Spherical Acrylic Pressure Hulls With Multiple Penetrations

Abstract

An experimental program has been conducted to determine the effect of multiple penetrations on the performance of spherical acrylic plastic hulls under external hydrostatic pressure. As test specimens served 15-in. OD × 14-in. ID model scale NEMO spheres. The distribution of strains and the magnitudes of short term critical pressures indicate that the structural response of acrylic spheres with multiple penetrations to external hydrostatic pressure is identical to spheres with only one penetration equipped with a metallic closure providing that the included angles of the penetrations are ≤46 deg and the edges of the penetrations are at least one penetration radius apart. Based on these findings it is feasible to incorporate three or more large penetrations into the spherical hulls of acrylic submersibles without decreasing their operational depth rating that has been based on the experimentally proven structural performance of spheres with only one penetration, or two penetrations 180 deg center to center apart.