Ictineo II

"Ictineo II" was a pioneering submarine launched in 1864 by Spanish inventor Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol, and was the first combustion engine-driven submarine, propelled by an early form of air-independent propulsion. It was also the first submarine to overcome the basic problems of machine-powered underwater navigation.

Design and development

Intended as an improved version of the "Ictineo I", the "Ictineo II" was hand-propelled like its predecessor but included many improvements, including a chemical-powered underwater light, retractable pincers for handling objects, and separate ballast tanks for trim and depth control. The Spanish Navy pledged support to Monturiol but did not follow through and he was obliged to conduct his own fundraising efforts, writing a letter to the nation and encouraging a popular subscription which raised 300,000 pesetas from citizens of mainland Spain and Cuba. With the money obtained, the company "La Navegación Submarina" was formed with the objective of developing the "Ictineo II".

The "Ictineo II" made her maiden voyage under human power on 20 May 1865, submerging to a depth of convert|30|m|ft. A few months later, Monturiol attempted to attract government funding by installing a cannon that could be aimed and fired from inside the submarine. After reading about the American Civil War and the relatively crude attempts at submarine construction such as the CSS "Hunley", the financially-desperate Monturiol wrote to the US Secretary of the Navy. However, the Civil War had ended by the time the Secretary got around to his response.

Dissatisfied with the limitations placed on him by human propulsion, Monturiol realized that the only option was steam power, but contemporary steam engines required a fire which was not an option for a submarine. Monturiol returned to his chemical experiments, and after trying many different combinations, arrived at a solution of 53% zinc, 16% manganese dioxide, and 31% potassium chlorate which could generate sufficient heat to power a steam engine while at the same time producing oxygen. He purchased a six-cylinder steam engine and divided it in half; one half was to be powered by a coal-burning boiler for surface propulsion, while the other half was driven by a separate boiler fueled by his chemical mixture.

Monturiol envisaged a new vessel, custom built to house his new engine, which would be entirely built of metal with the engine housed in its own separate compartment. However, due to the state of his finances, construction of a new vessel was out of the question, and instead he managed to assemble enough funds to fit the engine into the "Ictineo II".

On 22 October 1867 the "Ictineo II" made its first surface journey under steam power, averaging convert|3.5|kn|mph with a top speed of convert|4.5|kn|mph. Two months later, on 14 December, Monturiol submerged the vessel and ran his chemical engine, but without attempting to travel anywhere.

On 23 December, "La Navegación Submarina" went bankrupt, having completely exhausted its funds. Monturiol had spent 100,000 Duros — which could have purchased several frigates, or convert|160|kg|lb of gold [cite book | last = Stewart | first = Matthew | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Monturiol's Dream: The Extraordinary Story of the Submarine Inventor Who Wanted to Save the World | publisher = Profile Books Ltd. | date = 2003 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 1861974701] — and could attract no more investment. The chief creditor called in his debt, and Monturiol was forced to surrender the "Ictineo II", which was his sole asset. The creditor subsequently sold it on to a businessman, and the authorities, who taxed all ships, issued its new owner with a tax bill. Rather than pay, he dismantled the entire submarine and sold it for scrap. The ship's surface motor was removed to a textile factory; viewports ended up as bathroom windows. [Cindy Lee Van Dover. [http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/a-utopians-submarine A Utopian's Submarine] . Retrieved on 2008-08-01]

Description

The "Ictineo II" was convert|14|m|ft long, convert|2|m|ft wide, and convert|3|m|ft high. Her displacement was 46 tonnes and her interior volume was convert|29|m3|cuft. She was built of olive wood with oak reinforcements, and a 2 mm thick layer of copper. Her upper side had a deck convert|1.3|m|ft wide and a hatch with three glazed portholes convert|200|mm|in in diameter and convert|100|mm|in thick glass blocks. The submarine could be steered from the conning tower by means of an endless screw gear.

Four ballast tanks of convert|8|m3|cuft capacity were located symmetrically on each side and guaranteed buoyancy when they were empty. They could be flooded at will to submerge. Surfacing was achieved by forcing air into the compartments with a pump. Pitch during diving was controlled by a weight which could be moved longitudinally along a rail, remotely controlled by the helmsman. The submarine also had an emergency mechanism intended to jettison the ballast and allow it to surface quickly.

Monturiol's most important innovation was "Ictineo II's" anaerobic engine, which produced gaseous oxygen as a byproduct which was collected in exhaust tanks and used for breathing and illumination purposes.

No other submarine employed an anaerobic propulsion system until 1940 when the German Navy tested a system employing similar principles, the Walter turbine, on the experimental V-80 submarine and later on the Type XVIIB submarines. The problem of anaerobic propulsion was finally solved with the invention of the first nuclear submarine, the USS "Nautilus".

Notes