If I recall my Naval science 101 taught by Lt. Tom "Truxton" Calhoon. The steam
plants that we studied were the 600 and 1200 PSI power plants which is what
most of the Naval ships use. The steam that is boiled for the boilers is a
closed loop system. Nothing is lost other than leaks and a steam leak at 600 or
1200 PSI is a big deal. Like your cars cooling system it is a closed loop
system, if stuff leaks out you see the car on the side of the road. Now there
are scoops on the bottom of the ships hull, sea chests that are used to help
return the steam back to water.

In a nuc it is the same, you still need sea water too cool the hot water back
to water. Keeping the radioactive stuff on one side and the cool stuff on the
other. I think that is how we cased the soviets subs is that they were not
clean and had a leak in the system.


After Enterprise hit Bishops Rock in 87 the divers brought up pieces of the
rock from the sea chests. It isn't uncommon for there to be fish and other
things stuck in them and they do sometimes require a diver to clean them out.

Sparky