Ubåt A26

Decades of experience as well as innovative ideas and concepts are the basis for the success of the submarine division of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Models such as the submarine class 209 can be found in all of the world‘s oceans. No other class has been built more often in the past five decades. Now the submarine classes 212A and 214 have entered new dimensions. Their air-independent fuel cell propulsion enables extremely long dives – with a distinctly lower noise level. Class 212A and 214 submarines were the first in the world to undertake long dives independent of external air sources.

In cooperation with Nordseewerke in Emden, HDW developed a new submarine for the German Navy: Class 212A. A contract for the delivery of four boats was signed on 6th July 1994 and followed through by the Working Group U212.

The commissioning ceremony for the two first units - German Navy submarines U31 and U32 - took place on 19th October 2005 at the German Navy submarine base in Eckernförde.

The Class 212A submarine is the first submarine in the world to be equipped with an air-independent propulsion system as standard installation. The fuel cell propulsion system transforms hydrogen and oxygen directly into electrical power without producing noise or exhaust gases and is characterised by high efficiency and low maintenance requirements. The energy conversion process leads to the production of direct current electrical power with distilled water as the only by-product. The fuel cell propulsion system enables the submerged endurance of the submarine to be very considerably increased. The high performance capabilities of this propulsion system have been proven during extensive tests and now in service in the German Navy.

Two identical submarines are being built to German specifications at the Fincantieri shipyard for the Italian Navy. HDW delivered both the weapon tube set (including the bows) and the fuel cell propulsion system for both these boats.

The Class 214 submarines were developed by HDW on the basis of the proven design principles of the family of Class 209 submarines.

In addition, innovative systems from the Class 212A boats were also integrated in the design. The net result was and is an air-independent but non-nuclear submarine with exceptional technical and operational capabilities, featuring extraordinarily developed stealth characteristics and an impressive weapon and sensor payload. Thanks to its modular design, the Class 214 submarine can be equipped with a wide range of optional systems depending on the requirements of the customer navy.Other exceptional features of the Class 214 submarine are:Other exceptional features of the Class 214 submarine are:

Stirlingmotorer har kontinuerlig förbränning som i en panna

Stirlingmotor är en värmemotor som kan ha utvändig förbränning.

Motorn uppfanns 1816 av den skotske prästen Robert Stirling, född i Gloag, Methvin, Perthshire 25 oktober 1790, död i Galston 6 juni 1878.

Motorn fungerar genom att gas omväxlande värms upp och kyls av. Det leder till tryckskillnader i cylindern som pressar upp respektive drar ned kolven. Den mindre kolven(illustrationen) är till för att ändra gasens fördelning i de varma respektive kalla delarna av cylindern för att påskynda temperaturväxlingarna.

Värmen kan i princip komma från vilken värmekälla som helst t ex vedkamin, en solfångare med speglar eller linser. Stirlingmotorn kan även användas som värmepump.

Jämfört med ottomotorn kan stirlingmotorn vara vibrationsfri och ha högre verkningsgrad. Den kan fås att arbeta med små temperaturdifferenser, men verkningsgraden ökar ju högre temperaturskillnaden mellan den varma och den kalla sidan är. Den är tystgående.

Stirlingmotorn används bland annat av HMS Gotland och andra svenska ubåtar.

Televerket, föregångare till Telia, numera TeliaSonera AB tog under senare delen av 1900-talet fram ett mobilt reservelverk, som drevs med en stirlingmotor[källa behövs].

En nackdel med en stirlingmotor är att den är svårare att reglera än en otto- eller dieselmotor. Den största nackdelen med stirlingmotorn är framförallt den höga produktionskostnaden, som är flera gånger högre än för en konventionell motor. I fordon har stirlingmotorn ännu ej fått någon kommersiell tillämpning