Messages sorted by:
[ date ]
[ thread ]
[ subject ]
[ author ]
Howdy folks,
Earlier this month there was a discussion concerning whether water would
evaporate at a different rate if it was covered by a layer of diesel fuel.
This applies to trawlers in that it has implications for properly managing
your boats fuel tankage.
Some of us predicted that a layer of fuel would "seal off" whatever water is
present and prevent it from evaporating while others said that the fuel
layer wouldn't affect the water at all.
On August 9 I outlined an experiment to shed some light on the question. I
actually started the experiment on August 14. There will be those who feel
that I procrastinated in getting this thing underway but as you read on I'm
sure that you'll get an idea of the work and planning that goes into an
experiment of this profound subtlety.
The experiment can be described in phases:
Phase 1 - Procure hardware; Two Mason(tm) jars and a tablespoon measure.
Phase 2 - Procure reagents; diesel fuel #2 (low sulfur) and water.
Phase 3 - Set up; Put three (3) tablespoons water into each mason jar then
add enough diesel to form a layer approx 3/16" thick on top of the water in
one of the jars.
Phase 4 - Implementation; Set both jars on the patio such that (a) they
don't get rained on and (b) the diesel doesn't stink up the house.
Phase 5 - Wait....
Phase 6 - Look at the two jars......
Phase 7 through 12 or so - Repeat phase 5 & 6 ad nauseum.
Phase 13 - Omitted (for obvious reasons)
Phase 14 - Report findings to Trawler World List.
As of September 2 the "water only" jar has completely evaporated while the
"water under diesel" jar has maintained its original level within the limits
of my ability to measure it.
Conclusion - Paul Kruse and I get to give our naysayers a big nyah nyah!
A note to those intrepid experimenters that would follow in my pioneering
footsteps: Use less water! They say that a watched pot never boils and I
can confirm that a watched Mason(tm) jar never evaporates.
Experimentally yours,
Alex
