The effect of subrelativistic cosmic rays as the source of energy and ionization for the gas in active galactic nuclei is investigated using fluid-dynamic calculations. The thermal state of the gas is determined by the balance of heating from the cosmic rays and radiative cooling. Nuclear models were calculated with cosmic-ray luminosities of 10/sup 43//sup .//sup 6/ to 10/sup 47//sup .//sup 6/ ergs s/sup -1/ and gas number densities of 10/sup 4//sup .//sup 9/ to 10/sup 7//sup .//sup 8/ cm/sup -3/. These result in the formation of a dense shell which reaches outward velocities of 10/sup 3/--10/sup 4/ km s/sup -1/ and maintains temperatures within 10/sup 4/--10/sup 5/ K. This dense phase may produce the broad Balmer wings observed in some objects. A hot cavity forms between the shell and the source and reaches 10/sup 8/ K. This gas will be seen as an X-ray source. Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in the shell can provide a source for the observed cloud structure. The high mass loss rate may be replenished by stellar loss processes if a dense star cluster exists in the nucleus.