Refuelling a nuclear submarine can take longer than designing a new electric car—and cost billions along the way.
If you are a bit disappointed by how long it takes to recharge your electric vehicle, then the refuelling time of a nuclear submarine could bring you to your wits’ end.For all its ability to switch to stealth mode and remain unseen for months, refuelling a nuclear submarine is quite a time-consuming process and can take up to three years, if not more.
The presence of nuclear submarines denotes how technologically advanced the fleet is. While navies have relied on diesel generators in the past to power their submarines, nuclear propulsion enhances these vessels’ stealth capabilities. The US Navy leads the charge in nuclear-powered submarines, with nearly 70 vessels under its command. Russia is in second place, with half its fleet, and China is in third place. Some of these submarines can also be equipped with nuclear warheads, so their continuing operation is critical to a nation’s response. This is why a three-year refuelling period can seem even longer for naval chiefs, and it is extremely expensive to carry out. Why is it so expensive? The nuclear reactor isn’t like an internal combustion engine. Fill the tank with fuel, and you are ready to go. Even on land, refuelling a nuclear reactor can take a few weeks. But for a nuclear-powered submarine, the operation is even more difficult. To begin with, the submarine has to be removed from the waters and moved to a dry dock. Here, it must first be completely powered down. Since nuclear submarine reactors use highly enriched uranium fuel, the entire operation must take place inside a radiation-shielded facility. The reactor is placed deep inside the hull, behind a thick shielding that protects the crew from radiation. The submarine design is optimized for a minimal footprint, so components are often stacked. To access the reactor, major portions of the submarine, including shielding, need to be removed, a job that can be done only by a team of experts specializing in radiation safety, weapons systems, nuclear engineering, and naval architecture, making it an expensive exercise. USS Louisiana’s refueling in 2023 took 40 months to complete. Image credit: Brian Nokell/ US NavyWhat happens during refuelling? Once the submarine has arrived at the dry dock and radiation protection is in place, the team of engineers strips out most of the components. Not just the components, but every single panel, cable, and bolt removed is logged, tracked, and inspected. When the nuclear reactor core becomes accessible, the fuel is replaced. Once this is achieved, the team must reinstall the components and seal the vessel again for underwater operations. Since even a small amount of fuel can power the submarine for decades, reactor refuelling isn’t why these submarines resurface. They do so to restock supplies and replace crew members. Older submarines were designed to require refuelling only once every decade, or even every two. Modern-day nuclear submarines can go longer without refueling. However, military technologies undergo significant evolutio/n within these timeframes, and navies want to equip their specialized vessels with up-to-date technologies. So, refuelling periods are often used to overhaul systems as well. Although the refuelling period might be very short, navies overhaul their submarines, which are the more time-consuming part of the process. This is because the new system needs to be assessed and tested before the vessel’s integrity is fully verified, before it is put back in service. In 2023, the US Navy completed a major overhaul of the USS Louisiana, which lasted a good 40 months before the vessel was back in the water.
Military Nuclear Power Generator Nuclear Reactor Nuclear Submarines Refuelling Submarines Uranium US Navy
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This Is The Biggest Nuclear Power Plant In The USAlec is an experienced writer and researcher who has spent the last decade diving into the intersection of technology and the public interest. Prior to becoming a freelance writer, he worked as an investigative researcher focusing on disinformation campaigns, cybersecurity, and the intersection of technology and foreign policy.
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