Ictíneo II - Air Independent Propulsion?

[Paul Nuttall]

Quite a few article, wiki included, class the Icteneo II as having AIP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ict%C3%ADneo_II

The most important innovation in the Ictíneo II was its air independent propulsion for underwater navigation. A reaction of zinc, manganese dioxide and potassium chlorate heated the boiler of a steam engine to provide propulsion and illumination and the oxygen released by the reaction could be used for breathing. Monturiol purchased a six-cylinder steam engine and divided it in half; one half was powered by a coal-burning boiler for surface propulsion while the other half was powered by a separate boiler heated by his chemical mixture.


Did this system have potential, given it does not seem to have been repeated, probably not.

Could the Icteneo II have been fitted with torpedoes or side attached mines?

[warshipadmin]

The descriptions I've seen make me puzzled. Why bother splitting the engine in two? If the generated oxygen is used to fire a boiler then the boiler produces steam exactly as if it were using atmospheric oxygen.

Yes the timeframe was about right for mines and torpedoes, although the range of torpedoes would have been short.