Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

This is the “dragon” deep-sea manned submersibles in July 2010 in the South China Sea after the implementation of a successful dive, try submerged Triumph (Data Center). Xinhua News Agency (China Ocean Society for map) (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Quest “Dragon”

9 13, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 702 an old red-brick plant, the “dragon,” placed in the stand about 2 meters high, to accept the demolition of the next overhaul sea trials. Battery has been removed, the central side of the shell to open the tail, the whole structure of the submersible titanium alloy stent is clearly visible. Stent can be placed between the battery, navigation, weight-bearing blocks and other components, computer chips, sound transmission and other components of titanium placed in a sealed pressure tank. Manned submersible pressure sealed cabin placed in the front and the body was a ball, in front of and around a circular observation window, respectively. Sample basket and two in front of the robot within the observation window, in front of the submersible.

major technical indicators showed that the “dragon” submersible length, width and height are 8.2 meters, 3.0 meters and 3.4 meters in the air, the weight does not exceed 22 tons. Tsung Yeh said, “dragon” shell looks very heavy, in fact, by the small diameter of the hollow glass beads and epoxy resin composition. Dive, the water discharge by throwing into the gap in weight block inside the submerged, the shell can act as a buoyancy material.

correspondent boarded the “dragon” at the top, manned hatch opened and the body placed inside the front control display, surrounded by covered buttons and indicator equipment. Xu dioxin South, said pressure chamber diameter of 2.1 m, volume of 4.8 cubic meters, including the operating cabin display devices, the driver’s seat, life support systems, “three of the activities of limited space, but basically guaranteed to work.”

manned submersible capsule is a key part, which is based on China’s titanium shell design, commissioned by the Russian-made. Xu dioxin South said, “I think this is some of the ‘dragon’ biggest questions, there are several parts of China into a self-made?”

in the August 26 press conference, the “dragon No. “was introduced as” China’s self-designed, integrated innovation, with independent intellectual property rights of the first deep-sea manned submersible. ”

“Design and optimization of the overall integration of proprietary technology is the key,” Xu dioxin South said, “From design, to the submersible’s preliminary design and detailed design, all by our own engineers and technicians completed assembly United reconcile our sea trials done independently. “

in the design process, the researchers of the world’s leading underwater electrical, underwater propulsion systems, hydraulic source, high-pressure sea water pump and other technical principles for the learning and master, key technology in supporting domestic research, also made of titanium superplastic forming technology, deep-sea buoyancy material processing technology, and many other breakthroughs.

“dragon” bathyscaphs final design incorporates 12 system, said Xu dioxin South, which is related to the safety of the crew’s life support systems, related to the safety of the submersible load dump bodies and other key components, is developed by China itself, and has received 45 patents, received 25 patents, software copyrights 3.

life support system for the three dive underwater to provide oxygen to divers to collect exhaled carbon dioxide, under normal circumstances can be three people 12 hours to ensure the safety of emergency cases increased to 3 84 hours.

“breakthrough development work underwater formation of four technical characteristics,” Xu dioxin South, the “dragon” has a kind in the world manned submersible dive depth of 7000 meters maximum; a target for operations stable hover positioning capabilities; with advanced micro-acoustic communications and undersea topography detection capabilities; with a variety of high-performance work tool, able to complete complex tasks under special conditions.

“as a prototype, dragon, can not also introduced the domestic processing of part of the components and materials which, robot, lighting equipment imported from the United States, imaging equipment imported from Japan.” Xu told dioxin South ” China Newsweek “reporter,” Meanwhile, our ongoing introduction of parts of domestic development, preparing for the next application. “

embarked on deep-sea

countries are deep-sea technology research in an important position, which explore the scientific research, resources, and national defense significance. International Seabed is the common heritage of mankind, its research and development need for countries to work together

correspondents/Carmen (from the bottom of Wuxi)

all the mysterious underwater world is always It is hard to resist. Countries back to manned deep-sea submersibles have exciting results: Japanese Shinkai6500 deep-sea submersible in the 4000 meters at the discovery of the ancient whale bones; the former Soviet Union Mir1 submersible is on the seafloor hydrothermal sulfide and deep-sea creatures were on the thousand surveys and sampling; United States, “Alvin numbers” not only in the Mediterranean deep-sea submersible to find the missing submarine in the hydrogen bomb, also in 1986, dive 4500 m deep study of the “Titanic.”

deep dive in the first 37 trials, the “dragon” in the 3759 m deep sea side of the Chinese national flag put a plug, in addition, it also brought back four gifts: a high-speed underwater acoustic transfer photos to a submarine to the mother ship with a time of 14 seconds; sampler to 3759 m deep sea water samples brought to the deck packing; robotic removal of the two 25-cm sea cucumber; sit bottom bracket cavity with back to the seabed soil.

lengthy preparation

China has developed underwater scientific research and application of its targeted goals. Liu Feng said, research on the “dragon” can plot topography for fine measurements can be fixed for tuberculosis samples, water samples, sediment samples, biological samples, etc.; exploration, and can polymetallic nodule resources, cobalt crust resources survey sample, the metal sulfide hydrothermal vent temperature measurement; In addition, it can perform fixed laying underwater equipment, submarine cables and pipelines inspection, patrol the completion of other deep-sea exploration and salvage, and other complex operations.

Liu Feng said, “In recent years, China has strengthened deep-sea resources survey, demand for these applications is the ‘dragon’ birth of the driving force; Second, our corresponding deep-sea technology have a certain foundation. “

1990, the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (China Ocean Society) was established. This means that China has a positive attitude to join the international seabed resource exploration and development.

as deputy director of the Office of Ocean Association, Liu Feng told the “China News Weekly” reporter, “Ocean Society for three major undersea resource exploration: First seabed polymetallic nodules (nickel-copper-cobalt, etc.); two hydrothermal sulfide; third cobalt. “

1991 年 3 月 5, approved by the United Nations, China Ocean Association of the International Seabed Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea as a registered “international seabed development pioneer” in the national jurisdiction of the international seabed area assigned to 15 million square kilometers of open area.

Association of China mainly depends on the ocean research vessel “Ocean One” for scientific research and exploration in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and other deep-sea submarine biological environment, a number of polymetallic nodules and other investigations.

“2000, the Association proposed the development of the demand for manned deep-sea submersibles,” said Liu Feng, “submersible into the application, we can more accurately the situation undersea exploration, new mining area in preparation for the application . “

China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 702 made from the perspective of technology development the development of manned deep-sea submersibles. In the 1960s, China began cable-free autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (AUV) research and development, 1990′s breakthrough 6000 m depth. Trial in South China Sea in 1994, 1995, the success of sea trials in the Pacific, in 1997, engineering. Meanwhile, the 3500 m cable-controlled unmanned underwater vehicle (ROV), TV grab sampler, deep-sea side-scan sonar and shallow stratigraphic section and other equipment are in use in the expedition.

dioxin South Xu said, “These marine survey equipment R & D breakthroughs and progress for the manned deep-sea submersible provides technical preparation.”

deep ambition

2000, China’s demand for deep-sea vehicle technology demonstration will be held in Beijing, Ocean associations and government departments responsible for human experts to conduct feasibility studies, research and development finally reached a consensus manned deep-sea submersibles. January 2002, China Ocean Science and Technology Association to submit the project; June, “863″ major projects “7,000 meters manned submersible” officially approved.

According to Liu Feng, the project is divided into four systems: submersible body system (dragon), water support system, submerged systems and applications. This collection of four systems in the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 702, 701, the CAS Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Acoustics and other research institutions and enterprises 100 joint research.

“But this huge project is part of the technological system.” Liu Feng said, “China still relevant exploration technology, mining research and development, smelting technology, environmental technology systems planning.”

various deep-sea equipment and to ensure the effective application of technology, the State Oceanic Administration reported to the State Council “on the establishment of a national deep-sea base to consult.” August 26, the state approved deep-sea base in Qingdao started construction. Base in the first phase will be completed including piers, factories and laboratories, including infrastructure construction, the second phase to complete the work of deep-sea submersible, including mother ships and all the infrastructure put into regular operation, for all types of disciplines to provide deep-sea research public service platform.

China’s recent study in the deep areas of a series of “action” began to attract worldwide attention. July 2010, “Nature” magazine wrote about China’s “One Ocean” Global Expedition with the deep-sea trials. Reuters recently commented that “dragon” in the South China Sea plug up the flag move, “highlights China’s ambition of competing South China Sea resources.”

United States, “New York Times” on September 11 published reports that “(China’s deep sea diving) project in secret for eight years, after careful consideration”, the goal is deep those “diplomatic communications submarine cable transmission, loss of nuclear weapons, submarines and sinking into the sea after a large number of missile tests in warheads. ”

According to Liu Feng, China’s deep-sea research led by the Ministry of Science and the State Oceanic Administration, the main goal is to explore the resources exploration and related sciences, “put the plug in the South China flag behavior, not with Russia compared to the Arctic Ocean at the end of plug to put the national flag, our sea trial sites is entirely China’s exclusive economic zone, meaning there is no declaration of sovereignty. “

fact, some deep-sea technology developed in the last century reached a higher level. U.S. manned deep submergence technology, starting from the 1960s, the current can dive to 6,000 meters; 1989, Japan reached 6500 m depth to keep up to date manned diving world record.

“Strategically, countries will deep-sea technology research in an important position, they explore scientific research, resources, and national defense significance.” Rear Admiral Yin Cho told the “China Newsweek” correspondent, “China into the present century began to attach importance to manned deep submergence technology, R & D investment also increased, but starting earlier than the national, technology maturity, more remains to be tested. “

” positive development manned deep submergence technology to improve human understanding of the deep sea, deep-sea submersible deep-sea exploration is a necessary component of the technology. “Wang Fei, deputy director of China’s State Oceanic Administration believes that the international seabed are the common heritage of mankind, its research and developing countries need to collaborate.