Breaking through a 20-meter ice ridge! How does the Xuelong 2 polar research vessel break ice?

The Xuelong 2 polar expedition icebreaker is an advanced polar research vessel designed and built by China. China is one of the few countries in the world that can independently design and build the ship, and it has the world's most advanced bow and stern two-way icebreaking capabilities.

The design and construction of Xuelong 2 marks an important progress in China's polar scientific research. The ship not only has a strong icebreaking capability, but is also equipped with advanced oceanographic survey and observation equipment, and can conduct scientific surveys such as physical oceanography, marine chemistry, and biodiversity surveys in polar ice areas. In addition, Xuelong 2 also has the ability to rotate 360 ​​degrees in situ in the polar region and can break through the 20-meter-high ice ridge in the polar region.

Image source: Screenshot of CCTV-1 Weibo video account

The successful design and construction of Xuelong 2 has not only enhanced China's polar scientific research capabilities, but also enhanced China's international influence. The existence of this ship means that China can play a greater role in the field of polar scientific research and make more contributions to the global polar scientific research cause.

Recently, Xuelong 2 held a five-day open day exchange and other activities in Hong Kong, which was warmly welcomed by Hong Kong people. This event not only demonstrated the technical strength of Xuelong 2, but also allowed more people to understand China's achievements in the field of polar scientific research.

Here are some of the advanced features of the Xuelong 2 polar research icebreaker:

Two-way ice-breaking technology

"Xuelong 2" is the world's first polar scientific research icebreaker that adopts bow and stern two-way icebreaking technology. It can continuously break ice in an ice environment with a thickness of 1.5 meters, filling the gap in China's major polar scientific research equipment.

Intelligent design

Xuelong 2 is highly intelligent, with almost all important equipment equipped with sensors, which can realize all-round intelligent perception, acquisition, exchange and display of information on the entire ship. Once a fault or abnormality occurs, the information will be fed back to the integrated alarm platform in the cab immediately, and the cab will notify the person in charge to handle it according to the actual situation.

Environmentally friendly design

Xuelong 2 is also a "green" polar research icebreaker that can protect the polar environment well. The exhaust pipes of the ship's generator sets are equipped with special devices to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, which exceeds the most stringent environmental protection requirements of the International Maritime Organization. In addition, because it is sailing in the polar regions, Xuelong 2 has adopted a cold-proof and warm-keeping design throughout the ship, and the temperature in the cabin is kept above 20 degrees Celsius.

Flexible operability

The Xuelong 2 is designed with two sets of pod-type full-rotation propulsion systems at the rear, which greatly improves its flexibility in docking, moving forward and backward, turning around on the spot, and operating in ice areas.

In general, the Xuelong 2 polar research icebreaker has provided important support for China's polar scientific research with its advanced icebreaking technology, intelligent design and environmental protection concepts.