Eli5: How does water not get inside ships or submarines through the motor shaft?
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Modern large vessel propeller shaft seals are quite complicated and are done through a combination of bulkheads, special compounds known as elastomers, and oil. They are constructed in such a way that the seal is actually created by hydrostatic pressure from the seawater itself. The system is designed to provide pressurized oil into the seal structure, which eventually leaks out in to the water outside the vessel, and needs to be monitored during use. They also wear out every 3-5 years and are usually replaced in dry dock.
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