Spherical Acrylic Pressure Hulls for Undersea Exploration

Abstract

The exploratory phase of the research program into the applicability of acrylic to the construction of spherical pressure hulls for undersea exploration has been completed. The findings show that acrylic pressure hulls are as reliable as hulls made from conventional materials if the viscoelastic temperature-dependent properties of the acrylic are taken into account during its design, fabrication, and operational service in the sea. The design data and information from the exploratory phase of the R & D program have been already applied to the fabrication of the NEMO Model 600 acrylic capsules with 66-in. OD × 61-in. ID for 600-ft-depth service.