METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOVERY OF NUCLEAR- POWERED SUBMARINES Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: recovery of nuclear- powered submarines, ships, tanks, and other large vehicles. SUBSTANCE: reactor core, filters, radioactive coolant circuits, and weapon are removed prior to decontamination and after decontamination all pieces of equipment are dismounted. Then submarine hull is conveyed to intake chamber of underground tunnel wherein nonmetal materials are removed by heating hull to 500 C. After that, hull is heated to 700 C and conveyed as it melts to melting chamber located in underground tunnel behind intake chamber until it fully melts up. Powdered carbon is injected in molten metal surface in accumulation chamber mounted in bottom part of tunnel. System implementing this method has two inclined underground tunnels. First tunnel accommodates intake, melting, and accumulation chambers; the latter is located in bottom part of first tunnel, heating device is mounted in intake chamber and melting device, in melting chamber; metal pouring device is made in the form of discharge chute. Second one is transport tunnel accommodating metal admission molds. EFFECT: reduced time and labor consumption, reduced storage time of power units, improved environmental safety. 4 cl, 2 dwg