Stealthier submarines: China’s new tech could cut vessel’s engine noise by 50%
The new technology can allegedly reduce submarine engine noise by as much as 32%, perhaps even 50%.
Chinese scientists have allegedly made a major breakthrough in submarine stealth technology. According to reports, the team has developed a hybrid active-passive engine vibration isolation system designed to reduce submarines’ acoustic signature significantly.
Zhang Zhiyi and his team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University conducted the research, with support from the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a major player in Chinese naval construction.
The team’s innovation centers around a new vibration-damping system that can dramatically reduce the submarine’s underwater acoustic signature. This system consists of two main layers: active and passive.
The first uses a set of steel-rubber-steel sandwich rings to absorb vibrations. This is a significant improvement over more traditional, rigid engine mounts found in most submarines.
The latter uses twelve or so piezoelectric actuators placed around the engine to counteract vibrations in real time. These actuators can neutralise the engine’s micron-level movements with strong control forces through precision lever mechanisms.