Yuan Class AIP & Kilo Submarine Thread

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
Are there any good guesses how much power such a system should generate ?

If I'm not wrong, "normal" AIP systems generate a few hundred KW of power.
A reactor for a "normal" SSN would generate at least 5MW of usable power (shaft/electric) which would be >15MW thermal (for a rather "underpowered" SSN).

I guess a "nuclear AIP" should fit the following demands:
- enough power to be worth the trouble (at least as much power as a "normal AIP")
- significantly smaller and cheaper than "real nuclear propulsion"
- lower maintenance needs than "real nuclear propulsion", perhaps some way to change the whole "power pack" at once after opening a big hatch
- no need for "nuclear engineers" in the crew (or at least significantly reduced compared to "real nuclear propulsion")

Could something like a 500KW (electric) reactor (perhaps 2MW thermal) fit these requirements ?

Maybe 600kW?

There is an estimate of 38KW required for a stationary Yuan.

Then there is the smaller Gotland submarine which has 150KW of Stirling Engines for a sustained speed of 5knots.
And the Type-212 has a total of 600KW of fuel cells. It did a 2800km journey in 2weeks at 4-5knots as well.
Plus the Soviets tested 600KW VAU-6 auxiliary reactors on their diesel-electric submarines.
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
With later and later pictures, I see less and less of the square sailed Yuans. Either the number of the curved sail Yuans are increasing --- no way to track the new builds --- or older ones are being refitted to the new form. Or both is happening.
 

by78

General
A magazine scan...

(2048 x 1407)
48400837562_25e19b83a1_k.jpg
 

Biscuits

Major
Registered Member
Was it stretched for movie purposes? Or was the boat the navy lent out for filming stretched to begin with?
 
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