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Is there any definite information that U-boats carried pure oxygen?
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Oh yes, there is ... look here, from
the VIIC manual, available at Uboatarchive.net:
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Oxygen flasks at 150 kg/cm² -------> 500 liters
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This is the whole data and procedure, at pages 84 & 85:
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b) Safety equipment. High pressure air system, air volume at 205 atm: 3900 liters Oxygen renewal system, oxygen volume at 1 atm: 75000 liters Air purification system, sodium hydrate cartridges: 212 units
Here's the explanation of all the procedure:
b) Air purification system. The air purification system consists of: Purification system: removing CO2 by means of sodium hydroxide cartridges Renewal system: bleeding O2 from oxygen flasks. A man when breathing, creates 30 liters/hour of CO2 and needs the same amount of O2. The air purification system maintains the CO2 content at 1.5% level and O2 content at 17.5%. CO2 content above 2% is injurious. The estimation of time, when 1.5% CO2 content in 400 m³ of air in the boat will be reached: 37 men creates per hour: 37 x 30 x 100/400000 = 0.28% CO2 / hour So 1.5% CO2 content will be reached after 5 hours 20 minutes. The measurement of CO2 and O2 concentration is made by means of Orsat devices, first time after 4 hours of submerged cruise. Moreover there are CO2 sampling tubes to detect carbon dioxide content above 1.5%. Air purification 3 air purifiers are used for air purification connected to exhaust air duct, located as follows: In the aft torpedo and E motor room In the control room In the forward torpedo room Each air purifier consists of 4 sodium hydroxide cartridges.The air from the compartment is withdrawn through an air exhaust duct through the air purifier and purified air is returned by an air intake duct. The regulating valve allows adjustment of the amount of air passing through the purifier. When adjusting, the amount of passing air should be kept as low as possible to avoid warming the cartridges, because in this case, the cartridges don't reach their full efficiency. Ventilation capacity is: In the 1st hour – 350 liters/hour In the 2nd hour – 400 liters/hour In the 3rd hour – 450 liters/hour Air renewal Air renewal takes place, when the oxygen content drops below 17.5%. 10 oxygen flasks are provided, with capacity 50 liters each at a pressure of 150 atm. These flasks are located as follows: E motor room 1 flask Diesel engine room 2 flasks Control room 4 flasks Forward torpedo room 3 flasks The main manifold, to which all flasks are connected, has a branch from the control room to the upper deck, which is used for filling the flasks with oxygen. Oxygen can be supplied through connecting pipes to the air exhaust duct and added to circulating air or bled directly into the compartments of the boat. Regulating valves installed in the connecting ducts and in the end of branch leading to the conning tower, which allow adjusting the oxygen feed rate depending on crew numbers. The stored oxygen and sodium hydroxide cartridges enable the crew of 37 men, to remain continuously submerged for 72 hours.
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