Nuke subs are (if I recall correctly) two pressure vessels of thick welded steel. There are well developed processes for working it and it is very forgiving. It’s a classic material that works very well.
CFRP is the last material I would use without a redundant structure for a sub’s main vessel. It’s challenging material to get right and flaws can be difficult to spot, even with ultrasound/xray. For fins, ducts and interior furniture, etc that’s fine.
U.S. subs are only one pressure vessel (single hull). The steel is HY (high yield) series. Russian subs typically have double hulls, where the inner hull is the pressure hull and the outer hull is the hydrodynamic hull.
Nuke subs are (if I recall correctly) two pressure vessels of thick welded steel. There are well developed processes for working it and it is very forgiving. It’s a classic material that works very well.
CFRP is the last material I would use without a redundant structure for a sub’s main vessel. It’s challenging material to get right and flaws can be difficult to spot, even with ultrasound/xray. For fins, ducts and interior furniture, etc that’s fine.
U.S. subs are only one pressure vessel (single hull). The steel is HY (high yield) series. Russian subs typically have double hulls, where the inner hull is the pressure hull and the outer hull is the hydrodynamic hull.