---
Submarine Matters makes a feature of charting the development of
Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs), and other technologies, in Japanese submarines. The Japanese Navy (
JMSDF) is very likely to be the first navy
that will openly and operationally use LIBs. This will first be in Japan's first Soryu
Mark 2 submarine (known as 27SS, Build no. 8126, Pennant no. SS-511) see
SORYU
TABLE. 27SS might be commissioned in 2019-2020 or later.
If Japan successfully uses LIBs for years, with few problems, Japan’s Western submarine competitors (Germany’s TKMS, Sweden’s SAAB-Kockums and France’s DCNS) may also develop LIBs for use from the late 2020s.
As Australia’s future
DCNS Shortfins will have an almost completely new electrical system (along with most of its other internal fittings) the Shortfin might be one of the first diesel-electric (conventional) submarines to be built around LIBs. Australia therefore could rely on LIBs to provide extended, fully submerged, range. In support of this contention is the fact Australia never publicly expressed interest in AIP for its future submarines under the SEA 1000 selection process.
Japanese testing of LIBs technology may have occurred on
one, two or all three
Harushio class
submarines that were converted to trainings submarines and then perhaps propulsion testbeds. Those three submarines were renumbered TSS-3606,
TSS-3607 and TSS-3601 (see
Harushio
“Vessels” Table). It is even more likely that
Oyashio
class TSS-3608 was partly converted to a LIBs testbed.
Comments
made anonymously, 21-28 January 2017 indicate that LIB arrangements are very difficult to know with any certainty:
From the published information available it is difficult
to work out how old Lead-acid Batteries (LABs) were moved around in a submarine. LIB moving
arrangements are even more difficult to guess.
Suggested Model
The arrangement of LIBs in a future Japanese submarine is
aimed at promoting safety and efficiency. The heavy LIBs module (weighing 770kg) shown in the diagram
above must be securely anchored on a pedestal. This anchoring may take place as
follows.
- First, a battery module consisted of 8 single cells (see diagram), where the bottom two positions
are empty, is
placed on the pedestal.
- Next, the battery module is anchored to the pedestal by
bolts using the bottom empty positions.
After anchoring a battery module, 2
single cells are fixed in the bottom two positions. That is why
the bottom two
cells seem to be convertible spaces.
- Further provision for anchoring may be:
= more spacing outside the modules, including an accessible central aisle on the keel
= the LIBs' front facing the
aisle, and
= a 6 by 6 row of LIBs arranged in clusters on each side of the aisle.
Perceptions Supporting Model
In support of the above anchoring model is Japanese Industrial
Standard (JIS) For LIBs Installation In Surface Ships. One of the requirements for
installation is ”battery systems shall be anchored to robust structural
elements of the ship by bolts and nuts.”
Also significant are pictures of prototype LIBs of the Japanese
Navy (JMSDF) which clearly need a firm installation process. But any positions/holes
for bolting outside of the battery module are not apparent. This strongly
suggests bolting is conducted inside and at the base of the battery module. Adequate space for bolting is needed - then two single cells can be placed at the bottom of the module.
Batteries on pedestals have the downsides of a higher center of
gravity (maybe increasing vibration and top-heaviness) and may expand any stray magnetic field. But mounting LIBs on pedestals has the benefits of providing better access for installation, maintenance and removal.
One should qualify the above comments on LIB arrangements. The comments are reliant on published sources and Japan’s first fully LIB submarine (27SS, see
SORYU TABLE) hasn’t even been completed yet.
What Is Known About Old LAB
Arrangements Offers Little Help
Looking at a reference of LAB arrangements on old Oberon submarines
suggests ambiguity about how batteries are placed or removed. This may or may
not take place using both vertical and horizontal hydraulic jacks [1]. Then, there is no the pedestal for LABs. Also battery modules for LABs
are arranged in a fully closed packing manner. Whether LIBs use the same arrangement is an unknown.
[1] old Canadian
C.F.’O’ CLASS SUBMARINES (TRAINING NOTEBOOK ELECTRICAL) provides detailed information on LABs in
Oberon class (aka "O boats") subs, used by Canada, Australia and, of course the UK (designer and builder) etc, see:
http://jproc.ca/rrp/rrp2/oberon_battery_and_electrical.pdf [about 5 MB]
In particular see Page 11.26. Where it states: “C. Cell
Lifiting Gear: Sick [that’s what it says!] cells are removed from batteries by
cell lifting gear . Each submarine carries its own lifting gear.” also see:
- Page 11.2 (Fig.11.01 Battery compartment – typical arrangement)
and
- Page 11.16 (Fig.11.06 Arrangement of cell group water
cooling connections)
What We Can
Conclude About Japan’s New Submarine LIB Arrangements From 2020 Onwards
First, it has taken a long time to develop LIBs and great
deal of effort toward establishment of their safety and reliability. A modern
quality control system, utilising a theoretical approach, assisted by computer
simulations, provides guidance on any potential for battery failure and helps predict
average battery life. But, these theoretical results still need validation
through practical use and experimentation, which takes time.
Second, converting a battery system, from traditional LABs (used for up to 120 years by submarine countries) to LIBs, is a difficult
process. This replacement process includes:
- elimination of LABs’ safety ventilation system and water cooling
system,
- total conversion of electrical system (including totally
new wiring, switches and
battery/electrical control computers, etc)
- installation of the LIBs' safety gas cylinder and piping for fire
extinguishing system, and
- as a submarine's batteries in total weigh hundreds of tons re-balancing the whole submarine is
necessary, partly achieved by rearranging some fuel and buoyancy tanks.
So, it is preferable to build a new submarine design (like
the
DCNS
(future) Shortfin) around LIBs rather than retrofitting LIBs in a LABs
submarine.
By Anonymous sources and Pete
#/media/File:TRUMP_badge-1-.jpg){kind=link}
#/media/File:HMS_Trump.jpg){kind=link}
