Smarter Everyday visits a submarine.

[Cameramonkey]

And, you need some room in the freezer.
If someone dies, guess where you store the body.

XO's bunk?

 

[Dave A]

XO's bunk?

Make little chunks out of him and drop them out the TDU.

 

[actaeon277]

I thought a torpedo tube was claustrophobic.
At least that was 21" in diameter.

[video=youtube;q5YXv_MLffc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5YXv_MLffc[/video]






If you want to hear/see some stuff about battleships, this channel is for you.

 

[maxwelhse]

I thought a torpedo tube was claustrophobic.
At least that was 21" in diameter.

If you want to hear/see some stuff about battleships, this channel is for you.

Dude deserves to be appointed as honorary John McClane...

[video=youtube;vDWJW7VLW9s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDWJW7VLW9s[/video]

 

[actaeon277]

In this video, he climbs into the catacombs on the New Jersey.
About 2:45 is where he begins.

[video=youtube;SOIv2kv_yhs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOIv2kv_yhs&t=174s[/video]

 

[Jaybird1980]

I probably missed it in the videos, but I've been curious about what they do with the trash storage. I imagine a compactor somewhere.

Or maybe it something Hi-Tech like in Back to the future.

 

[Alamo]

I've been busy for awhile, so just now catching up:

...
One of the "lessons learned" was that if the hull insulation catches fire, there will be thick black smoke.
So, one of the chief's wife sewed elastic to several dozen black pieces of cloth, that could be fitted over the mask.
Drill monitors would apply them to your mask when you entered a "smoke filled" compartment.
....

Basic structural firefighting training same. Modern house materials (since WWII) not only put off loads of black smoke, the gasses are even deadlier than CO2, so a well-fitting mask is important. Sometimes we used covers during training, but even cheaper as to simply crumple up some paper inside the mask, shoved up against the clear eye shield. Or turn off all the lights in the room and not allow flashlights. Practice searching the room for victims while totally blind and preferably not getting lost.

Biggest risk of fire is electrical.
....

Similarly, first thing on scene, do 360 walkaround and secure all the utilities. Of course we didn't have to keep half the house running while putting out the fire, so didn't have to be as selective about which circuits got shut off. ALL of them.

...
So when they talk about the steaks and stuff, remember that he also talks about a LOT of chicken.

Ha! That brings back a memory or two. Welcome to your mid-east deployment! I dunno about the guys who went to Iraq, but man I got tired of chicken during my tours elsewhere in the region. Pork is haraam, beef is hard to raise locally and expensive to import, but chicken everywhere. Cluck cluck cluck. On the street (shawarma, mmmmmm!) or on the arab bases could get lamb and goat, but the US bases basically stuck to chicken with periodic "steak nights." At least it was labeled steak. Phony (turkey)bacon for breakfast.

 

[actaeon277]

Yup. The "steaks". Mostly it was rejects. But it was beef.
But on the 6 month deployments, we had a celebration on "Half Way Day".
No drills.
Creme pie thrown into an officer's face that was voted on.
And REAL steak and lobster tail.
Of course, that stuff costs, so it meant more chicken later.

 

[actaeon277]

As for securing ALL power, you are right. The sub still has to run.
Subs usually maintain negative buoyancy.
That means they want to keep sinking.
But forward momentum providing flow across the planes counteracts that.
Stop that propeller though, and you start a slow long decent.
One that culminates in a rapid pressure transient.

 

[actaeon277]

I probably missed it in the videos, but I've been curious about what they do with the trash storage. I imagine a compactor somewhere.

Or maybe it something Hi-Tech like in Back to the future.

I'll try to remember to get back to this tonight when I am on a computer, and can answer better.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Only slightly related, but this was an awesome episode of Destin destroying stuff.

[video=youtube;4I-p8vjQ95s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I-p8vjQ95s[/video]

 

[actaeon277]

I probably missed it in the videos, but I've been curious about what they do with the trash storage. I imagine a compactor somewhere.

Or maybe it something Hi-Tech like in Back to the future.

There is a compactor.
And a TDU (Trash Disposal Unit)


[video=youtube;2_b-IwRejgc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_b-IwRejgc[/video]






Also,
Submarine 101 - The Basics about U.S. Nuclear Powered Submarines
Submarine Food - What do you do with the Garbage?

Garbage is segregated into 2 categories - biodegradable and not. The stuff that will decompose gets compacted into the metal cans you see hanging from the wall, and dropped out through the TDU - Trash Disposal Unit - on the left, which is about a one-foot diameter hole in the bottom of the submarine.
- The stuff that isn't biodegradable (i.e. plastics), gets cleaned up and stored until the submarine returns to port.

 

[actaeon277]

Here is a sheet you make the TDU can from.
You roll it into a cylinder.
Notice the tabs at the top and side.
Those are used to hold the rolled sheet in the cylinder form.
Also, notice the circles at the top left and bottom right.
Those form the lid and bottom of the cylinder. With their own tabs to lock them in place.


Trash is placed in the cylinder till it is full.
It is compacted.
More trash placed in cylinder.
Repeat till no more goes in.
Then, weigh the cylinder.
It must weigh AT LEAST a certain weight. (No, i can't remember the weight).
If it's heavier, it will sink.
If it's lighter, it will float.
If it's compacted, and still too light, there are lead weights (TDU weights) to add until it is over the minimum weight.
Close the top.
Store cylinders in a small, stinky room, until you are in a place where you can shoot them.

This is a dangerous and noisy evolution. Not REAL noisy, but enough someone could hear you, and they like to sink submarines they find.
So, if you're in the middle of nowhere, no threats nearby, then..
On my sub, the TDU was under a counter top. So you had to clear the counter, lift it up, secure it.
Then, basically use the TDU like a torpedo tube that shoots garbage out the bottom of the sub.
Be VERY careful not to sink the sub.

 

[maxwelhse]

Be VERY careful not to sink the sub.

This seems obvious. Maybe too obvious.

Or is the key not to sink the sub... more?

 

[Jaybird1980]

Thanks, I like how a lot of operations are kept simple

 

[actaeon277]

This seems obvious. Maybe too obvious.

Or is the key not to sink the sub... more?

There is sink, and SINK.


If you open the muzzle door and breach door at the same time, you'll accomplish both.

 

[maxwelhse]

There is sink, and SINK.


If you open the muzzle door and breach door at the same time, you'll accomplish both.

So a failure that is so spontaneous that isolating it is nearly impossible? I would have guessed there would be a pretty serious number of interlocks to prevent that sort of thing.

 

[actaeon277]

So a failure that is so spontaneous that isolating it is nearly impossible? I would have guessed there would be a pretty serious number of interlocks to prevent that sort of thing.

I am not familiar enough with the TDU to remember if there were interlocks.
I imagine there were.
HOWEVER.
ALL things made by man can fail.
Interlocks are often tested, but never relied upon.



The Snorkel Mast for the diesel generator has a water sensor. If the mast submerges, the sensor detects the slug of water, and shuts the valve.
Well*** it SHOULD shut.
Our mast went under, and didn't.
The result was enough water coming onboard to wake up Petty Officer Actaeon in his bottom bunk with water slapping his face.
This caused a bit of a orifice clenching moment.

 

[actaeon277]

The best way to get rid of the garbage..
In the Caribbean we surfaced once for another reason.
While we were up, the Old Man decided we should empty the TDU room.
Cans were brought up, and thrown overboard.

And, much to the the Captain's displeasure, some of the cans floated.
The Supply Officer (in charge of the Mess Decks, including garbage) was summoned, and shown the floating garbage.
It was then pointed out that we could be leaving a trail down the East Coast.
Which if it was enemy territory, would result in us being hunted down.
The Supply Officer was then made to sign off on EVERY TDU can, certifying that it had been weighed, before the can could be disposed of.
Needless to say, the Supply Officer was NOT happy.

 

[maxwelhse]

I am not familiar enough with the TDU to remember if there were interlocks.
I imagine there were.
HOWEVER.
ALL things made by man can fail.
Interlocks are often tested, but never relied upon.



The Snorkel Mast for the diesel generator has a water sensor. If the mast submerges, the sensor detects the slug of water, and shuts the valve.
Well*** it SHOULD shut.
Our mast went under, and didn't.
The result was enough water coming onboard to wake up Petty Officer Actaeon in his bottom bunk with water slapping his face.
This caused a bit of a orifice clenching moment.

Oh for sure you don't just trust the systems. I'm shocked that there was a human failure far enough up the chain to let water in the boat from the snorkel at all. Heavy seas splash over it or was this a full-on dunce move?

As a side note, fully understanding that it's a dangerous job, given all of the ways you've outlined how to easily die (and a few times you thought it may be a risk), what was a respectively "care free" day on a sub like? I would think various quiet ops, which can't be discussed, would be areas of general low stress? Fewer drills and such maybe?