ABSTRACT

In the defense forces of countries, especially the navy forces have an important place. Submarines are the cornerstone of naval forces and their power has been effectively demonstrated in World War II. Since then, technological developments in submarines have accelerated considerably. Undoubtedly, the developments made in the propulsion systems are at the forefront of the mentioned developments. Especially with the use of AIP (Air Independent Propulsion Systems) systems, a rapid development has been observed. Many different propulsion systems are applied on submarines, classical diesel-electric submarines, closed-cycle submarines, fuel-cell technology and Stirling-based submarines. In the navies of developed countries such as Sweden and Japan applications of Stirling engines stand out. The main advantages of Stirling engines are lower refueling costs compared to Fuel cells and quieter operation than the MESMA system. In addition, the fact that the exhaust gas emission is more controlled compared to internal combustion engines is among the main reasons why it is preferred. The recent development of Stirling engines and the preference of NASA's radioisotope vehicle as the main power source shows how efficient the engine is without the need for oxygen and maintenance requirements at a minimum level. In this article, it will be discussed how the Stirling engine has been developed until today and why it is preferred in submarine applications, its advantages and its future.