Abstract
An extraterrestrial submarine has been proposed to explore Saturn's moon Titan. A major design concern is the effect of effervescence on submarine operation. Because nitrogen gas has a relatively high solubility in the liquid ethane and methane seas, waste heat generated by the submarine power system may cause dissolved nitrogen gas to come out of solution. In a non-moving case, bubbles that form may interfere with science measurements. In a moving case, bubbles that form along the body may coalesce at the aft end of the craft and cause cavitation in the propellers. This paper presents a concise effervescence model as a function of the waste heat, location of submarine within the seas (liquid temperature and pressure), and contact angle between bubbles and submarine skin. Based on results, effervescence is a strong function of heat flux into the liquid as well as contact angle, possibly requiring limits on the power system or a redesign of the thermal management system. The current submarine operating waste heat flux is 370 W/m2, which when compared to recent bubble incipience data suggests a small margin in safety factor, however.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
