Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Re: Fuel Tank Construction
Posted by:
Rainer Bruns
()
Date: September 23, 2002 10:43PM
Hi Jerry,
Ofc, all tanks outside the pressure hull were open to the sea at their bottoms, otherwise the thin outside skin would have collapsed on the first shallow dive. The fuel, as its volume shrank by consumption was floating on water filling the depleted volume from the bottom. When tanks were completely full of fuel with a DC exploding nearby lifting the boat partially, pressure was reduced from below in the tank and small fuel quantities leaked. Most often, however, the DC explosion would crack a weld on the outside skin and a consistent fuel leak would result until fuel was transferred to other tank. This had no detrimental effect on the boats seaworthyness other than telling the oponent where the boat is. This, ofc, presents a major immediate problem. :-))
Rgds, RB
Ofc, all tanks outside the pressure hull were open to the sea at their bottoms, otherwise the thin outside skin would have collapsed on the first shallow dive. The fuel, as its volume shrank by consumption was floating on water filling the depleted volume from the bottom. When tanks were completely full of fuel with a DC exploding nearby lifting the boat partially, pressure was reduced from below in the tank and small fuel quantities leaked. Most often, however, the DC explosion would crack a weld on the outside skin and a consistent fuel leak would result until fuel was transferred to other tank. This had no detrimental effect on the boats seaworthyness other than telling the oponent where the boat is. This, ofc, presents a major immediate problem. :-))
Rgds, RB
