How do submarines sink and float?

Introduction

Submarines are complex vessels capable of both sinking and floating, a process that is crucial for their operation. Understanding the mechanisms behind these movements involves principles of buoyancy, fluid dynamics, and sometimes even relativistic physics.

Key Insights

Thermopneumatic Mechanism for Buoyancy Control:
- A MEMS-based micro-submarine uses a thermopneumatic mechanism to control its sinking and floating movements. This mechanism involves heating a fluid to change its volume and, consequently, the buoyancy of the submarine.
Relativistic Effects on Buoyancy:
- In the context of general relativity, a submarine moving at high velocities relative to a background fluid will experience changes in buoyancy due to relativistic effects. Observers at rest with the fluid will see the submarine contract and sink due to increased density, while those at rest with the submarine will see the opposite. However, the general relativistic extension of Archimedes' law confirms that the submarine will sink.

Conclusion

Submarines sink and float primarily through mechanisms that control their buoyancy. In micro-submarines, this can be achieved using thermopneumatic systems that alter the volume of internal fluids. Additionally, at high velocities, relativistic effects can influence buoyancy, causing submarines to sink due to density changes as predicted by the general relativistic extension of Archimedes' law.

How do submarines sink and float?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

MEMS-based buoyancy and propelling mechanisms for a micro-submarine

The MEMS-based micro-submarine can sink, float, and move forward, with a thermopneumatic mechanism controlling its movement.

Relativistic Archimedes law for fast moving bodies and the general-relativistic resolution of the ''submarine paradox''

The submarine paradox is resolved in general relativity, as the submarine sinks when in relativistic motion, contrary to the assumption of equilibrium in a fluid.

The Stability of Submarines

Submarines' stability and buoyancy are significantly affected by changes in water draught and trim, leading to accidents and loss of life.

Submarine paradox softened

The submarine paradox can be resolved by considering a moving fluid through another fluid in a weak gravitational field, where the moving fluid has a larger pressure and sinks.

Moving of a submarine under an ice cover in fluid of finite depth

Decreased basin depth leads to decreased special speed and increased flexural-gravity wave height for submarines moving under ice covers in fluid.

Evaluation of Dynamic Anti-Sink Nonlinear Effects for Submarines

The submerged dynamic anti-sink equation for submarines provides a method to measure their sink-resistibility, with high-pressure air blowing and hydrodynamics effects largely determined by water depth and initial speed and speed coefficients.

A method for intermediate flooding and sinking simulation of a damaged floater in time domain

The proposed method effectively simulates intermediate flooding and sinking of damaged floaters in time domain, enabling estimation of time to equilibrium or sink, aiding in emergency planning.

Impacts of top-end vessel sway on vortex-induced vibration of the submarine riser for a floating platform in deep water

Top-end vessel sway significantly amplifies submarine riser's vortex-induced vibration, leading to larger displacements and nonlinear response amplification.

Research on sinkage of submarine fiber optic micro-cable deployed at high-speed

Submarine fiber optic micro-cables should be kept away from upwelling regions, and their sinking velocity is not significantly affected by gravity or navigating velocity.

Solution of Supplee's submarine paradox through special and general relativity

The submarine paradox arises from a misuse of the Archimedes principle in relativistic cases, and can be explained by considering gravitomagnetic effects and speed-dependent gravitational force.

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