DIVING DEEP SEA

and the oceans to people. Visitors will experience the underwa- ter world close up and can discuss it right there on board,” says Salvador, who had previously worked in aerospace for six years. his submersible is a minor miracle that can reach the depths of the sea. It is a highly sensitive tool – a metal capsule, TOURISTS OF THE DEEP yet so ingeniously built that it can carry two people to the ocean The new submersible was pressure-tested on the open sea just bed, 11 kilometers down. The plant where it was serviced after a few days ago. It was a success. None of the interior fittings the successful Five Deeps Expedition is in San Cugat del Vallés have been put in yet. Metal, acrylic glass, and a massive, bolt- near Barcelona. Hector Salvador, general manager of the Span- ed-on porthole give clues to what it will eventually look like. ish branch of the American submersible manufacturer Triton Tourists will spend their leisure time travelling beneath the Submarines, is there when we arrive. He opens the door of the water in it at speeds of up to three knots (5.5 km/h). The loca- production facility and a loud roaring and hammering greets tion for building these submersibles is interesting: “When we us. Every step brings us closer to the beating heart of the plant started on Deep View back then, we looked for the best suppli- with its 15 workers. The latest Triton project is standing there on ers. Surprisingly, we found almost all of them right here around a pedestal: the body of Deep View 100/24. This submersible will us.” Hector Salvador looks pleased about how quickly it all pro- soon be carrying 24 tourists and two crew members to depths gressed. He says it was partly thanks to suppliers like Dräger.

of up to 100 meters. “We want to open people up to the oceans – ­ Rafael Mur, the sales manager responsible for the project at STUBBSPHOTO: TAMARA

38 DRÄGER REVIEW 121 | 1 / 2020 SUCCESS DSV Limiting Factor re-emerges. Places unvisited by humans have become rare – except in the endless expanses of the deep sea

JOURNEY INTO THE SPACE OF THE DEEP

Jules Vernes’ book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or the diving saucer Denise built by Jacques-Ives Cousteau and Jean Mollard – people have always been attracted to the bottom of the ocean. And lately, one such person has established an unusual record.

TEXT MATTHIAS LAUERER

Dräger, explains: “Our central theme, Technology for Life, real- diving depth in feet – almost 11 kilometers. The second refers ly comes into its own here. We’re part of a project that’s push- to the number of passengers. It is the first commercial sub- ing the limits of the known world – it’s almost like we’re help- mersible to have explored such depths. It is also certified for ing on the Apollo 11 mission.” an “unlimited” diving depth by DNV-GL, the world’s largest General manager Salvador wears a blue polo shirt brand- ship classification association by gross registered tonnage. A ed with another corporate venture. A small, white logo: The 5 glance at the specifications of TRITON 36000/2 shows that the Deeps – In Profundo Cognitio. That expedition took US inves- vessel was something completely new. Its titanium hull does tor and explorer Victor Vescovo to the deepest point in each of not have a single weld in it. The submarine can reach the deep- the five oceans – helped by Triton Submarines and EYOS Expe- est point of the ocean in a matter of hours. It weighs just 12.5 ditions. It all began with a call in summer 2015. Vescovo had metric tons and is powered by ten electric thrusters. The ener- the idea of exploring the depths of the world’s seas – the five gy needed for that is supplied by a new kind of lithium poly- deepest parts, to be precise. He had already climbed all the mer batteries. Even the smallest components were tested over eight-thousanders and gone to both poles. Now he was think- and over again for the five record dives, and some of the test- ing of building a two-man submersible at a cost, including sup- ing was done in two massive pressure chambers. One of these, port vessel, of 48.7 million US dollars. The idea became real- the Triton PC 550, is filled with water, its little sister, the PC 150, ity with the submersible DSV Limiting Factor, also known as with dielectric oil. General manager Salvador explains: “You TRITON 36000/2. The first number represents its maximum can use them to test components at any pressure you might

DRÄGER REVIEW 121 | 1 / 2020 39 UNDER CONSTRUCTION Carrying 24 tourists and two crew members, the Deep View 100/24 is designed to dive to depths of up to 100 meters

DEEP SEA: LESS EXPLORED THAN THE SURFACE OF THE MOON

encounter when diving.” The tests can last days. Even elec- Failure could be catastrophic. That is why crews debrief after tronic components can be accurately examined hundreds of every dive. They ask themselves questions like: was the latest times under huge pressures. trial successful, and how did the components perform under- The depths of the ocean are less well explored than the sur- water? With them on board the Limiting Factor: a Dräger Oxy- face of the moon, which has already been examined by 12 peo- Line pressure reducer, whose task is to reduce a pressure of ple and numerous unmanned probes. Yet the ocean make up 200 atmospheres to four atmospheres at the outlet of the tanks, 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. Exploring the depths is made while an O‰ flow meter controls the flow of this essential gas more difficult by the fact that it is always dark at the bottom into the cabin and adjusts it to match the crew’s consumption. and only around two degrees Celsius. Then there are enormous pressures of up to 1,100 bar. Anyone who wishes to explore this FIVE DIVES IN NINE MONTHS world has to be able to rely on their materials and instruments. When Victor Vescovo talks about the world beneath the waves, you immediately want to go there with him. “We hope this expe- dition will make history. I have always looked for physical and technical challenges. Now I want to explore the limits of ocean technology.” Biologists, geologists, and cartographers are cur- rently working their way through quantities of recorded data. The team collected samples of sediment and discovered new forms of life. For example, during the four-hour exploration of the seabed in the Mariana Trench, they saw eels with trans- parent heads, and grenadiers. The journey to the five deep- est points in the world’s oceans took the DSV Limiting Factor first to the Atlantic, at a depth of almost 8,400 meters. When Vescovo communicated with his colleagues on the mother ship, it took a good five seconds for the ultrasound signal to reach the modem at the surface. In the Southern Ocean, the submarine descended to around 7,400 meters. In April 2019 they succeeded in touching down on the bottom of the Indian Ocean (around 7,200 meters). The fourth dive took them to the deepest point in the Pacific – almost 11,000 meters below the water’s surface. Then, in August, the adventurer took on the Arctic Ocean – a walk in the park by comparison (5,550 meters). These dives FOCUS The tour of the Mariana Trench took at least 12 hours. No mean feat, glued earned him a place in history. Never before had one person vis-

to monitors the whole time ited and reported on all these places in one go. REEVEPHOTOS: JOLLIFFE, PICTURE FIVEALLIANCE / MELCHOR SANGRO, DEEPS EXPEDITION (2)

40 DRÄGER REVIEW 121 | 1 / 2020 DIVING DEEP SEA

DYNAMIC DUO The expeditions would not have happened without the supply ship. Using a crane, the crew help the mini-sub into the water from the 68-meter-long DSSV Pressure Drop

DREAM OF HUMANKIND Diving to the depths of the sea has long been a dream of humankind. Achieving it first came within reach when Robertus Valturius (1472) designed a submersible vessel. The first actual submarine was built by Cornelius Zacobszoon Drebbel in 1623. It could dive to a maximum depth of 3.6 meters. The general assembly of Germany’s Shipbuilding Engineering Association praised the German Imperial Navy at the end of 1899, “because it had not yet succumbed to costly, time- consuming trials with submarines.” Five years later, however, marine engineer Gustav Berling was commissioned to build an undersea vessel, despite considering submarines “a great folly.” Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel manu- FISH FOOD factured the “U 1,” which set off on its Bait helps lure some of the maiden voyage in 1906 (see also Dräger unusual creatures of the deep Review 120; page 26 ff.). sea towards the camera lens

DRÄGER REVIEW 121 | 1 / 2020 41