Freezing salt water--equipment

[TMHeimer]

Sun crystalizes salt--no good. What about freezing salt water? My BC froze a bit outside after today's dive. What about regs? I asked years ago about hanging the wetsuit outside over night AFTER it had been rinsed and consensus said if it froze not to worry much. Don't think this has been asked before.

 

[guruboy]

Salt water doesn't freeze. Only water does. Salt gets left behind.

 

[Scuba J7]

I was under the impression that salt water can freeze, time to jump down a rabbit hole.....

Edit: Depends on freezing speed, salt will be “pushed” out of water crystals but can still be trapped in the ice, sound right?

 

[lowviz]

I was under the impression that salt water can freeze, ...//...

EVERYTHING will freeze given a low enough temp.

Here is a quick and dirty as to the temps: Freezing Point Depression in Solutions

 

[lowviz]

...//... I asked years ago about hanging the wetsuit outside over night AFTER it had been rinsed and consensus said if it froze not to worry much. Don't think this has been asked before.

No worries, Tom! Been done thousands of times.

But you do bring up an interesting question... I know for an expensive fact that allowing one's power washer to freeze up is not a good idea. What about regs? Are there any out there that would be damaged by a solid freeze up? (yeah, I know, they should be dry...)

Reg guys???

 

[TMHeimer]

I was under the impression that salt water can freeze, time to jump down a rabbit hole.....

Edit: Depends on freezing speed, salt will be “pushed” out of water crystals but can still be trapped in the ice, sound right?

Right--Arctic Ocean ice pack is definitely frozen salt water...................

 

[ps444mike]

Fresh water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit but seawater freezes at about 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit, because of the salt in it. When seawater freezes, however, the ice contains very little salt because only the water part freezes. It can be melted down to use as drinking water.

 

[TMHeimer]

Fresh water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit but seawater freezes at about 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit, because of the salt in it. When seawater freezes, however, the ice contains very little salt because only the water part freezes. It can be melted down to use as drinking water.

I know about the two freezing points. But what happens to all that salt (and other stuff) when oceans freeze? Where does it go? Does it not just remain in the now frozen water, whether or not it actually freezes itself? If you melt down frozen sea water to drink, would you not have to still remove the salt?
You know, like what I think they do at "de-salinity" (or whatever they call them) plant operations?
I've been to Hudson Bay a couple of times when it was frozen over--looks just like a frozen lake covered with snow, except for the big ridges at the shore caused by waves and tide changes.
At times we even get ice chunks in the ocean here in Nova Scotia--you could just melt them and drink them?
OK, before any answers, I googled it. Most of the salt eventually sinks to the water below the frozen surface--some gets trapped in liquid pockets in the ice. I guess that's why it can be melted down and drank relatively safely.
So that being said, perhaps when salt water freezes on or inside your BCD, the salt separates to some degree. If the BC dries--frozen--are there not salt crystals affecting it?