DESIGN FOR AN ALL-ELECTRIC DESIGN FOR SUPPORT IN INITIAL DESIGN USING THE NETWORK BLOCK APPROACH: A SUBMARINE EXAMPLE

Abstract

The layout of the Distributed Ship Service Systems (DS3) can be a major constraint both on the location of hull berth unit and of transverse bulkheads, with implications for conducting maintenance and so contribute to submarine Sustainability. This paper proposes a new early-stage ship design (ESSD) approach that would aid the designer to consider DS3 features physically and logically much earlier in the design process. The approach is termed the Network Block Approach and combines the advantages of the UCL 3D physically based ship synthesis Design Building Block (DBB) approach and the network-based approach for distributed ship service systems (DS3) synthesis already proposed for naval combatants. The proposed Network Block Approach enables modelling of individual spaces to locate and zone various DS3 components and take account of hull unit boundaries and major bulkheads. The paper discusses the importance of DS3 routing to warship Sustainability through the complexity of a submarine design example and shows how the proposed approach enables this to be explored in ESSD.