Trouble with technical terms

[Blind_Justice]

I'm looking for a word to describe some form of airlock.

In my current story, one of the protagonists is from a mostly aquatic species, so her cabin is in essence a huge aquarium. To enter, one has to pass through an antechamber, pick up an air bottle and flood said chamber before crossing into the main "aquarium". Is that just an airlock or is there an even more technical term for that chamber?

 

[ChasingAnna]

I'm looking for a word to describe some form of airlock.

In my current story, one of the protagonists is from a mostly aquatic species, so her cabin is in essence a huge aquarium. To enter, one has to pass through an antechamber, pick up an air bottle and flood said chamber before crossing into the main "aquarium". Is that just an airlock or is there an even more technical term for that chamber?

Airlock should be fine.

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Interesting question.

An airlock is used to move between a habitable space with air into a space with no air. So the air-breathers who live in the dry space could correctly call it an "airlock" as it locks in the air.

Now your water-breather might have the opposite view. To them the space filled with water is habitable and the chamber locks in the water they need to survive. Your aquatic character might correctly refer to it as a "aqua-lock" or a "hydro-lock" depending on whether they prefer Greek or Latin.

Characters accustomed to using such a technology on a regular basis might shorten the name and just call it the "lock".

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Interesting question.

An airlock is used to move between a habitable space with air into a space with no air. So the air-breathers who live in the dry space could correctly call it an "airlock" as it locks in the air.

Now your water-breather might have the opposite view. To them the space filled with water is habitable and the chamber locks in the water they need to survive. Your aquatic character might correctly refer to it as a "aqua-lock" or a "hydro-lock" depending on whether they prefer Greek or Latin.

Characters accustomed to using such a technology on a regular basis might shorten the name and just call it the "lock".

Or 'water-lock', just because I stick to modern English.

But the logic is inescapable.

 

[NotWise]

I'm looking for a word to describe some form of airlock.

In my current story, one of the protagonists is from a mostly aquatic species, so her cabin is in essence a huge aquarium. To enter, one has to pass through an antechamber, pick up an air bottle and flood said chamber before crossing into the main "aquarium". Is that just an airlock or is there an even more technical term for that chamber?

It seems like such things must exist on submersibles to allow entrance and exit under water. I did a quick google without coming up with anything real specific. The Wikipedia article on 'airlock' refers to them as 'floodable airlocks' or 'underwater airlocks.'

 

[Blind_Justice]

That's some fine info. Thanks everyone.

 

[blozo]

You cannot enter a modern submarine while submerged. You can however, get out by way of the "escape trunk".
That just doesn't sound as nice as airlock. Go with airlock.

 

[jaF0]

You could check some old episodes of 'Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea'. They were in and out all the time.

In 'Babylon' 5, Kosh lived in an environment that was some gaseous atmosphere toxic to humans. There was a sealed chamber much as you describe where humans had to pass through and don breathing gear.

 

[gordo12]

In a submarine they are called hatches or lockout trunk.

Seals use the lockout trunk that can hold several men, flooding and providing an exit.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

You cannot enter a modern submarine while submerged. You can however, get out by way of the "escape trunk".
That just doesn't sound as nice as airlock. Go with airlock.

There are some SEALs and SBS types who might disagree with that, actually. If you can go one way, generally you can go the other.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There are some SEALs and SBS types who might disagree with that, actually. If you can go one way, generally you can go the other.

Agree this. Although they don't advertise the capability, obviously, but it's up there with max operating depth, max speed, loiter speed, range, duration and anything else that gives a clue what a boat can actually do.

 

[colddiesel]

During 1941 a Royal Navy submarine, HMS Trident was presented with a reindeer by a group of grateful Russians. (Russian humour!) The Brits accepted the gift (British humour) The reindeer entered the sub by the normal route but it grew on the voyage and had to be extracted through a torpedo tube. It then spent 5 happy years as a resident of Whipsnade Zoo.

Apparently the crew were far prouder of getting the reindeer home, despite the entry egress issues than they were of the actions they had been involved in.

For unbelievers there is a wiki article with photographs.

 

[Hypoxia]

Depending on which side you favor, the Gulf is either the Arabian Gulf or the Persian Gulf. Those not taking political sides call it the Gulf.

Depending on what you breath, a lock is an airlock or hydrolock or lavalock or whatever.
Those breathing whatever can call it a lock.

Cycling through the lock works no matter what is on either side.

 

[Handley_Page]

During 1941 a Royal Navy submarine, HMS Trident was presented with a reindeer by a group of grateful Russians. (Russian humour!) The Brits accepted the gift (British humour) The reindeer entered the sub by the normal route but it grew on the voyage and had to be extracted through a torpedo tube. It then spent 5 happy years as a resident of Whipsnade Zoo.

Apparently the crew were far prouder of getting the reindeer home, despite the entry egress issues than they were of the actions they had been involved in.

For unbelievers there is a wiki article with photographs.

See HERE

 

[jaF0]

In my current story, one of the protagonists is from a mostly aquatic species, so her cabin is in essence a huge aquarium. To enter, one has to pass through an antechamber, pick up an air bottle and flood said chamber before crossing into the main "aquarium". Is that just an airlock or is there an even more technical term for that chamber?

Why step into/through something like a door way?

Why not enter/exit from a hatch above? How you you put things into an aquarium at home? Or enter a swimming pool?

 

[Charmolypi]

A hermetic seal.

Sounds like a reclusive ex-military guy but it’s an air-tight seal between two things. Doesn’t exactly say doorway or room, but I think you get bonus points for working it into an erotic story.

He slid out with an audible pop, breaking the hermetic seal between them.
ohh baby there’s the sexy...

 

[Blind_Justice]

I went with airlock.

Jaf0: It's necessitated by the way the starship (where the cabin is located) is built. I'm pretty sure my beta readers will tear my floor plans to shreds, but that's how I want it and that's how I'll get it.

Since we're doing the nautical, I have another question. How do you call the big round wheel thingie found on many ship doors? It's handle of sorts to open the door with, but I'm sure it has a nautical or technical term I am not aware of.

For reference:
http://de.zhiyoumarina.com/uploads/201712210/p201707111610392326952.jpg

 

[Hypoxia]

Since we're doing the nautical, I have another question. How do you call the big round wheel thingie found on many ship doors? It's handle of sorts to open the door with, but I'm sure it has a nautical or technical term I am not aware of.

For reference:
http://de.zhiyoumarina.com/uploads/201712210/p201707111610392326952.jpg

It's a dog. From Boats For Beginners:

Openings in the outside of the ship are ports, not windows. Entrances from one compartment to another are called doors. Openings from one deck to another are called hatches. The handles on the watertight hatch or door are called dogs. When you close a door or watertight hatch, you secure it. If you close down the dogs on the door or hatch, you dog it down. ​

But I was in ground forces, not navy. Maybe some swabbie will set me straight.

 

[Blind_Justice]

It's a dog. From Boats For Beginners:

Openings in the outside of the ship are ports, not windows. Entrances from one compartment to another are called doors. Openings from one deck to another are called hatches. The handles on the watertight hatch or door are called dogs. When you close a door or watertight hatch, you secure it. If you close down the dogs on the door or hatch, you dog it down. ​

But I was in ground forces, not navy. Maybe some swabbie will set me straight.

That's like learning ANOTHER entirely new language. Okay then. Now I speak German, English and Geek fluently, can do some Latin and French if push comes to shove and know a few bits and bobs of Legalese and Nautical English. Thanks for levelling up my Linguistics skill, Hypoxia