Marine Science Affairs 



invested cost by several hundred percent. Figure XII. 1 shows the competi- 

 tive merits of difTerent kinds of chemical and nuclear pov^^er sources. The 

 merits of fuel cells is thus suggested as deserving greater emphasis, and the 

 Navy plans such developments. 



The Atomic Energy Commission program is directed toward the develop- 

 ment of nuclear power sources from 0.1 watt to 100 kilowatts for buoys, 



Power Level (KW) 

 10 



Mission Duration (Days) 



Figure XII. 1. Ranges of applicability of underwater power sources are shown here. 

 For short-duration missions {less than 30 days) non-nuclear power sources, such 

 as batteries, fuel cells, and diesel engines, provide the best combinations of weight, 

 volume, power, and energy capacity, in the ranges shown by the numbers. As the 

 planned mission duration increases beyond 30 days, nuclear power becomes more 

 suitable, with reactors providing better overall characteristics above 10 KW, and 

 radioisotope-powered sources below 10 KW. 



152 



