Diagram - Inside the Soryu Submarine

"wispywood2344" has drawn and labeled this very useful diagram of the Soryu.  A larger version of the diagram is at http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/Soryu_cutaway.svg. 

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Looking at the diagram:

-  The coloured sections (1 to 12) are within the pressure hull where the crew lives. The pressure hull is protected by the strongest steel - Japanese Naval Steel (NS110).  The outer line is the streamlined exterior hull (where components can tolerate higher water pressures) - protected by less high yield steel like NS80.

-  Torpedo Section 1. Here the Weapon Embarkation Hatch allows perhaps 10 x torpedos/missiles and perhaps 20 x mines to be slotted backwards and then neatly fitted into this section. Other mixtures of weapons are possible, up to 20 heavyweight torpedos and/or missiles.

  

-  Stirling Generator Section 9. The presence of Stirling AIP indicates this is a Soryu Mark 1 (see Soryu Table below, SS-501 to SS-510). See Soryu Table below. As a Mark 1 it retains lead-acid batteries (LABs).

-  LOx Tanks/Cold Box Section 10 these feed the Stirling Generators.

-  Adding Sections 9 and 10 together shows the great amount of space AIP takes up in the current Soryus. All this AIP equipment is also heavy (perhaps 150 tons) and also causes buoyancy problems as the LOx is expended. Stirling AIP is not useful high speed cruisinge because its AIP is low and nearly constant (eg. 240kW for Stirling AIP in Soryus). This AIP cannot be refueled during missions because it needs liquid oxygen (LOx) and kerosene which cannot be supplied by other ships.

-  Lithium-ion Batteries can fill some of the space previously used by AIP. Diesel fuel can be used in diesels to recharge LIBs. Diesel, unlike AIP LOx and kerosene, can be supplied by other ships.

-  S advised in Comments below that Japanese Ministry of Defence technical standards require that  240 cell modules are set in fore battery section (Section 5) and also in the aft battery section (Section 8). So S estimates that the location and arrangement of lead-acid battery cell modules in the Soryu considering the following factors: 

   i) hull size and structure (hull diameter and length, sound absorber and hull thickness, frame size)

  ii) amount of overhead space and aisle space for maintenance and installation of cell modules, and  iii) spacing between cell modules for electric wiring. In battery Sections (5 and 8 in Diagram), 20 lines x 6 cell modules are set in the starboard side and port side of a central maintenance aisle over the keel. So the mathematics are 2 (sections) x 2 (sides) x 20 (lines) x 6 (cell modules) = the 480 cell modules Total.

In 27SS and 28SS which may be prototypes of 29SS and SAE concept, Lox tanks and cold box (10) will be exchanged by additional LIBs. Along with equipment of LIBs, following consideration will be needed: i) improvement of electric propulsion system including motors, ii) improvement diesel electric and snorkel generation system, iii) improvement of safety and electric wiring system for higher current and voltage.

The Soryus are built in Kobe, Japan with builds alternating between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) each year. See Soryu Table below.

MHI built Soryus can be distinguished from KHI built Soryus by the shape of bridge door near hydroplane on the sail. 

MHI built Soryus have rectangular doors with sharp corners (see photo above)

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 KHI built Soryus have doors with round corners. This is significant for we Soryu spotters because one can determine from which shipyard a Soryu is made even when the numbers/Soryu identities have been blacked out.

Soryu Table

SS No.	Building No.	Pennant No.	Name/Namesake	LAB or LIB & AIP *	Laid Down	Laun -ched	Commi-ssioned	Built By
16SS	8116	SS-501	Sōryū (そうりゅう) / Blue Dragon	LAB + AIP	March 2005	Dec 2007	March 2009	MHI
17SS	8117	SS-502	Unryū (うんりゅう) / Cloud Dragon	LAB + AIP	March 2006	Oct 2008	March 2010	KHI
18SS	8118	SS-503	Hakuryū (はくりゅう) / White Dragon	LAB + AIP	Feb 2007	Oct 2009	March 2011	MHI
19SS	8119	SS-504	Kenryū (けんりゅう) / Sword Dragon	LAB + AIP	March 2008	Nov 2010	March 2012	KHI
20SS	8120	SS-505	Zuiryu (けんりゅう) / Sword Dragon	LAB + AIP	March 2009	Oct 2011	March 2013	MHI
22SS	8122	SS-506	Kokuryū (こくりゅう) / Black Dragon	LAB + AIP	January 2011	Oct 2013	March 2014	KHI
23SS	8123	SS-507	Jinryū (じんりゅう)/ Benevolent Dragon	LAB + AIP	Feb 2012	Nov 2014	March 2016?	MHI
24SS	8124	SS-508	Sekiryu  /Holy Dragon	LAB + AIP	2013	Nov 2015	2017	KHI
25SS	8125	SS-509	?	LAB + AIP	2014	2016?	2018	MHI
26SS	8126	SS-510	?	LAB? + AIP	2015	2017?	2019	KHI
27SS	8127	SS-511	Soryu Mark 2	LIB only	2016?	2018?	2020?	MHI
28SS	8128	SS-512	?	LIB only	2017?	2019?	2021?	KHI
29SS	8129	SS-513	Next- Generation Japanese Submarine	LIB only	2018?	2020?	2022?	MHI
1AU?			1st Australian class?		2023?	2026?	2029?

- LAB = Lead Acid Battery.

- LIB = Lithium-ion Battery,

- AIP = Air Independent Propulsion (Swedish-Kockums designed Stirling engine)

Pete