The specifications alone are staggering and the photos are amazing.
Let's hear what you think.
http://people.bath.ac.uk/ccsshb/12cyl/
Let's hear what you think.
http://people.bath.ac.uk/ccsshb/12cyl/
The most powerful diesel engine in the world!!!
- Thread starter revvinkevin
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Wow
I'd hate to be on those stairs when the engine is running!
I'd hate to be on those stairs when the engine is running!
That's an amazing machine purely by the efficiency numbers. When they say it's the most efficient machine built, I sort of had my doubts, because modern steam engines can approace the 50-60 percent efficiency range of converting the energy in the fuel into mechanical motion, and thus have continued to be popular for large applications. I imagine being that these engines power container ships, that space issues are a factor too. Steam engines, which are still popular on some navy ships, and passenger lines, occupy much more space for their boilers, turbines, condensers, etc...and thus also require more crew to handle.
I also thought was interesting thing that these engines directly drive the propellers. I guess simplicity has it's virtue, as the other variety of engine design for passenger liners is diesel electric. The Sun princess, a cruise liner I went on about 4 years ago, has 36 diesel generators powering 3 electric motors that can be swiveled like giant versions of minn-kota electric outboards. This allows the ship to move in any direction the captain desires. It's probably easier for the captain when "parallel parking" her at dock in Ft Lauderdale than it is to parallel park his SUV at the terminal due to this neat engine design. The only problem with this engine design I've heard is that it's not the most efficient, and is only about 35 percent efficient, and the mechanicals take up the entire bilge of the vessel.
I also thought was interesting thing that these engines directly drive the propellers. I guess simplicity has it's virtue, as the other variety of engine design for passenger liners is diesel electric. The Sun princess, a cruise liner I went on about 4 years ago, has 36 diesel generators powering 3 electric motors that can be swiveled like giant versions of minn-kota electric outboards. This allows the ship to move in any direction the captain desires. It's probably easier for the captain when "parallel parking" her at dock in Ft Lauderdale than it is to parallel park his SUV at the terminal due to this neat engine design. The only problem with this engine design I've heard is that it's not the most efficient, and is only about 35 percent efficient, and the mechanicals take up the entire bilge of the vessel.
Efficiency . . .
Any time you use an engine to turn a generator to create electricity and then use that electricity to run a motor you lose a lot of energy in the form of heat.
I suspect one advantage of the diesel-electric system in cruise liners is being able to use many of the smaller engines which means replacement and overhaul of an engine isn't such a big deal. To do much to one of the huge engines obviously requires a great deal of time and lots of space around the engine, which could put a cruise liner in dock for a very long time. Cruise liners also use a great deal of electricity just to run lighting, air conditioning, and other systems on the ship, so having all that juice available anyway probably simplifies design and construction.
Any time you use an engine to turn a generator to create electricity and then use that electricity to run a motor you lose a lot of energy in the form of heat.
I suspect one advantage of the diesel-electric system in cruise liners is being able to use many of the smaller engines which means replacement and overhaul of an engine isn't such a big deal. To do much to one of the huge engines obviously requires a great deal of time and lots of space around the engine, which could put a cruise liner in dock for a very long time. Cruise liners also use a great deal of electricity just to run lighting, air conditioning, and other systems on the ship, so having all that juice available anyway probably simplifies design and construction.
This is very interesting-a depature in usual ship propulsion systems I have read about.when they were made a ship Deisel-electric-something like in a locomotive--the electric motor's speed and torque could be more easily controlled than the deisel engine.This was esp in ships.You wanted the deisel to run at a constrant speed-but throttle the gen-propulsion motors.also it was easier to REVERSE the electric drive motor.Otherwise you have a very large "transmission"in the ship to accommidate the "astern Deisel" that you would activate to go into reverse-astern mode.They didn't say in the article about reverse or astern mode.Would like to see the astern engine!On one ship I was on-a battleship-they had the astern steam turbine-it and the main turbine fed into the reduction gear "transmission" for the propellors.They had the system cutaway so you could see the VERY LARGE herringbone drive gears.Ship propulsion systems are interesting because of the so massive machinery.Only thing that tops them are the stationary turbines or deisels used in power plants.At the overseas transmitter sites of here I work they have very large deisles-Norberg-that power large generators for the transmitters.the engines aren't as large as the one in the link's article.
Some old tug boat diesels...
the engineer on the engine would actually throw the engine in reverse by acutally making it run backwards. I'm wondering if this one could do the same? Then again, I'm sure that when it got close to port there would be tug boats that helped her dock.
duetboy
aka jeff
the engineer on the engine would actually throw the engine in reverse by acutally making it run backwards. I'm wondering if this one could do the same? Then again, I'm sure that when it got close to port there would be tug boats that helped her dock.
duetboy
aka jeff
The number of engines on a cruise ship...
Steven (cybrvanr), I believe that number of engines (36) may be a little high. I don't think it would make sense (cost, maintenance, up keep, etc) to have so many smaller engines as opposed to a few larger ones.
A few (5-6?) years ago I took an Alaska cruise on the Dawn Princess (sister ship to the Sun Princess). During the cruise I managed to finagle my way (and it was not easy...) into getting a tour of the main ship systems control room AND the engine room (Woo-Hoo!!)!!! (Yes this was prior to September 11, there's no way ANYONE could do that now!). The engine "room" consisted of 2 main compartments and each compartment had I believe 4 engines, 2 really large turbocharged, low speed (500 RPM) V-16's (main power) and 2 smaller, but still large V-12's (secondary / back up power). I peeked through a doorway into the other "engine room" only to see those two V-16's had been disassembled for their (semi?) annual tear down/inspection/rebuild.
The guy giving us the tour said one of the V-16's generates enough power to run all the systems on the ship while in port and if necessary, could propel the ship along at a low speed cruise. He said however they run both (2) of the "big" engines while cruising and especially when maneuvering in port with the thrusters (he said they those use a LOT of power!)
It was very exciting to be able to view all this first hand!!! For those interested I will post a couple pix after I get home!!
Steven (cybrvanr), I believe that number of engines (36) may be a little high. I don't think it would make sense (cost, maintenance, up keep, etc) to have so many smaller engines as opposed to a few larger ones.
A few (5-6?) years ago I took an Alaska cruise on the Dawn Princess (sister ship to the Sun Princess). During the cruise I managed to finagle my way (and it was not easy...) into getting a tour of the main ship systems control room AND the engine room (Woo-Hoo!!)!!! (Yes this was prior to September 11, there's no way ANYONE could do that now!). The engine "room" consisted of 2 main compartments and each compartment had I believe 4 engines, 2 really large turbocharged, low speed (500 RPM) V-16's (main power) and 2 smaller, but still large V-12's (secondary / back up power). I peeked through a doorway into the other "engine room" only to see those two V-16's had been disassembled for their (semi?) annual tear down/inspection/rebuild.
The guy giving us the tour said one of the V-16's generates enough power to run all the systems on the ship while in port and if necessary, could propel the ship along at a low speed cruise. He said however they run both (2) of the "big" engines while cruising and especially when maneuvering in port with the thrusters (he said they those use a LOT of power!)
It was very exciting to be able to view all this first hand!!! For those interested I will post a couple pix after I get home!!
Running the engines backwards....
Referring to the VERY large engine in the link at the top of this thread, since the engine is a 2 stroke, yes it is certaintly possible for it to run either direction (CW or CCW).
Referring to the VERY large engine in the link at the top of this thread, since the engine is a 2 stroke, yes it is certaintly possible for it to run either direction (CW or CCW).
Speaking of big engines...
The QM2 (Queen Mary 2), the largest ocean liner in the world, is supposed to be entering SF Bay this Sunday afternoon. I'm told it's quite a spectacle.
I was working near the north west tip of the city (Fort Miley) when Queen Elizabeth's royal yacht paid a visit here in the 70's. That was quite a spectacle as well. Not an extremely large ship (but bigger than most anyone could afford), it was accompanied by a flotilla of pleasure craft, both sail and motor powered.
The QM2 (Queen Mary 2), the largest ocean liner in the world, is supposed to be entering SF Bay this Sunday afternoon. I'm told it's quite a spectacle.
I was working near the north west tip of the city (Fort Miley) when Queen Elizabeth's royal yacht paid a visit here in the 70's. That was quite a spectacle as well. Not an extremely large ship (but bigger than most anyone could afford), it was accompanied by a flotilla of pleasure craft, both sail and motor powered.
Photo of the engine control on the Dawn Princess
Here's one...
Here's one...
The engine...
COOL PICTURE!!! I may have mis-heard the spiel they gave, and heard sixteen cylinders per side, not engines per side...makes better since....it was about 10 years ago when I took the cruise (ship was only a year old) I never got to tour the engine/mechanical rooms, but would have loved to. That was a totally awesome treat you got there! What a cool picture! That diesel is actually quite compact for what it is moving around! I heard the Sun princess is now in Australia.
My parents went on that Alaska cruise a few years ago and LOVED it!
My parents went on that Alaska cruise a few years ago and LOVED it!
jasonl
New member
Will that fit in my Bug?
I'll second the comment on the engine pic; very cool indeed . . . the only problem with the pic is that I keep getting distracted by something in the foreground!
When I was a kid I managed to get a good look into the engine room of a Seattle-Vancouver ferry and I'll never forget how fascinating it was.
When I was a kid I managed to get a good look into the engine room of a Seattle-Vancouver ferry and I'll never forget how fascinating it was.
The question should be-will the "bug" fit INSIDE one of these engines?
More cruise ship engine pix...
Here are a couple more photos of our Dawn Princess engine room tour... (left) the "1st floor" view of the engine (our tour guide in the background).... (right) individual cylinder heads from the dissasembled engine waiting to be offloaded and rebuild when we dock in Vancouver. Somewhere I also have a photo of the pistons...
And BTW... only one of the large engines were running while we toured (as we were in port). YES we had ear plugs, but it was still very loud in there!!! Our guide had to "yell" right next to our heads so we could hear what he was saying!
Here are a couple more photos of our Dawn Princess engine room tour... (left) the "1st floor" view of the engine (our tour guide in the background).... (right) individual cylinder heads from the dissasembled engine waiting to be offloaded and rebuild when we dock in Vancouver. Somewhere I also have a photo of the pistons...
And BTW... only one of the large engines were running while we toured (as we were in port). YES we had ear plugs, but it was still very loud in there!!! Our guide had to "yell" right next to our heads so we could hear what he was saying!
