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Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats?
Posted by: J.T. McDaniel ()
Date: March 22, 2004 06:24PM

As far as I'm aware, they all worked in pretty much the same way. Sea water was heated to produce steam and the steam was condensed back into fresh water. Distillation will remove most, though not all, contaminants from water. It doesn't work with petro-chemical contaminants, since many of those have a boiling point equal to or lower than water. It is virtually 100% effective in removing suspended solids, salt, and the like.

The stills in American boats were electrically operated, and I believe the German models were similarly designed. In the inter-war years, some boats were equipped with exhaust-heated stills--essentially, wrapping a water jacket around the exhaust pipe and using engine heat to boil the water. The electric versions worked better.

J.T. McDaniel

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Subject Written By Posted
Saltwater-purification om u-boats? Magnus 03/21/2004 05:20PM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? ROBERT M. 03/21/2004 10:10PM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? Magnus 03/22/2004 05:26AM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? J.T. McDaniel 03/22/2004 06:24PM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? ROBERT M. 03/22/2004 08:00PM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? David W. 03/22/2004 06:42AM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? Arthur Baudzus Author of U-859 03/23/2004 06:24PM
Re: Saltwater-purification om u-boats? Paul K. Mengelberg 03/27/2004 11:33AM


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