International Conference on Secure Systems Design and Technology Development (SysTechDev 2026)

DETERMINATION OF OPTIMAL UNDERWATER CUTTING PARAMETERS FOR SHIP HULL STEEL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH VESSEL RSV 421 "ST. ST. CYRIL AND METHODIUS"

Not scheduled

20m

''Vasil Levski'' National Military University

Paper – Poster Presentation Engineering Sciences and Production Technology

Speakers

Hristo Hristov (Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy - Varna, Bulgaria)Prof. Momchil Manov (Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy - Varna, Bulgaria)

Description

This article presents an in-depth study of underwater exothermic cutting technology with exothermic electrodes, applied to the hull steel of the Bulgarian research vessel RSV 421 "St. St. Cyril and Methodius". Having identified the steel type in previous studies as low-carbon Grade A, the focus here shifts to the optimization of underwater repair procedures. The thermodynamic fundamentals of the exothermic reaction, the impact of hydrostatic pressure on cutting parameters, and the strict safety protocols required for operations in extreme marine conditions are examined. The energy characteristics, the specifications of EP-1 and EP-3 type electrodes, and the metallurgical transformations in the cutting zone are analysed.