Low Cost Antifouling Solution

The attachment of marine organisms (biofouling) to the surfaces of Navy submarines can cause multiple problems including but not limited to: a reduction in top speed, decreased acceleration, loss of buoyancy, increased vessel displacement, loss of stealth and less effective acoustic sensors. Even moderate fouling can reduce a vessels speed. Antifouling coatings applied to the vessels hull reduce biofouling when the vessel is in motion. Unfortunately antifouling coatings are less effective when the vessel is stationary, leading to accelerated biofouling when docked. Therefore submarines are regularly treated in dry dock to dislodge adhered marine organisms by pressure jets and by scraping, a procedure that is very expensive and reduces operational availability. The proposal describes a new biofouling control method that is applied to the hull when the submarine is in port. The hull treatment is continuous and prevents fouling growth before it starts. The method is non-chemical and compliant with existing environmental regulations. It can be applied from temporary equipment, using an engineering infrastructure entirely independent from the vessel. No changes to the hull are required. The Phase I focuses is on scalability, and rapid transition to a practical demonstration in Phase II.