Thread: A nautical story

Almost every warship engine is the same now. The same engines used in a 747

Not kidding. Even the RMS Queen Mary 2 has gas turbines ( and older engine they would not be able to start building today!)

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Almost every warship engine is the same now. The same engines used in a 747

Not kidding. Even the RMS Queen Mary 2 has gas turbines ( and older engine they would not be able to start building today!)

Interesting that, ND. Do the Turbines actually directly drive a prop through a gearbox or do they generate power to drive pods?

Edited. Don't know about QM 2 but seems a common method anyway.

https://www.brighthubengineering.com/naval-architecture/61952-jet-engines-for-marine-propulsion/

Originally Posted by 4bee

Interesting that, ND. Do the Turbines actually directly drive a prop through a gearbox or do they generate power to drive pods?

This might explain it better than I can. It is both Direct and indirect via electricity. The first Aussie ships with gas turbines were the FFGs. Like our discos turbo whine just a lot louder. .
Gas Turbines as Ships Main Engines

The link below shows you some of the actual engines. Much more effecent than my first Fuel Oil ship HMAS Vampire
Military Gas Turbine | GE Aviation

SNAP, to my above Ed.

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

This might explain it better than I can. It is both Direct and indirect via electricity. The first Aussie ships with gas turbines were the FFGs. Like our discos turbo whine just a lot louder. .
Gas Turbines as Ships Main Engines

The link below shows you some of the actual engines. Much more effecent than my first Fuel Oil ship HMAS Vampire
Military Gas Turbine | GE Aviation

Oh for the days of Steam, where the Tiffies & Stokers actually steamed the ship. No such thing as air conditioned machinery control rooms. Just sweat and hard work, and a decent amount of skill. And I think we lived on side of road in carboard box.

Raising steam. An instructional movie. Of course not at short notice like gas turbines, or diesel, but if at short notice we steamed auxiliary, one boiler flashed up, generators running.

YouTube

The steamship " Shieldhall"

The Steamship Shieldhall is the largest working steamship in Britain. A member of the National Historic Fleet she serves as a sea going tribute to Britain's maritime heritage. This documentary gives you a behind the scenes look at preparing the ship for sailing.
One of my regrets as steam Tiffie in the RAN is I didn't get the chance to serve on HMAS Diamontina, [ not sure of the spelling.] the only steam ship with triple expansion steam engines in the RAN at that time. The engineering roughly went triple expansion steam engines, steam turbines, diesel, CODAG [ combined diesel and gas turbines.] If you have read the book 'sand pebbles' you would have read Holman's explanation of the operation of triple expansion engines to the Chinese stoker. Classic.

YouTube

Originally Posted by bob10

Well, any one can build a hull. It's when you get to the really complex defensive and offensive systems that go into that hull that takes time to get it right.

Perhaps the large difference in build times between warships and merchant vessels can be explained this way. Merchant vessels are ordered by companies who want them delivered tomorrow and out on the ocean hauling freight and making money. Warships are usually built to the beat of the government stroke except in wartime when need might become more urgent. Warship construction can be delayed or cancelled for political or budgetary reasons. "Treasurer, we need more money for schools, hospitals, and our salaries". "Well then, stop building those white elephants for the Navy and use that money."