Other Ocean Submersibles

MIRS (Russian) 

      : better interior volume and viewport arrangement

      : Considered the most advanced submersibles <-- more than 1

      : Design: "they remind one more of an aircraft than a marine vehicle

      : Unique Variable ballast system

      : Carry nickel shots for emergencies

      : Battery: NiCd

      : main pressure hulls: maraged steel (made of high nickel steel alloy)

           (denser than Ti but does not require as thick a cross section <-- so

           weight is comparable

      : safety factor of 2.0 at 6000 m <-- how is this determined?

      : 2.1 m inside diameter

      : self contained battery handling system and skid system <-- ?

      : two pilors and operation of navigation system requires two people

 

Nautile   

      : Light weight, streamlined <-- fast ascent/descent rates

      : fits 3 people: a pilot, a navigator, and one observer

      : simple variable ballast system: basedon floodable tanks & droppable

           steel shot

      : Pressure hull design like Mir: two hemispheres sealed w/ an o-ring

      : All hatch anv viewport inserts are o-ring sealed vice welded

      : propulsion recendly modified for direct lateral motion

 

Consul (Russian) 

      : Very heavy, Ti for everything, very beamy. Not very good.

 

Shinkai 6500  

      : viewport overlap comparible to ALVIN but not as good as on Mirs or (Japan)    

 

Nautile

      : Silver-zinc batteries <-- expensive