5th gen Husky-class nuclear submarine

Given that lead-bismuth eutectic melts at 123.5 deg C, i don't see why the reactor cannot be equipped with a heat tracing system to restart it after a shutdown (eg for maintenance purposes). Something like a hot-oil system where the reactor has a externally-fed re-heat exchanger and small-bore tubing is welded to the coolant lines and where an external hot-oil supply system provides the heated oil media at 200-250 deg C. Its well-established technology for temperature maintenance in bitumen/asphalt storage and handling systems.

I'd like nothing more than the Husky (or at least some of them) to be provided with a modernised version of the OK-550/BM-40A reactors of the Pr 705 Lira/Alfa SSNs. IMHO its a technology that needs to be revisited.

Big_Gazza wrote:Given that lead-bismuth eutectic melts at 123.5 deg C, i don't see why the reactor cannot be equipped with a heat tracing system to restart it after a shutdown (eg for maintenance purposes). Something like a hot-oil system where the reactor has a externally-fed re-heat exchanger and small-bore tubing is welded to the coolant lines and where an external hot-oil supply system provides the heated oil media at 200-250 deg C. Its well-established technology for temperature maintenance in bitumen/asphalt storage and handling systems.

I'd like nothing more than the Husky (or at least some of them) to be provided with a modernised version of the OK-550/BM-40A reactors of the Pr 705 Lira/Alfa SSNs. IMHO its a technology that needs to be revisited.

I heard rumors on balancers(russian speaking defense forum with a lot of insiders), that there were experiments on shutting down and then reheating/restarting the reactor from a cold state and that there was indeed success, however, the class itself was generally not very viable anymore. The reactor tech itself I believe very much is, as you can get a far smaller reactor for the same power, which is always incredibly useful for a submarine.

This was supposed to be a "AWACS" type submarine for the interceptor class(Lira/Alfa), this idea is quite worth revisiting in my opinion with more up to date sonar/non-sonar detection methods and combined with underwater unmanned platforms.

I find it had to belive the Russians would not continue to develop such earth shattering tech as the liquid metal reactor. It should actually be much quieter and safer then a pressureised water reactor that operates under massive pressure and if you are gonna get blasted with super heated steam or molten lead its no real difference. The main diff is the pressures are much lower, the amount of heat transfer per cc of liquid metal is MUCH higher so you can pump much less. Leaks are self fixing. On shutdown you can just let the metal drain into a sump which is electrically heated. I suspect the nuke cruise missile or doomsday torpedo may have one.

I think the main issue was with the fuel assemblies being in the liquid metal itself which likely posed significant issues with the control arms.

x_54_u43 wrote:I think the main issue was with the fuel assemblies being in the liquid metal itself which likely posed significant issues with the control arms.

By all accounts the reactors were quite reliable in operations, its only the shut down, start up cycle that caused logistical headaches.

Is it true the first Huskey class will be the SSBN variant?

AlfaT8 wrote:

mnztr wrote:Is it true the first Huskey class will be the SSBN variant?

What??... why?
The Borei's already fulfills that role, if anything Russia needs some SSGN variants.

That's the Yasen's role.

Husky will be a SSN to fight other subs.

PapaDragon wrote:

Isos wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:

mnztr wrote:Is it true the first Huskey class will be the SSBN variant?

What??... why?
The Borei's already fulfills that role, if anything Russia needs some SSGN variants.

That's the Yasen's role.

Husky will be a SSN to fight other subs.

Yasen is SSGN

Borei is SSBN

The plan is for Husky to be the basis for all classis just like the Columbia class will be based on the Virginia class. Considering the first Huskey will emerge after a bunch of Borei AND Yassens have been laid down it makes sense it will be an SSN, unless they have decided that purebred SSNs are not really worth building any more as an SSGN can do that and a while lot more. In fact anything is possible