Fittings Fit for Deep Sea Adventures!
Published with permission from HAM-LET®
| | DeepSee is a custom-built one-atmosphere submarine used by the Undersea Hunter Group to explore depths of 1,500 feet (475 meters) |
On our planet, the ocean remains a final, often unexplored, frontier. While we have expanded our knowledge of the ocean and its depths dramatically in the last century, there are still many mysteries to explore and research.
To that end, SEAmagine USA designed and constructed the DeepSee, a craft designed for the rigors of a deepwater marine environment, for the Undersea Hunter Group. DeepSee is a custom-built one-atmosphere submarine, capable of carrying one pilot and two passengers to a depth of 1,500 feet (475 meters). Its design allows for six hours of dive autonomy at speeds of up to 1.7 knots, with a back-up life support system and power supply that can be operated for up to 72 hours. The DeepSee also has electronic surface-to-sub communications and a submarine positioning system.
The DeepSee is designed as a research/observations and film-making platform, and features a high-definition video camera and HID lights. Passengers can also use their own video equipment from inside the perfectly clear acrylic sphere, taking advantage of the sub’s powerful external lights. When submerged on a dive, the 4-inch-thick acrylic sphere seems to disappear, offering passengers an unparalleled and unobstructed 360° view of the undersea world.
Since scientific research and education depend on proper craft function, it is essential that every design system meets the exacting ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) standards. SEAmagine chose Ham-Let® 316 stainless steel compression fittings to use with the high-pressure ballast system on the DeepSee craft. In this service, the fittings must be able to withstand constant environmental pressures of approximately 660 psi, let alone the internal ballast system pressure! In addition, the 316 stainless steel construction was critical to handle a corrosive (saltwater) environment. Operating conditions expose the craft to frequent shock and vibration, which places additional stress on fitting connections. SEAmagine selected Ham-Let fittings for their platform after rigorous testing and review for reliability and safety. In fact, the DeepSee is an ABS-approved vehicle. The Undersea Hunter Group, who owns and operates DeepSee, also uses Ham-Let fittings in its oxygen/nitrogen high-pressure filling stations on larger vessels for scuba divers.
DeepSee has already made over 700 dives into the Eastern Pacific region, including the remote Cocos Island of Costa Rica and along the Pacific coast of Mexico and the Sea of Cortéz.
