5 ms·
You're looking at 40 years of degradation to the - every (rubber, for the time) seal needing to be replaced, in every fitting and valve. - the lower unit seem
by smileysteve 4y ago
You're looking at 40 years of degradation to the
- every (rubber, for the time) seal needing to be replaced, in every fitting and valve.
- the lower unit seems to have fractured under its own weight (this is likely the ballast tanks), this would need to be remade.
- any pressure areas need to be retested (including the crew area) and replaced (all compressed air storage).
Now, for the easy parts
- the batteries will have to be replaced, but lithium ion is going to give you better performance at smaller size, with less degradation. (You'll have to compensate the weight though)
- the motors will have to be replaced, but can use much more efficient, likely better sealed, better cooled, smaller, safer motors with pwm electric speed controllers.
- modern glass and fastening techniques could replace the viewports, possibly add more as you rebuild the negative pressure vessel.
- air management is easier to instrument.
- you can add a bunch more cameras and sensors on the cheap that are significantly better than the let's
- iancmceachern 4y agoPlus rust and corrosion. You could never be certain that pressure vessel is structurally sound without scrapping it and rebuilding.
- bluGill 4y agoDepending on what it was made of that might not be enough. Some metals have weird fatigue issues.
- anotheraccount9 4y agoOk. Could we get the plans and make a new one, for fun?
- ufmace 4y agoYeah but by the time you do all that, you probably would have been better off just building a new submarine from scratch
- otikik 4y agoTheseus’ submarine.
- Maursault 4y agoIt's far easier to build a space ship, and outer space less dangerous to pilot through than the bottom of the ocean.