Submarine

Water Distillation PDF Print E-mail

Distilling Systems

USS Bowfin (SS-287)

Clean Water

Fresh water is vital on board a submarine not only for drinking, cooking, and washing, but also for storage batteries, boilers, and as a cooling agent for the diesel engines. An American World War II submarine on a war patrol required a minimum of 600 gallons of fresh water a day.  The majority of the water usage was for the batteries and cooking/cleaning. Beyond this, remaining water supplies should leave enough for each man in the crew to have a bath at least twice a week. Cooks were normally required to bathe every day, for obvious reasons. But the distiller units were very cantankerous and hard to keep operating when electrical power was reduced when submerged or if the unit became contaminated-a frequent problem. So water was limited.

The distilling systems used aboard American submarines during World War II consisted of either the Model S or the Model X-1 units. Two units of either type were normally installed on all fleet boats.

Diagram of distiller
Shown here is a Model X-1 Distilling Unit, the type which is installed on Bowfin.

Information from: Submarine Distilling Systems, NAVPERS 16163A, June 1946

Bowfin's Model X-1 Distillers

Bowfin's Model X-1 Distillers, located in the forward section on the port side of the Forward Engine Room.
 

Secrets of the Sub

Victory At Cost

Victory at a cost

During World War II, The United States Submarine Force, encompassing less than 2% of the U.S. Navy's fleet, inflicted destruction on Japanese maritime power. U.S. submarines were responsible for sinking over 30% of the Japanese Navy including eight aircraft carriers, one battleship and eleven cruisers.  More importantly, the Submarine Force sank 2,400 Japanese merchant ships totaling 4.9 million tons.

Chart of Enemy Ships

However, this success did not come without risk. Out of a total of 14,000 submariners who fought in peril under the sea took losses of over 3,500 officers and men.  Approximately one in four submariners never returned.

victory-bonefish-plaque-2_web

The USS Bonefish submarine plaque is one of fifty-two memorials at the Waterfront Memorial at Bowfin Park.