Submarine Basic Information

Types of nuclear submarines:
SSK - diesel-electric hunter-killer submarine
SSN - fast attack nuclear submarine
SSG - cruise missile submarine, ship killer
SSGN - guided missile nuclear-powered submarine, large ship/enemy submarine killer
SSBN - ballistic missile nuclear submarine, nuclear war deterrence

U235, U238
- common fuels for nuclear reactors in nuclear submarines
- nuclear fuel with a melting point of 2800 C
- U235 consists of 0.72% natural uranium, fissile (sustains fission chain reaction)
- U238 consists of 99.3% natural uranium, not fissile (not capable of sustaining a chain reaction of nuclear fission) 

Zircaloy
- Zirconium alloys
- used for fuel rod barrier (cladding) for nuclear reactors
- absorbs lesser neutrons
- hard metal and highly resistant to corrosion

water-cooled nuclear reactor
1800 psi pressure to prevent corrosion

Weight of fuel required
25 lbs (pounds) of Uranium for the entire life of the core (30 years).

Limiting factor of submarine operations
90 days of food supply

Fission
nucleus absorbs neutron then explode

$ 2 Billion
average cost of nuclear submarine

$ 6 Billion
- cost of Ballistic Nuclear sub
- approximate cost of Aircraft Carrier

$ 250,000 per person
cost of training in order to work in a military submarine

Nuclear power
the more water temperature difference (delta T of water), the more power produced

Russian Typhoon submarine
175 meters x 23 meters
two pressurized water reactors (PWR)
163 crew
24,000 tonnes

Tonnage of US subs
average 7,000 tons USN subs

USS Enterprise
first nuclear aircraft carrier
200 MW (megawatts) of power
8 nuclear reactors (pwr)
80 aircrafts
3500 crew