor to speak to you today, and I am honored to be sailing with you on the maiden voyage of our motherland's most recent achievement. Once more, we play our dangerous game, a game of chess against our old adversary — The American Navy. For forty years, your fathers before you and your older brothers played this game and played it well. But today the game is different. We have the advantage. It reminds me of the heady days of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin when the world trembled at the sound of our rockets. Well, they will tremble again - at the sound of our silence. The order is: engage the silent drive.

tyingq 7y ago

My mind went to a jet-ski, which I don't associate with stealth :) I suppose that's what drives the pump though, not the pump itself.

daveslash 7y ago
That's where my mind went as well. Interestingly, the Independence Class littoral combat ships of the U.S. Navy are, essentially, "Giant Jet-Skis", powered by 2 water jets. They're super fast, super maneuverable, and super light-weight. Their design allows them to operate in as little as 15 feet of water, despite being over 400 ft long. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence-class_littoral_combat_ship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence-class_littoral_co...

ngcc_hk 7y ago

Watch that movie until my family objected - not that again.

Sophistifunk 7y ago

Singing, sir. I thought I heard singing.