This is how modern submarines do not run out of oxygen while submerged
Ruddy Cano
Posted On August 29, 2022 12:10:27
The United States Navy is the biggest, most technologically advanced Navy in the world. Sometimes it is easy to forget the humble beginnings from which our prestigious military came from. The sea is a cruel mistress that hides her power beneath the waves. The secrets of the abyss have long intrigued sailors and civilians alike. Thanks to the foundation provided by the first pioneers we now have submarines capable of defending freedom at a moment’s notice from any corner of the earth. As breathtaking as the human achievement is to sail under the sea, it begs the question: How do sailors not run out of oxygen? When did humans start experimenting to solve that challenge? This is how modern systems regulate oxygen and other essential chemicals within the hulls of the most powerful Navy on earth.
The Turtle
The Turtle is the most successful failure of the Revolutionary War. It was designed by David Bushnell in 1775 as the first one-man submersible to be used in the battle for our nation’s right to exist. While it was not a success in combat it was a successful proof of concept that the military would perfect to its most lethal potential centuries later. The Turtle was used against the HMS Eagle but was combat ineffective against metal hulls. One way that Bushnell designed The Turtle to use less oxygen is due to the use of bio-luminescent fungus. Oxygen candles had not been invented yet and so the military needed to improvise a way to reduce or eliminate the use of conventional candles which would burn out the breathable air for the operator. However, the military needed another more efficient and cost effective way to maximize the time a crew could remain under water.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-is-how-modern-submarines-do-not-run-out-of-oxygen-while-submerged/
