Quote:
Originally Posted by miket
My guess is that submarines are close the the optimum shape.
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In 1980 there was a design proposal to make a fast attack submarine that was 1/3 the diameter and change the propulsion from steam turbine inside the pressure hull to water lubricated/cooled electric motor outside the pressure hull to eliminate the shaft seal issue. Fluid dynamics predicted that it would go faster and deeper but the idea was rejected because of other requirements .. submarine isnt optimum shape at all.
Don