EP0461005A1 - Convertible submarine with pressure-resistant hull - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a convertible submarine which is capable of being transformed to change from a conventional mode of propulsion to a nuclear mode of propulsion. …<??>According to the invention, the submarine (100) comprises a rear compartment (T) delimited by the pressure-resistant hull (101) and two transverse partitions (216, 217), in which there are grouped together the installations for producing and for storing electrical energy using batteries and diesel generators; the rear compartment can be transformed to convert the submarine for using an anaerobic source of energy, by replacing these installations with installations adapted to said energy source while keeping said pressure-resistant hull and said partitions, without this internal replacement leading to a substantial modification of the weight and of the mass centring of said rear compartment. …<??>Application to the production of a convertible submarine which can easily be transformed into a nuclear version. …<IMAGE>…

Description

The present invention relates to the field of submarines, and more particularly the organization of their architecture.

Existing resistant hull submarines are in principle originally designed either for a "classic" propulsion mode characterized by the couple of batteries and diesel-generators, or for the use of an anaerobic source of energy of the nuclear type. or other, possibly in this case a reduced size battery.

A resistant hull submarine will be understood to mean any submarine having a hull designed to withstand the external immersion pressure, and to allow an atmosphere to be maintained inside which is suitable both for the operation of the equipment and for the life of the crew.

An anaerobic source of energy will also be understood to mean a source of energy which does not require the supply of atmospheric air outside the submarine.

The submarines associated with a mode of propulsion using batteries and diesel generators currently have a lifespan of the order of thirty years, and in principle they retain their technical capacities during this period if they are properly designed, built and maintained.

However, such submarines may become insufficient during operation, on the one hand due to the rapid progression of the qualities of the adversaries they are likely to meet, and on the other hand to the technical development which allows to design new equipment capable of significantly improving the capacity of submarines to fulfill their missions.

It is often planned to overhaul submarines at mid-life, that is to say after about fifteen years of service, but the transformations carried out during such a overhaul are always limited.

These transformations are essentially aimed at improving the detection capabilities of the submarine, as well as its weapons (torpedoes, mines), its tactical aids, its means of transmission and its navigation instruments. Therefore, such transformations simply consist in replacing simple materials by other materials of equivalent volume, and this in the sub, the central operations navigation post, the weapons station, the forward structure of the submarine, and the technical premises concerned.

Thus, the transformations carried out at mid-life on submarines only concern one-off positions, and in any case certainly do not make it possible to improve the characteristics of passable distance, autonomy under water and maximum speed, nor also to reduce the indiscretion linked to navigation needs in periscopic immersion.

It therefore appears extremely advantageous to be able, under acceptable financial conditions, to transform a conventional propelled submarine to allow it to significantly improve its aforementioned characteristics, in particular by converting it to a nuclear propulsion mode. However, such a convertible submarine design does not currently exist.

It is certainly known to equip a surface vessel with a block forming a nuclear reactor, by carrying out the initial construction of the vessel in two prefabricated parts, one of which includes a housing in which, before the assembly of said parts, introduced by horizontal translation of a block forming a nuclear reactor: such a method of construction is for example described in European patent application No. 0 014 661.

However, this known technique does not make it possible to convert a surface ship to pass from a conventional propulsion mode to a nuclear propulsion mode, but only to directly equip these vessels for use in nuclear propulsion, so that the installations and equipment associated with such a propulsion system are always planned from the outset.

In addition, such a technique would be extremely delicate to implement in the case of a submarine.

There are still other construction methods with assembly for surface ships, and we can cite to complete the prior art British patent No. 2,001,013 and American patent No. 3,765,359.

The state of the art can also be supplemented by citing methods of loading and unloading heavy objects on board a surface vessel, using more or less sophisticated lifting means, as for example illustrated in the French patent. No. 2,354,237 and German Patent No. 26,25,632.

Those skilled in the art could moreover be tempted to transpose modular construction techniques already proposed for surface ships for submarines, in order to achieve convertibility by replacing functional modules.

However, not only these techniques are again limited to the replacement of functional weapons, marking or fire control units (see for example European patent application No. 0 082 539, American patent No. 4 709 646 , and French patent N ° 2,114,625), or of modules forming living or loading spaces (see for example French patent N ° 2,528,091), but they cannot be validly transposed to design a convertibility of submarines for the purpose of transforming said submarines to adapt them to a propulsion mode which differs from the conventional mode with batteries and diesel generators.

The object of the invention is to propose a convertible submarine architecture with a resistant hull, aiming to allow a transformation of the submarines in the best possible conditions, so as to be able to pass, in a fully operational manner, from a version of origin with conventional propulsion to an improved version of anaerobic type, with an anaerobic source of energy (of the nuclear type or other), and a battery whose size can be advantageously reduced compared to the original version.

Such a concept should make it possible in the long term to take advantage of sophisticated technologies which we did not choose when the submarine was built (or which we could not choose because they were not duly qualified ), while immediately having submarines equipped with fully mastered techniques. This concept should also make it possible to limit the impact of the transformation on the operating and maintenance conditions of the submarines.

The object of the invention is also to design a convertible submarine capable of being transformed during its life to acquire, under acceptable financial conditions and without prejudice to its other capacities, an important advantage in terms of its characteristics. distance that can be crossed, autonomy underwater and maximum speed, with a substantial reduction in its indiscretion for the needs of periscopic immersion navigation, which thus significantly increases the capacity of the submarine to deploy and carry out a decisive attack.

Another object of the invention is to design a convertible submarine whose structure allows both to retain its technical capabilities other than those that the transformation aims to improve, with in particular compliance with the different conditions of balance of the sub -sea, as well as maintaining the security and military qualities of the said submarine, and also to limit the work to the replacement of the equipment directly concerned, therefore without entailing additional work on the equipment and installations not concerned by the transformation.

It is more particularly a convertible submarine with a resistant hull, characterized in that it comprises a rear section delimited by the resistant hull and two transverse partitions, in which are grouped production and storage facilities for electrical energy using batteries and diesel generators, said unit being convertible to convert said submarine to the use of an anaerobic source of energy, in particular of the nuclear type, by replacing said installations with installations adapted to said energy source while retaining said resistant shell and said partitions, without this internal substitution causing a substantial change in the weight and mass centering of said wafer.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the rear section comprises a lower compartment in which are housed batteries arranged between two lateral diesel tanks as well as a provisional ballast, and an upper compartment in which are housed two diesel-generators resting on a support partition as well as associated electrical equipment, said compartments being convertible, by removing said support partition and by adding an intermediate transverse partition, into a front compartment making it possible to house a nuclear power cell block, and a rear compartment making it possible to house on the one hand a turbo-generator and a condenser associated with said battery, and on the other hand a backup diesel-generator, a modified mass balance ballast being furthermore arranged in one and / or the other of said front and rear compartments .

Preferably, the front transverse partition of the rear section defines, with another transverse partition external to the rear section, an additional compartment adjacent to said section, said additional compartment serving as a diesel bunker and making it possible, after transformation, to radiological protection of the fore area of said submarine. In particular, the front transverse partition of the rear section relates to the entire interior section of the resistant shell, while the rear partition of said section relates at the very least to the lower compartment, said rear partition being able to be completed if necessary to delimit the rear compartment after conversion.

Advantageously also, the convertible submarine comprises a diesel exhaust circuit arranged in superstructures outside the resistant hull, said circuit having a rear exhaust part, and a front exhaust part opening out at the level of the massive of said submarine, said circuit being transformable within the framework of internal substitution so as to comprise only a simplified circuit associated with the diesel-generator backup.

Preferably also, the convertible submarine comprises, in its cockpit, a console for driving the diesel-generators, said console being replaceable in the context of internal substitution by another console for driving the diesel generator-backup and of the nuclear power cell.

According to a preferred characteristic, the rear section has a logistic panel at the level of the resistant hull, making it possible to disembark the initial installations and to embark the replacement as part of internal substitution. Advantageously then, the logistics panel is provided in the upper part of the rear section, and in the vicinity of the transverse partition before delimiting said section; in particular, the logistics panel is provided between the front transverse partition and the intermediate transverse partition added as part of the internal substitution.

As a variant, the interior of the rear section is accessible for the internal substitution of the installations by transverse cutting of the resistant shell, said cutting being carried out between the transverse partitions which delimit it, or beyond one or the other. of said transverse partitions but in the vicinity of the transverse partition concerned.

• les figures 1 et 2 sont des coupes axiales schématiques, respectivement selon un plan vertical et un plan horizontal, d'un sous-marin convertible conforme à l'invention, avec une tranche arrière transformable dans laquelle sont regroupées des installations de production et de stockage d'énergie électrique utilisant des batteries et des diesels-générateurs, les hachures mettant en évidence les parties touchées par la transformation en vue d'une utilisation d'une source anaérobie d'énergie (ici du type nucléaire) ;
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des coupes analogues aux précédentes, illustrant le même sous-marin convertible après transformation en version électro-nucléaire, la substitution interne des installations concernant essentiellement la tranche arrière (hachures), et n'entraînant aucune modification substantielle du poids et du centrage massique de ladite tranche ;
• les figures 5 et 6 sont deux schémas illustrant le système de production et stockage d'énergie électrique respectivement dans la version d'origine et dans la version transformée du sous-marin convertible précédent, la transformation de la tranche arrière selon le principe d'une substitution interne permettant de passer de la première à la deuxième version ;
• la figure 7 est une coupe axiale partielle selon un plan vertical montrant les installations d'origine de la tranche arrière transformable, avec en particulier un panneau logistique prévu pour le débarquement de ces installations d'origine et l'embarquement ultérieur des installations adaptées à une source anaérobie d'énergie, ainsi qu'un circuit transformable d'échappement des diesels et un pupitre remplaçable de conduite des diesels-générateurs dans le poste de conduite du sous-marin ;
• les figures 8 et 9 sont des coupes axiales selon un plan horizontal, respectivement du compartiment supérieur et du compartiment inférieur de la tranche arrière transformable illustrée en figure 7, et la figure 10 est une coupe selon X-X de ladite figure 7 ;
• la figure 11 est une coupe axiale partielle schématisant le débarquement par le panneau logistique des installations de la tranche arrière transformable et du lest prévisionnel qui y était logé, le débarquement concernant quelques autres équipements comme les tiroirs électriques du pupitre de conduite, ainsi que la cloison de support et une partie du circuit d'échappement des diesels ;
• la figure 12 est une coupe axiale partielle illustrant la tranche arrière vidée, et la figure 13 illustre la même tranche après ajout d'une cloison transversale intermédiaire ;
• la figure 14 est une coupe axiale partielle schématisant l'embarquement par le panneau logistique des installations adaptées à la source anaérobie d'énergie, avec ici un bloc de pile électronucléaire, un turbo-générateur et un condenseur associés à ladite pile, ainsi qu'un diesel-générateur de secours et un lest modifié d'équilibrage massique, et avec aussi un autre pupitre de conduite du diesel-générateur de secours et de la pile électronucléaire ;
• les figures 15 et 16 sont des coupes axiales partielles, respectivement selon un plan vertical et un plan horizontal, de la tranche arrière transformée.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows and of the appended drawings, relating to a particular embodiment, with reference to the figures in which:

• Figures 1 and 2 are schematic axial sections, respectively along a vertical plane and a horizontal plane, of a convertible submarine according to the invention, with a transformable rear section in which are grouped production and storage facilities electrical energy using batteries and diesel generators, the hatching highlighting the parts affected by the transformation with a view to using an anaerobic source of energy (here of the nuclear type);
• Figures 3 and 4 are sections similar to the previous ones, illustrating the same convertible submarine after transformation into an electro-nuclear version, the internal substitution of the installations essentially concerning the rear section (hatching), and not causing any substantial change in weight and mass centering of said wafer;
• Figures 5 and 6 are two diagrams illustrating the system of production and storage of electrical energy respectively in the original version and in the transformed version of the previous convertible submarine, the transformation of the rear section according to the principle of internal substitution allowing to pass from the first to the second version;
• FIG. 7 is a partial axial section on a vertical plane showing the original installations of the convertible rear section, with in particular a logistics panel provided for disembarking from these original installations and subsequent embarkation of the installations adapted to a anaerobic source of energy, as well as a transformable diesel exhaust circuit and a replaceable console for driving diesel generators in the submarine's cockpit;
• Figures 8 and 9 are axial sections along a horizontal plane, respectively of the upper compartment and the lower compartment of the convertible rear section illustrated in Figure 7, and Figure 10 is a section along XX of said Figure 7;
• FIG. 11 is a partial axial section diagramming the landing by the logistics panel of the installations of the convertible rear section and the forecast ballast which was housed there, the landing relating to some other equipment such as the electrical drawers of the driving console, as well as the partition support and part of the diesel exhaust system;
• FIG. 12 is a partial axial section illustrating the emptied rear section, and FIG. 13 illustrates the same section after addition of an intermediate transverse partition;
• FIG. 14 is a partial axial section schematizing the boarding by the logistics panel of the installations adapted to the anaerobic source of energy, with here a block of electronuclear battery, a turbo-generator and a condenser associated with said battery, as well as a backup diesel-generator and a modified mass balance ballast, and also with another control panel for the backup diesel-generator and the nuclear power cell;
• Figures 15 and 16 are partial axial sections, respectively along a vertical plane and a horizontal plane, of the transformed rear edge.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a convertible submarine 100 according to the invention. This submarine comprises a certain number of organs and equipment which are well known, and which will be briefly recalled below.

The submarine 100 comprises a resistant hull 101, and a hull 102 surmounted by a massif 103. The resistant hull has a certain number of accesses 104 in the upper part thereof. On the front part of the submarine, there is a set of torpedo tubes 105 with their pneumatic repressor 106, a set of six tubes being provided here. An opening 116 is provided for loading the arms inside the resistant hull 101. In the rear part of the submarine 100, there is a set of ailerons and rudders 107, and the rear fins 108 carrying the diving rudders 109, as well as the propeller 115. A number of ballasts are provided: in the front part, there is a ballast 110, and two lateral half-ballasts 111, and in the rear part of said submarine, ballasts 112. are also distinguished. There is also provided a front trim box 113 and a rear trim box 114, arranged inside the resistant shell 101. The interior of the resistant shell 101 of the sub- Marin 100 is subdivided into a number of compartments, here divided into two levels with respect to the axis 500 of the submarine.

There is thus a compartment 200 in which the front batteries are housed, surmounted by a compartment 201 reserved for weapons. Behind this compartment, there is a technical room 202, and a compartment 205 intended to house the front auxiliaries, and in particular adjustment and compensation boxes. Further back, there is a compartment 206 reserved for accommodation, and compartments 207 and 208 serving as utility rooms. Above compartments 202, 205, 206, 207, 208, there is the operations navigation operator station 203, then, behind it, a compartment 209 reserved for other accommodation. In the rear part of the submarine, there is a compartment 220, often called the propulsion compartment, in which the electric propulsion motor is arranged, as well as the associated elastic coupling and the stop (these members are not shown here).

In accordance with an essential characteristic of the invention, the convertible submarine 100 comprises a rear section T delimited by the resistant hull 101 and by two transverse partitions 216, 217, in which production and storage installations are grouped together. of electrical energy using batteries and diesel generators, said unit being convertible to convert the submarine to the use of an anaerobic source of energy, in particular of the nuclear type, by replacing said installations with installations adapted to said energy source while retaining said resistant shell and said partitions, without this internal substitution causing a substantial modification of the weight and the mass centering of the rear section T.

Before describing more precisely the installations concerned, it is first of all advisable to describe the mode of compartmentalisation of the aft section T of the convertible submarine.

First of all, there is a distinction in the lower part of the rear section T, a compartment 210 serving to house the rear batteries, and a compartment 211 reserved for the rear auxiliaries, these two compartments possibly being separated by a transverse partition 218. The compartments 210 and 211 are delimited above by a support partition 215 (often called "parquet" by specialists), delimiting, in the upper part of the rear section T, a compartment 213 serving to house the diesel-generators, and a compartment 214 serving electrical room to receive the associated electrical equipment, these two compartments possibly being separated by a transverse partition 219. The compartments 210, 211, 213, 214 mentioned above thus relate to the installations for the production and storage of electrical energy, and these installations have been voluntarily grouped in the rear edge T, and are likely to be re landed during the transformation of the aft section T to convert the submarine to the use of an anaerobic source of energy, in particular of the nuclear type. It should also be noted the presence of another transverse partition 221 external to the rear section T, which defines, with the front transverse partition 217 of said section, an additional compartment 212 adjacent, said additional compartment serving as a diesel bunker. As will be explained below, this additional compartment also makes it possible to ensure, after transformation, radiological protection of the fore zone of the submarine, complementing the other radiological protection provisions provided for elsewhere (not described here).

The convertible submarine is thus voluntarily designed from the start to be transformed, by internal substitution of the facilities grouped in the rear section T. The areas of the submarine affected by such a transformation are hatched in Figures 1 and 2: it is easy to see that the aft section T constitutes by far the largest part of the transformed areas of the submarine, the other areas concerned being on the one hand the area of the control console 204 of the cockpit navigation operations 203, and on the other hand, zone 222 of the exhaust circuit of the diesel-generators arranged in superstructures outside the resistant shell 101.

The aft section T of the submarine thus constitutes a real module which can be transformed by internal substitution. Indeed, if we now consider Figures 3 and 4, we see that the compartmentalisation of the rear section has been modified, in order to be adapted to receive the installations associated with an anaerobic source of energy, in particular of the type nuclear, the rest of the submarine's structure remaining practically unchanged. It can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 that the rear edge T no longer includes the support partition 215; this rear section may optionally include the transverse partitions 218 and / or 219. In any event, the transverse partitions 216 and 217 which delimit the rear section T are retained, and an intermediate transverse partition 231 has been added, so that there is now a front compartment 232 making it possible to house an electronuclear battery block, and a rear compartment 233 making it possible to house on the one hand a turbo-generator and a condenser associated with said battery, and on the other hand a backup diesel-generator, as well as the rear auxiliaries. Outside the rear section T, the only zones concerned by the transformation are limited to zone 234 of the exhaust circuit, now associated with the only backup diesel-generator, and to zone 235 of the control console located in the station. of navigation operations 203.

Such a concept of convertibility naturally imposes conditions on the initial definition of the submarine, as well as on the definition of transformation.

In the initial definition, installations likely to be replaced are grouped in a specific, well-defined part, which is the rear section T, as stripped as possible of the other functions not concerned by the transformation. The necessary circulation between the rear and the front of this rear section must be grouped in well-defined corridors, and precise interfaces must be established for the installations likely to be transformed, for all direct functional links (energy, refrigeration , etc ...) or indirect (surveillance and security of the area, transmissions, lighting, ventilation, etc ...), as well as for the characteristics integrated in the balances and general balance sheets of the submarine, i.e. - essentially say with regard to the mass and center of gravity (with variations during the patrol), but also with regard to the consumption and manpower necessary for implementation.

For the transformation of the submarine, the new on-board installations must comply with the same interface conditions as the installations they replace, as well as of course the general technical regulations adopted for the design of the submarine. It is therefore important that the common interfaces between the two successive generations of installations on the one hand and the rest of the submarine on the other hand encompass the strict needs of the two generations, and it will be necessary to endeavor that these needs do not differ not too much.

Thus, there is provided in the context of this invention a definition of origin of the submarine which completely anticipates the needs of its conversion.

As has been said above, the parts affected by the transformation are essentially those which concern the aft section T. As an indication, if we consider that the convertible submarine is divided into a hundred pairs from C0 to C100, the hull section defining the rear section T is located at the rear quarter of the submarine, between the pair C20 and the partition C39, that is to say substantially between the aforementioned partitions 216 and 217. This corresponds to a length of about 12 meters for a coastal submarine of about sixty meters in length, with a diameter of approximately 6.2 meters at the level of the shell plating on its front part, the rear part being slightly frustoconical.

There are different possibilities for organizing the disembarking of electrical energy production and storage installations using batteries and diesel generators, then the embarkation of installations adapted to the anaerobic source of energy, while retaining the resistant shell and the transverse partitions defining the rear edge T.

As part of the internal substitution process which will be described later, provision has been made to install a hull passage or logistics panel (panel 320 in FIG. 7) to allow disembarkation and embarkation operations: in this In this case, the upper part of the section as well as the hull are designed to allow the installation of such a hull passage of about 2.5 meters in diameter, this arrangement can be anticipated as soon as the submarine is built, without that this is however essential.

It goes without saying, however, that the abovementioned internal substitution can be carried out in other ways, and in particular by completely opening the shell by a cross section in the zone to be transformed. In this case, the interior of the rear section T is accessible for the internal substitution of the installations by transverse cutting of the resistant shell 101, this cutting being carried out between the transverse partitions 216, 217 which delimit them, or even beyond one or the other of said transverse partitions, but in the vicinity of the transverse partition concerned. The position of four possible transverse cutting planes has been identified S1 to S4 in FIG. 7: the planes S1 and S2 correspond to a cutting made between the transverse partitions 216 and 217 delimiting the rear edge T, while the planes S3 and S4 relate to a cut made beyond said transverse partitions, but in the vicinity of the partition concerned. Such a method has the advantage of being able to land equipment in the area in blocks, then board a support cradle for new installations (with the exception of the nuclear cell) equipped and tested, and to easily carry out additional structural and installation work. It then suffices to close the shell according to the usual methods of construction, and to restore the longitudinal connections of pipes and cables. It goes without saying that this method will be all the more easily conceivable as the original design will have provided from the start for a transverse cutting of the resistant shell. It should be noted that this mode of transformation remains an internal substitution mode, unlike the addition of an additional section, which would in particular have the following drawbacks: modification of the general characteristics of the submarine, difficulty in optimizing the transformed submarine which would then appear as a hybrid product, difficulty, even impossibility, to add a nuclear unit (in particular for reasons of weight).

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the system of production and storage of electrical energy, respectively in the original version and in the transformed version of the submarine, the transformation of the rear section T according to the principle of an internal substitution allowing to pass operationally from the first to the second version. According to the conventional version, there is a propulsion engine 300 connected to a cabinet 301 of propulsion equipment, this cabinet being connected to the front batteries 304 and rear 305, with in addition a connection to the two diesel-generator groups 302 and 303. In the modified version illustrated in FIG. 6, there is the propulsion engine 300 and the propulsion switchgear cabinet 301, as well as the front batteries 304: on the other hand, there is an electronuclear battery 306 and an associated turbo-generator 307, and advantageously also a backup diesel generator 308. Thus, functionally, the transformation to be carried out consists in replacing the system for producing and storing electrical energy represented in the diagram of FIG. 5 by that represented in the diagram of FIG. 6.

Figures 7 to 10 make it easier to distinguish the original installations from the transformable rear section T.

There is thus a distinction in the lower compartment 210, a rear battery 305 with, below it, a provisional ballast 310. This provisional rear ballast 310 is provided to take into account the weight of the modified installations to be subsequently loaded after landing of the original installations. The ballast, for example produced in the form of lead bars, is preferably placed under the rear battery group 305, but it goes without saying that it could be organized and distributed differently, provided, however, that the conditions of weight and mass centering of the rear edge. In the upper compartment 213, there are two diesel generators 302 and 303, as well as a set of electrical cabinets 309, these materials resting on the support partition 215 by means of elastic studs 327 to ensure better acoustic discretion . The sections in FIGS. 8 to 10 allow a better understanding of the organization of these various installations which are housed in the rear section T. The convertible submarine 100 also includes an exhaust circuit 315 of the diesel-generators arranged in superstructures at the exterior of the resistant shell 101, said circuit having a first part 316, from which diverge, from a connection point 319, a rear exhaust part 317 (intended for the exhaust of the burnt gases from the diesels when the submarine is on the surface), and a portion 318 of front exhaust opening at the level of the massif 103 of said submarine: this exhaust circuit, designed with two branches for the two diesel-generators, is designed to be convertible into the framework of internal substitution to include only a simplified circuit with a single branch associated with the diesel-generator backup. The submarine also includes, in its operator station 203, a operator console 314 of the diesel generators 302 and 303: this operator console is also replaceable (in whole or in part) as part of the internal substitution by another operator console. operation of the emergency diesel-generator and the nuclear power cell.

FIG. 8, corresponding to the upper compartment 213, makes it possible to better distinguish the two diesel generators 302 and 303, as well as the set of electrical cabinets 309. The section also makes it possible to distinguish a passage 212 ′ in the compartment 212 serving as diesel bunker, said compartment being delimited by the transverse partitions 217 and 221.

The section in FIG. 9 corresponds to the lower compartment 210, and it is thus possible to distinguish the group of rear batteries 305 arranged between two lateral diesel tanks 311 and 312. The section in FIG. 10 shows these various installations, as well as connections (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.) 313 connecting the front and the rear of the submarine. It should be noted that the diesel side tanks 311 and 312 can be unloaded in the modified version of the convertible submarine, taking into account the reserves that exist elsewhere, since, in this version, the diesel is only used for emergency propulsion in association with the diesel-backup generator 308. However, the balance of the submarine must be restored, which requires landing part of the ballast given the weight of the nuclear battery subsequently on board.

We will now describe, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 16, a process of transformation of the convertible submarine by internal substitution of the installations concerned.

FIG. 11 illustrates the landing of the original installations housed in the rear section T, once the logistics panel 320 of the resistant hull has been dismantled. A hull opening 321 is then defined, by which it is possible to disembark the installations concerned. This is how the rear section T is emptied of its equipment, including the two diesel generators 302 and 303, the set of electrical cabinets 309, the provisional ballast 310, the diesel side tanks 311 and 312, and the rear batteries 305. The support partition 215 is also disembarked, as well as the zone equipment (not shown here) concerning lighting, water and fire detections, zone drying, maintenance transmissions, etc. At the same time, the operator's console of the two diesel-generators, located in the operator's station of the submarine, is disembarked: this is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 11 by disembarking the electric drawers 322 from the operator's console 314. The same is true for even of the exhaust circuit of the two diesels, of which the transformed part is landed. In practice, we first disembark area materials and equipment, then, in a second step, we carry out internal transformation work on structures, cabins, cables, and pipes relating to the landed facilities. In particular, the diesel side tanks are deleted, as well as the upper bulkhead of the rear battery, as mentioned above.

The submarine is then in the situation shown in FIG. 12, with a rear section T comprised between the partitions 216 and 217 which is entirely empty, with the natural exception of the unchanged links which pass through it (not shown here), associated with the circuits of the plate boxes, electrical connections, pressurized oil, pressurized air, water, etc., which connect the extreme stern to the rest of the submarine (connections 313 on the section of figure 10). It is therefore important to note that the partitions 216 and 217 delimiting the rear edge T are not affected by the transformation.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, the intermediate transverse partition 231, which is the rear partition of the nuclear battery compartment, is assembled. We also proceed with mounting the gangway partitions first, and supporting the stack. Once these partitions have been mounted, it is easy to mount the support cradle for the emergency diesel, the turbo-generator and the associated circuits.

Figure 14 illustrates the embarkation of the equipment of the rear section. The hull opening 321 is again used to carry these materials, and in particular a modified ballast of mass balance 324, the backup diesel-generator 308, the turbo-generator 307 and a condenser 323 associated with the nuclear power cell 306 , as well as associated electrical equipment and equipment for regenerating the atmosphere generally referenced 326. Once these various items of equipment have been loaded and placed in the rear compartment 233, it is then possible to load the nuclear power unit block 306 into the front compartment 232, said block being lowered directly through the shell opening 321 by known lifting means and not shown here. To allow the passage of on-board equipment through the partition 231, a removable panel (not referenced here) is provided in this partition. One could alternatively use the rear logistics panel (not shown) often provided for the benefit of the electric propulsion motor 300, and organize the routing of these materials from said panel, with the exception, however, of the nuclear battery block 306, which is shipped by logistics panel 320 as previously indicated.

It then suffices to mount the connections (mechanical connections, piping, electrical connections) and to mount the zone equipment. In parallel to these works inside the transformed unit, the simplified diesel exhaust circuit is reconstituted in superstructures, so that it now only concerns the only diesel-generator backup 308, and we finally proceed to assembly of the emergency diesel operating console and of the nuclear battery in the submarine's operating position, and at its connection: this is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 14 by the loading of the electric drawers 325 associated with the operating console 314. It goes without saying that it will be possible, as a variant, to replace the driving console unit completely.

The on-board logistics stock is then adapted to the new definition. It is then possible to carry out tests, which completes the transformation work on the convertible submarine. The submarine is then in the configuration illustrated in Figures 15 and 16.

In FIG. 15, a distinction is made between the modified balancing ballast 324, the condenser 323, the turbo-generator 307, and the aforementioned additional equipment 326, arranged in the rear compartment 233, and on the other hand the nuclear power unit block. 306 disposed in the front compartment 232, which front compartment is closed by reassembly of the logistics panel 320. In FIG. 16, there are, in the rear compartment 233, the backup diesel-generator 308, the turbo-generator 307, and the additional equipment 326. This figure also makes it possible to distinguish, in the front compartment 232, the extension 212˝ of the passage 212 ′ provided in the compartment 212, this extension 212˝ being isolated from the nuclear cell by a partition 212 ′ ′ ′. The civil standards of radiological protection for the front area (permanent residence) are easily respected thanks to, among other things, the diesel bunker predisposed at the front of the nuclear cell, that is to say compartment 212, said compartment remaining unchanged during processing: radiological protection is in fact given by the diesel fuel itself, or by replacement seawater when the diesel fuel is consumed.

The longitudinal balance of the masses is achieved thanks to the original architecture of the submarine, which provides for an identical slice weight in the two successive versions. The general characteristics of the submarine (dimensions and tonnage) are unchanged. The submarine thus acquired a very important anaerobic capacity and mobility, without losing besides on its other capacities, nor modifying its other functions. In particular, its piloting conditions remain unchanged because the shape and stability of the submarine are not changed.

The concept of convertibility used in the context of the present invention provides very significant advantages.

First of all, it significantly improves the deployment capabilities and the engagement conditions of the submarine. The targeted improvements relate to the ability to hold underwater for a long time, at as high a speed as possible. These improvements therefore relate to the different capacities of the submarine, including the part of the patrol that the submarine can carry out with its anaerobic capacity, the maximum discreet stay underwater, the distance that can be crossed underwater, the discreet transit speed, the ability to sustain a high hunting speed underwater, and the total distance that can be crossed while on patrol.

The concept of convertibility also makes it possible to preserve the technical capacities of the submarine, having regard to the respect of the general balance of the submarine. This means a zero attitude weighing and zero heel, stability in the different situations of navigation, and an ability to ensure the adjustment of the balance of the submarine with the consumption of materials and variations in water density of sea likely to intervene during fixed missions. We thus manage to perfectly preserve the balance between the production-storage side and the consumption side, of the various energy balances, of heat evacuation, of materials: electrical energy on the various networks, high pressure oil , high pressure air, refrigeration, air conditioning, water, etc. We also manage to maintain security, the conditions of piloting, the conditions of control of the atmosphere, the conditions of surveillance of waterways and fires, and of the various security displays. We Finally, it also manages to maintain the military qualities (for example, resistance to underwater explosions) and the conditions of employment of the submarine.

The concept of convertibility finally makes it possible to considerably limit transformation work, which is important with regard to financial considerations. The precise topological limitations of the transformed rear section make it possible to preserve in full during the transformation all that is installed outside the zone, the general envelope of the zone, that is to say the resistant hull and the partitions which delimit, the passages of all kinds that cross the area, and the access and crossing capacities of the said area for both men and equipment.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described, but on the contrary encompasses any variant incorporating, with equivalent means, the essential characteristics appearing in the claims.

Claims (10)

Convertible submarine with resistant hull, characterized in that it comprises a rear section (T) delimited by the resistant hull (101) and two transverse partitions (216, 217), in which are grouped installations (302, 303 , 305, 309, 311, 312) of production and storage of electrical energy using batteries (305) and diesel generators (302, 303), said section being transformable to convert said submarine to the use of an anaerobic source of energy, in particular of the nuclear type, by replacing said installations with installations (306, 307, 308, 323, 326) adapted to said energy source while retaining said resistant shell and said partitions, without this internal substitution does not entail a substantial modification of the weight and the mass centering of said section. Convertible submarine according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear section (T) has a lower compartment (210) in which are housed batteries (305) disposed between two lateral diesel holds (311, 312) as well as '' a provisional ballast (310), and an upper compartment (213) in which are housed two diesel generators (302, 303) resting on a support partition (215) as well as the associated electrical equipment (309), said compartments being convertible, by deleting said support partition and by adding an intermediate transverse partition (231), into a front compartment (232) allowing to house a nuclear power cell block (306), and a rear compartment (233) allowing to housing on the one hand a turbo-generator (307) and a condenser (323) associated with said battery, and on the other hand a backup diesel-generator (308), a modified ballast (324) for mass balancing being besides dispos in one and / or the other of said forward and aft compartments. Convertible submarine according to claim 1, characterized in that the front transverse partition (217) of the rear section (T) defines, with another transverse partition (221) external to the rear section (T), an additional compartment (212) adjacent to said section, said additional compartment serving as a diesel bunker and making it possible, after transformation, to provide radiological protection of the fore zone of said submarine. Convertible submarine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the front transverse partition (217) of the rear section (T) relates to the entire interior section of the resistant hull (101), while the rear partition (216) of said section relates at the very least to the lower compartment (210), said rear partition being able if necessary to be completed to delimit the rear compartment (233) after transformation. Convertible submarine according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an exhaust circuit (315) of diesels arranged in superstructures outside the resistant hull (101), said circuit having a rear exhaust part (317), and a front exhaust part (318) opening at the level of the body (103) of said submarine, said circuit being transformable as part of the internal substitution so as to comprise only one simplified circuit associated with the backup diesel generator (308). Convertible submarine according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises, in its operating position (203), a control console (314, 322) of diesel generators (302, 303) , said console being replaceable in the context of internal substitution by another control console (314, 325) of the diesel-backup generator (308) and of the nuclear power cell (306). Convertible submarine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rear section (T) has a logistics panel (320) at the level of the resistant hull (101), making it possible to disembark the initial installations (302 , 303, 305, 309, 311, 312) and onboard the replacement facilities (306, 307, 308, 323, 326) as part of the internal substitution. Convertible submarine according to claim 7, characterized in that the logistics panel (320) is provided in the upper part of the rear section (T), and in the vicinity of the front transverse partition (217) delimiting said section. Convertible submarine according to Claims 2 and 7, characterized in that the logistics panel (320) is provided between the front transverse partition (217) and the intermediate transverse partition (231) added as part of the internal substitution. Convertible submarine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the interior of the rear section (T) is accessible for the internal substitution of the installations by transverse cutting of the resistant hull (101), said cutting being carried out between the transverse partitions (216, 217) which delimit it, or beyond one or the other of said transverse partitions but in the vicinity of the transverse partition concerned.

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