Application Of Titanium Material On Nuclear Submarines In The Former Soviet Union

Application Of Titanium Material On Nuclear Submarines In The Former Soviet Union

From 1963 to the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the former Soviet Union built a total of IV Grade 24 whole-titanium alloy attack nuclear submarines, including 7 of "Alpha" Class, 1 of "Mike" class, 4 of “Serra”Class II Type,  12 of "Typhoon" class II Type.

1. The "Alpha" Class uses a lot of new technologies, majority of titanium alloy materials were used, creating a number of the First in the history of the nuclear submarines constrution in the former Soviet Union, it came out on the widespread concern of the international community. Hull with double-layer high-pressure housing, pressure housing using titanium plates, titanium plates not only had good toughness, but also had a high strength, can resist the shock wave caused by depth bomb explosion; the most amazing place in the world of "alpha" level is its set of large depth and high speed together, its max depth can be 914 meters, underwater speed 42 section of the hull, it was the world's first. The hull was designed to be Whale-type water drop-type to reduce drag, benefit by using titanium alloy in high-pressure housing.

There were reports showed that the United States Navy in the spring of 1979 for the first time found the “Alpha” class nuclear submarine can dive into the deep sea of 900 meters was not to know what to do, then the types of torpedoes were not even up to the depth, simply can not attack it. In addition to the housing using titanium alloy, the boat interior extensive use of titanium pipes, titanium valves and titanium alloy accessories, heat exchange plates and pipes, Power Drive propeller and paddle shaft (compared to the corresponding special copper alloy before the use with the same speed, weight reduction about more than 50%, life more than 5 times of the copper alloy), sonar shroud on the submarine, torpedo launch systems and other key components are using titanium alloy, making the amount of titanium per boat reaches a milestone of 3000T, in order to ensure that the “Alpha” class nuclear, it was known as “ A nuclear Submarine ahead of Its Time".

2. The "Mike" level, referred to as "M" level. The class boat built only one, in 1988 officially incorporated into the former Soviet navy active service, in the same year was named as “Excellent Boat”, and was awarded the “Komsomol” boat name (that is, later the accident of the famous "Komsomol"). The boat used a whale-type Water Drop-type design, the shape resembles a torpedo. Double shell structure, external pressure housing using titanium alloy material, like plates, inner and outer shell spacing was large, divided into seven compartments.The reactor on board the boat used a pressurized water reactor, the engine disc and rotor blades, pipes, valves and their accessories, heat exchange plates and pipes are made of titanium alloy material. Ship installed navigation systems, search radar, sonar (titanium alloy shroud); weapon systems compared to “alpha” level also increased significantly, with six torpedo launch tubes (titanium alloy material launch tube, improve the strength of the launch parameters and other performance is greatly improved), it can launch a variety of weapons: such as cruise missiles, anti-submarine missiles and torpedoes, greatly enrich the means of attack submarines, improveDuring the experimental operation, the boat dived to a depth of 1250 meters, setting a world record for the depth of combat submarines at the time. It can be said that in the boat brought together the latest titanium alloy technology achievements of the former Soviet Union at that time, for the subsequent construction of nuclear submarines provides a lot of valuable experience. Later, the accident was caused by human error caused by the circuit system on fire, not the submarine's own design and material reasons.

3. "Serra" class referred to as S-Class, A total of 2 Type with 4 ships built, "Serra" class using elongated drop-shaped linear design and double-shell structure of a plurality of small compartments, external pressure housing using titanium alloy material plate, the inner and outer shell spacing is large.The power plant is a pressurized water reactor 1 and 2 steam turbines, the engine disc and rotor blades, pipes, valves and their accessories, heat exchange plates and pipes are made of titanium alloy material. Ship installed navigation systems, search radar, sonar (titanium alloy shroud), power drive propeller and paddle shaft are used titanium alloy material, weapon systems equipped with eight pneumatic and hydraulic balanced torpedo launch device (titanium alloy material launch tube), can carry multiple types of torpedoes, anti-submarine missiles and long-range cruise missiles, you can also launch anti-aircraft missiles, attack ability, especially anti-submarine ability is very strong.

What really made the Serra class famous was a collision underwater between Russian and American nuclear submarines after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.In 1992, a“Los Angeles” - class attack nuclear submarine of the United States Navy tracked the“Serra” - class nuclear submarine of the Russian Northern Fleet at the entrance to the military port on the Kola Peninsula. After the Russian submarine found, Take head-on collision tactical action, rushed to the American submarine.The shell of the Russian submarine's conning tower crashed into the hull of the American submarine, and its shell was almost completely destroyed.The pressure-resistant hull of the American submarine suffered a fatal impact and was forced to retire three years later, becoming the first decommissioned“Los Angeles” - class submarine.In stark contrast, the Russian ship "Serra" class nuclear submarine after repair, although after the collapse of the former Soviet Union after all kinds of hardships, but still in service, which also fully proved that the type of boat protection capacity is called first-class, but also proved that titanium alloy in marine, especially submarine pressure shell used in huge advantages.

4. "Typhoon" class is the former Soviet Union's largest ballistic missile submarine,is also the world's largest volume and tonnage submarine record holder, its single boat using titanium reached an amazing amount of 9000 tons, built before the collapse of the Soviet Union“Typhoon”class 2 Type 12 ships.The first”Typhoon " class nuclear submarine began construction in 1977 and began service in 1982.Displacement of 33.8 Kt,not only about 1 times larger than the United States similar boats, and dive deeper( up to 1830m, faster speed( speed of 27 knots, 30% faster than similar ordinary submarines).

"Typhoon" class nuclear submarine double-shell structure, non-pressure housing made of high-strength low magnet, pressure housing built with titanium alloy,” Typhoon "class a total of 19 compartments, from the cross section as a “product" shaped layout, and in the main pressure hull, pressure central compartment and torpedo compartment using titanium alloy material,tough double-shell structure makes the submarine when subjected to ordinary torpedo attack,most of theOverall, the "typhoon" level is sufficient to fight the general attack submarines and surface anti-submarine ships, the ship's reactor pipes, Engine discs and rotor blades, valves and accessories, heat exchange plates, most pipeline pipes, power drive device propeller and paddle shaft, navigation system fixed components, search radar fixed components, sonar shroud made of titanium alloy material.