How Long Can a SUBMARINE AIR SUPPLY Last SUBMERGED?

Question

How Long Can a SUBMARINE AIR SUPPLY Last SUBMERGED?

Answer 1

A nuclear submarine's operational capability is limited by its food supply.  

Submarines have the ability to make its own oxygen by using electrolysis to disassociate water into oxygen and hydrogen.  Oxygen is compressed into storage banks for bleeding into the boat as needed.  The hydrogen is pumped overboard.  We can also burn oxygen candles (sodium perchlorate) to produce oxygen.  

The production of oxygen is only half of the equation since we need to get rid of atmospheric contaminants also.  Carbon Dioxide is scrubbed from the atmosphere with the use of amine, which absorbs CO2 when cool and dissorbs it when heated.  CO2 can also be removed from the atomsphere with LiOH pellets.  CO and H2 (from lead acid storage battery not the production of O2) are removed from the atmosphere with a burner.  The burner is a heated catalyst.  Particulate matter is removed with electrostatic precipitators.

All that said the main way a submerged submarine replenishes its air supply and gets rid of atmospheric contaminants is to come up to periscope depth, raise an induction mast, uses a large blower, and changes out the air volume of air in the people space.

And to the person who referred to nuclear submarines as "atomic".....  that term hasn't been used for over 50 years.  

Come join us in the the 21st century.

Answer 2

Ask at your local Subway.

Answer 3

Pat , your the man! ask the shipyrd commander and he will say"the answer to that question is a "need to know"one"

I worked "nukes" as a shop 11 shipfitter and was a "ocean engineering" member on sea trials.

Answer 4

Triton made an 84-day submerged circumnavigation of the world, travelling 41,500 miles along the route of Magellan.

Answer 5

it depends on the size of the sub.. and how the air is taken in.. the military ones can go for weeks..

but maybe they have a way to get air without submerging also

Answer 6

There is no set time. It depends on how much oxygen is being used in the boat.

Answer 7

WW2 type 24 hours tops, Modern Nuke 6 months or so with air treatment plant working

Answer 8

For atomic submarine? Some years, I guess. As long as the reactor is running it can regenerate the air.

Answer 9

So long as people stop breathing, indefinitely!

I believe that otherwise they use a carbon dioxide extraction system and air conditioning/filtration/ circulation.

Answer 10

A modern nuclear submarine has the capability of making their own oxygen and cleaning the air indefinitely, so they can stay under water as long as they like.  The only reason they would need to surface is to take on more food for the crew.

Answer 11

Subs can electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity the hydrogen is redisolved into the water. The CO2 is removed from the air by either burning a special candle or by forcing the air through a molecular sieve -- CO2 is a large molecule.

bye

Answer 12

Personally i have no idea but you might find the answer at www.howstuffworks.com hope this can be a help to such a weird question or school homework lol.