RU191206U1 - Submarine with ramjet nuclear power plant - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to heat power engineering and power engineering, namely, to underwater vehicles with a nuclear power plant (NPP) and can be used for underwater combat and civilian research or transport vessels. In a once-through steam nuclear installation, a water intake, a channel for supplying water to a steam generator, the steam generator and nozzle are aligned with the hull of the submarine, and a fuel assembly (FA) is installed in the steam generator as a nuclear source of thermal energy for generating steam the number of fuel rods that provide steam generation with a working pressure that ensures the creation of the required thrust. Direct-flow nuclear power unit provides the lowest possible level of hydroacoustic noise, since the process of generating steam from sea water and cavitation noises accompanying the process of changing the phase state of water during the transition of liquid to steam and at condensations into the liquid (pressure surges) occur inside the nuclear submarine without transmitting disturbances to the water surrounding the boat’s hull. Traction is provided by the most efficient volumetric flow expansion of steam compared to using the kinetic energy of a steam jet exiting the nozzle and generating a recoil force when braking with a liquid, and, moreover, provides more efficient control of the rudders in a high-speed liquid flow. Non-linear direct-flow nuclear power plants using outboard water and with a minimum amount of heat elements (TVEL) provides high tactical and technical characteristics of nuclear submarines, such as lowering frontal hydraulic resistance, noiselessness and a high level of radiation safety.

Description

The utility model relates to heat power engineering and power engineering, namely, to underwater vehicles with a nuclear power plant (NPP) and can be used for underwater combat and civilian research or transport vessels.

In complex, heavy-weight, large-sized and significantly reducing the volume of the payload power plants of the known nuclear submarines, a multi-loop closed cycle for generating the working fluid of water vapor and a multiple cycle of converting its potential energy is carried out: into mechanical in a steam turbine, mechanical steam turbine into electric an electric generator, an electric electric generator into a mechanical one in an electric motor, which is then used to rotate the screw through a reduction gear, propulsive pushing force for the movement of nuclear submarines.

Steam is discharged from the turbine and condensed in a condenser cooled by outboard water flowing through pipes designed for full outboard pressure. Outboard water is pumped by a circulation pump.

Known is a simplified nuclear power plant for submarines with a nuclear submarine loopless reactor using outboard water as a working fluid, containing a channel for supplying water to a steam generator, a nuclear reactor as a heat source for generating steam, fuel elements and which control rods, installed in the steam generator, and the potential energy of the steam exiting through the nozzle is used to create a propulsive propulsive force for movement. (RF patent No. 2380563 - prototype).

When creating a technical solution protected by a utility model, the tasks were: to drastically simplify the design of the nuclear power plant of a nuclear submarine, to reduce its weight and occupied volume, to reduce its frontal hydroresistance when moving the nuclear submarine, the level of hydroacoustic noise, and also to increase the level of radiation safety and reduce the cost of its production and operation.

The tasks are solved in that the water intake, the channel for supplying water to the steam generator, the steam generator and the nozzle are made coaxial to the hull of the submarine, and as a nuclear source of thermal energy for generating steam in the steam generator, a fuel assembly (FA) with a minimum number of fuel elements ensuring generation steam with a working pressure that ensures the creation of the required propulsive pushing force.

The above distinguishing features provide a solution to the tasks identified when creating this utility model.

The channel for sea water from the intake to the steam generator has a small diameter and practically does not reduce the effective volume of the nuclear submarines, while the volume occupied by the water and steam along the entire length in the central part of the nuclear submarine increases its buoyancy, provides the least draft of the ship, and reduces the volume of standard ballast tanks and ballast requirements.

The force pushing the submarine is created by the difference in forces created by the pressure drop of the steam over the cross-sectional area of the water supply channel to the steam generator and over the cross-sectional area of the steam generator.

The process of generating steam from sea water and cavitation noises accompanying the process of changing the phase state of water during the transition of a liquid into steam and during condensation into a liquid (pressure surges) occur inside the nuclear submarine without transmitting disturbances to the water surrounding the boat’s hull and, consequently, their further propagation with the possibility fixation with hydroacoustic equipment, which in turn increases maneuverability when controlling nuclear submarines with steering gear, since the process of vapor condensation is completed in the cylindrical channel of the nozzle.

The creation of traction is ensured by the most effective volume expansion of the steam in comparison with the use of the kinetic energy of the steam jet exiting the nozzle and creating a recoil force when braking with the fluid, and more efficient control of the rudders in the high-speed fluid flow is provided.

When using nuclear submarines in civilian execution of the room (cabin) for the crew and passengers, cargo compartments for accommodating the transported cargo, and when using various types of military weapons as torpedo tubes for torpedoes and mines for cruise and intercontinental missiles (ICBMs) are located in cylindrical volume around the axial channel along its entire length.

The power of a nuclear power plant is determined by the displacement of the nuclear submarine and the required speed, while the fuel assembly should ensure the generation of saturated steam with a temperature excluding its condensation at various depths of immersion.

The direct-flow direct-flow nuclear power plant using outboard water and with a minimum amount of fuel elements (TVEL) provides high tactical and technical characteristics of ALL, such as reduced frontal hydraulic resistance, noiselessness, and a high level of radiation safety.

To ensure maximum combat effectiveness of the nuclear submarines as a warhead for ICBMs, it is advisable to use a gas-vapor charge of increased power according to patent No. 177942.

Claims (1)

A submarine with a steam nuclear power plant, using seawater as a working fluid, comprising a channel for supplying seawater to a steam generator, a steam generator with a source of nuclear thermal energy for generating steam and a nozzle, characterized in that the channel for supplying water to the steam generator, steam generator and nozzle are made coaxial to the hull of the submarine; as a nuclear source of thermal energy for generating steam, a fuel assembly (FA) with a minimum amount of fuel elements is installed in the steam generator c, providing steam generation to create the required thrust.