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Has ANYONE ELSE ever built a deep sea vessel with carbon fiber hull?

This is the only other submersible I could find that has a C...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
tbf, it doesn’t seem like these guys did it either.
Racy fat ankles
  06/20/23
...
arousing massive weed whacker
  06/20/23
...
Cracking Tanning Salon
  06/20/23
...
stirring church mother
  06/20/23
wait, it's not even a metal frame?
cerebral maize athletic conference
  06/20/23
lol. do you think people would pay $300k to visit the titani...
Racy fat ankles
  06/20/23
One section is titanium, the rest is carbon fiber. I wonder ...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
Tbf lugged carbon is a beautiful look https://www.roadbik...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
Yes those bikes make great wall decorations at theme restaur...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
I thought the pressure vessel was titanium?
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
Engineered and built by OceanGate, Titan, is comprised of ca...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
Interface rings are just two matching flanges that bolt toge...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
None of the things you just listed have metal "interfac...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
"Interface rings" doesn't refer to the ti-carbon i...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
The hemispheres are connected to a CF hull somehow. I assume...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
Nah, it's basically how the door seals. See the metallic rin...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
If your house was subjected to immense external pressure, th...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
Cf isn't bolted to metal. It's bonded with epoxy. I'm showin...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
Ok, but interface rings are still the linkage between the CF...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
I agree. I imagine that the cf-ti bond is the experimental p...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
NSAM ahead of the headlines by 96 hours at least
overrated self-absorbed senate
  04/28/25
JFC at making a submarine out of carbon fiber. It gets stres...
multi-colored cruise ship
  06/20/23
You'll get no warning. No ominous creaking or bending, just ...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
It's woven around ti hemispheres. They've made compressed ga...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
What's the internal PSI of those tanks? This thing was desig...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
4000 psi
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
link
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
https://www.amazon.com/4500psi-Pressure-Composite-Cylinder-P...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
That's a monocoque structure. CF isn't bonded to metal.
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
https://ams-composites.com/choosing-the-right-gas-cylinder-t...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
For type 2 it literally says "Type 2 cylinders are suit...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
"While the vessel was designed to operate down to 4,000...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
oh god oh-
contagious public bath pocket flask
  06/20/23
Assuming a tube structure 60” in diameter, how thick s...
multi-colored cruise ship
  06/20/23
I think the bigger issue is how you seal it if it's not a mo...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
It sounds like the carbon fiber is a liner.
Exhilarant Domesticated Degenerate Chapel
  06/20/23
That's what I thought too, but it sounds like it was necessa...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
It's basically bonded to metal with epoxy, then the cf is im...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
A resin that's formulated bond to titanium and carbon fiber ...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
No idea, but it sucks to be the passengers if the answer is ...
Unholy twinkling stain
  06/20/23
a deep sea vessel made entirely out of thinkpads
Vigorous ivory indirect expression
  06/20/23
tbf, better than a vessel made out of any other laptop
cerebral maize athletic conference
  06/20/23
i make my deep sea vessels out of TOUGHBOOKS
At-the-ready Bright Set Internal Respiration
  06/20/23
Why can’t a dolphin just dive down and rescue them? I ...
Learning disabled stage
  06/20/23
http://www.xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359335&mc=2...
overrated self-absorbed senate
  06/20/23
I’m an avid scuba diver. I’d never get in a subm...
thriller clown
  06/20/23
OP here
overrated self-absorbed senate
  04/28/25


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:20 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

This is the only other submersible I could find that has a CF hull, and it only goes to 30m.

https://blog.carbonfibergear.com/taking-carbon-fiber-to-the-next-level-below-sea-level/

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450181)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:22 PM
Author: Racy fat ankles

tbf, it doesn’t seem like these guys did it either.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450189)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:39 PM
Author: arousing massive weed whacker



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450265)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:59 PM
Author: Cracking Tanning Salon



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450348)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:22 PM
Author: stirring church mother



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450498)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:41 PM
Author: cerebral maize athletic conference

wait, it's not even a metal frame?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450269)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:42 PM
Author: Racy fat ankles

lol. do you think people would pay $300k to visit the titanic?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450274)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:44 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

One section is titanium, the rest is carbon fiber. I wonder how it was bonded/sealed. With bicycle frames you want all CF or all metal, no mix and match like people tried to do in the 90s.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450285)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:46 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

Tbf lugged carbon is a beautiful look

https://www.roadbikereview.com/attachments/110886-151fa3618d1648f2a9dc3e1af018472f-jpeg.306144/

https://ilovebicycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/What-is-a-Lugged-Frame.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_K3LsaGxYIZg/TM-bBEPfMhI/AAAAAAAABW4/PAj-6Mtpj-k/s400/iflugged4.jpg

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450289)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:48 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

Yes those bikes make great wall decorations at theme restaurants.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450292)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:46 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

I thought the pressure vessel was titanium?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450287)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:50 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

Engineered and built by OceanGate, Titan, is comprised of carbon fiber and titanium. The filament wound cylinder that forms the center section of the pressure vessel is 5" thick and made from over 800 layers of carbon fiber material. The entire pressure vessel is comprised of two titanium hemispheres, two matching titanium interface rings, and the 142 cm (56") internal diameter, 2.4-m (100") long carbon fiber wound cylinder – the largest such device ever built for use in a manned submersible. The use of carbon fiber reduces the overall weight compared to other deep-sea submersibles.

https://www.compositesworld.com/news/oceangate-ceo-pilots-carbon-fiber-submersible-in-4000-m-solo-dive

"Interface rings" leaves a lot to the imagination.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450301)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:55 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

Interface rings are just two matching flanges that bolt together. They're used on spacecraft, subs, boilers, reactors, etc.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450325)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:01 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

None of the things you just listed have metal "interfaced" with carbon fiber. Did they use glue or what?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450364)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:08 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

"Interface rings" doesn't refer to the ti-carbon interface; it refers to the interface between the pressure vessel hemispheres

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450401)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:12 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

The hemispheres are connected to a CF hull somehow. I assumed "interface" refers to whatever connects the hemispheres to the hull.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450423)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:17 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

Nah, it's basically how the door seals. See the metallic ring between the gray half-sphere and the white cylindrical hull? Those are interface rings

https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/1007B26A-B41D-42B9-9257BEB473F6C411_source.jpg?w=390&h=520&CD79B047-8811-4FD3-8453FB80B0B13970

In this pic its the ring with all the bolts.

https://www.rigal-bennett.com/images/Product/n7744-05/n7744-05_18808.JPG

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450461)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:20 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

If your house was subjected to immense external pressure, the doors would blow out before the main structure. Your second pic doesn't show CF bolted to metal.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450487)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:29 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

Cf isn't bolted to metal. It's bonded with epoxy. I'm showing you what interface rings are, which has nothing to do with the carbon-metal interface.

That's why the "door" is a hemisphere of the pressure vessel. It's the easiest way to open the pressure vessel to allow passengers to enter.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450561)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:36 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

Ok, but interface rings are still the linkage between the CF portion of the hull and the titanium hubs. There isn't titanium running the full length of the hull.

So you have titanium at one end with an interface ring that's attached to another titanium interface ring that encircles the CF hull. It sounds like the titanium rings would have to be attached to the hull with some sort of epoxy.

I don't know what epoxy bonds to both titanium and CF with enough strength to reliably withstand these pressures. I am only aware of hybrid CF/metal designs being used to save cost at the expense of durability. That's what I meant when I said this leaves a lot to the imagination.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450598)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:43 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

I agree. I imagine that the cf-ti bond is the experimental part.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450631)



Reply Favorite

Date: April 28th, 2025 4:24 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

NSAM ahead of the headlines by 96 hours at least

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#48888050)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:51 PM
Author: multi-colored cruise ship

JFC at making a submarine out of carbon fiber. It gets stressed unbelievably easily and will simply collapse.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450306)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:52 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

You'll get no warning. No ominous creaking or bending, just instantaneous total failure.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450308)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:00 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

It's woven around ti hemispheres. They've made compressed gas tanks that way for years

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450356)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:05 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

What's the internal PSI of those tanks? This thing was designed to withstand several tons of pressure.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450388)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:09 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

4000 psi

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450404)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:11 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

link



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450414)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:22 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

https://www.amazon.com/4500psi-Pressure-Composite-Cylinder-Paintball/dp/B09CPRRLGY/

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450495)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:23 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

That's a monocoque structure. CF isn't bonded to metal.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450503)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:28 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

https://ams-composites.com/choosing-the-right-gas-cylinder-type-1-type-2-type-3-or-type-4/

Read about type 2 and 3

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450552)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:33 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

For type 2 it literally says "Type 2 cylinders are suitable for a variety of applications where cost is more important than low weight and high pressure."

Type 3 is a hollow monocoque structure with a layer of aluminum in the center.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450582)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 3:58 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

"While the vessel was designed to operate down to 4,000 metres, and would have had a safety margin to go deeper, industry experts said other deep-sea vessels used steel or titanium alone to ensure their hulls could take the pressure. Carbon fibre is widely regarded as an untested material: when it fails, it can fail catastrophically."

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/20/missing-titanic-submarine-best-and-worst-case-scenarios

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450339)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:02 PM
Author: contagious public bath pocket flask

oh god oh-

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450371)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:07 PM
Author: multi-colored cruise ship

Assuming a tube structure 60” in diameter, how thick should a carbon fibre hull be constructed to safely reach the titanic and maintain an atmosphere of pressure.

GPT4:

The wreck of the Titanic lies about 3.8 kilometers (or 12,500 feet) below the surface of the North Atlantic. At that depth, the pressure is enormous, around 380 atmospheres or about 38 MPa (Megapascals).

If we aim to build a cylindrical submersible to reach this depth, the pressure on the hull can be approximated by considering the hydrostatic pressure, which is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity. The formula to calculate this is P = ρgh, where:

• ⁠P is the fluid pressure,

• ⁠ρ is the fluid density,

• ⁠g is the acceleration due to gravity, and

• ⁠h is the height of the fluid above the point in question.

The density of seawater is about 1025 kg/m3, and gravity is about 9.8 m/s². The depth to the Titanic is 3800 meters, so the pressure is about 38 MPa.

Carbon fiber has a tensile strength that can vary depending on the specific type, but let's consider a high-quality carbon fiber with a tensile strength of 2000 MPa.

The hoop stress (stress in the circumferential direction) for a thin-walled pressure vessel like a cylinder can be approximated using the formula σ = Pr/t, where:

• ⁠σ is the stress on the material,

• ⁠P is the internal pressure,

• ⁠r is the radius of the cylinder, and

• ⁠t is the thickness of the cylinder wall.

We can rearrange this to solve for thickness: t = P.

Now, we want to add a safety factor. This could be around 2 to account for uncertainties in material properties, imperfections in manufacturing, and unexpected loads. This means we'll use half the tensile strength of carbon fiber in our calculations, i.e., σ = 2000 MPa / 2 = 1000 MPa = 1000 N/mm².

The internal pressure P is the pressure at the depth of the Titanic, 38 MPa = 38 N/mm².

The radius of the vessel r is 60"/2 = 30" = 762 mm.

Substituting all values into the formula gives: t = (38 N/mm² * 762 mm) / 1000 N/mm² = 28.8 mm.

Therefore, the hull of this theoretical submersible, when built with high-quality carbon fiber and with a safety factor of 2, should be roughly 28.8 mm thick. This, however, is a highly simplified calculation and real-world design would require more detailed analysis and likely thicker walls due to factors like buckling, possible impact loads, and material imperfections. Additionally, local regulations and standards would also play a role in determining the safety factors and therefore the final thickness. Always consult with a professional engineer for such calculations.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450399)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:10 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

I think the bigger issue is how you seal it if it's not a monocoque frame. If part of the frame is CF and part is titanium, what's attaching them together?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450408)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:15 PM
Author: Exhilarant Domesticated Degenerate Chapel

It sounds like the carbon fiber is a liner.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450441)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:17 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

That's what I thought too, but it sounds like it was necessary since they had a system to monitor its integrity, and it still has to be affixed to the hull somehow. You can't weld it so how did they do it?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450457)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:26 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

It's basically bonded to metal with epoxy, then the cf is impregnated with resin. The joint is probably some custom designed interface that maximized the surface area of the bond.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450533)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:28 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

A resin that's formulated bond to titanium and carbon fiber with more or less equal resilience.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450553)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:36 PM
Author: Unholy twinkling stain

No idea, but it sucks to be the passengers if the answer is "no."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450593)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:27 PM
Author: Vigorous ivory indirect expression

a deep sea vessel made entirely out of thinkpads

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450539)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 4:40 PM
Author: cerebral maize athletic conference

tbf, better than a vessel made out of any other laptop

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450616)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 5:25 PM
Author: At-the-ready Bright Set Internal Respiration

i make my deep sea vessels out of TOUGHBOOKS

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450906)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 5:22 PM
Author: Learning disabled stage

Why can’t a dolphin just dive down and rescue them? I heard they do this all the time like no big deal.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46450886)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 7:51 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

http://www.xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359335&mc=2&forum_id=2

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46451575)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 20th, 2023 8:06 PM
Author: thriller clown

I’m an avid scuba diver. I’d never get in a submarine not operated by a first world navy.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#46451622)



Reply Favorite

Date: April 28th, 2025 4:23 PM
Author: overrated self-absorbed senate

OP here

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5359130&forum_id=2#48888048)