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To: Steely Tom

Seawater leak caused a reactor scram. Condensation in the high pressure air froze the air lines preventing an emergency blow. At least that was the best guess. Lots of procedures changed after that incident.


7 posted on 04/04/2013 11:00:53 AM PDT by Pan_Yan (I love it when spell check selects every single word in my post.)
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To: Pan_Yan; Steely Tom

The loss of propulsion following the scram is what ultimately doomed the Thresher. Procedure at the time required a long process to restart the reactor, delaying restoration of propulsion. One of the first changes following the disaster was the implementation of a quick startup procedure, to get the screw turning again as rapidly as possible.

The water in the emergency blow lines resulted in the Sub-Safe system—strict controls on work on any ship’s system critical to the boats operation. IIRC, this was the genesis of the entire QA system in modern manufacturing.


13 posted on 04/04/2013 11:41:08 AM PDT by rottndog ('Live Free Or Die' Ain't just words on a bumber sticker...or a tagline.)
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To: Pan_Yan
I think the Navy redesigned their entire construction program after that incident, with a lot more emphasis on redundant systems and safety.

I want to say that after we lost another boat that they redesigned procedures for designing and handling of torpedoes too.

20 posted on 04/04/2013 1:22:29 PM PDT by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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