An extremely interesting read

[Scream And Fly]

I know most of us here are gearheads to some degree, and I thought many of you would enjoy this detailed article on the Titanic’s propulsion system. Considering it is over 100 years old, its complexity is astounding. For those that don’t know, the Titanic had three screws - the outer two, or ‘wing screws’ were driven by giant steam reciprocating engines and the center screw being driven by a steam turbine which is powered off the exhaust steam of the reciprocating engines. It really is fascinating to read just how complicated this entire system was.

http://www.titanicology.com/Titanica/TitanicsPrimeMover.htm

[XstreamVking]

Incredible info. Thanks for posting a very good read. We don't realize the complexity of many older things imagimed by designers and then built by craftsmen in the past.

[Da Bull]

If that system could push that hull to 24 Knots then there`s no telling what nuke power could have done.

Combined with the apparent efficiency of the hull along with rumors about the rudder being to small we can see where they had no chance of steering away or stopping before colliding with that iceberg. Sad.

[LakeFever]

Steam is the highest power we can harness, Even a Nuc plant is simply a steam kettle. Steam is wildly dangerous though. For all we know the steam pressurized containment in the Titanic ruptured and thats what split the hull and sunk it. As my grandpappy used to say believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.

My childhood neighbor was a steam operator and had a very solid collection of steam powered vehicles. When he died collectors mostly from England came and bought and shipped them over seas. Incredibly smart guy I wish I listened more

[XstreamVking]

Our newest subs are said to exceed 70 mph submerged. Unreal feat. The old WW 2 destroyers could do well over 50 mph!

[LakeFever]

Our newest subs are said to exceed 70 mph submerged. Unreal feat. The old WW 2 destroyers could do well over 50 mph!

That is unreal when you think about it. How much gains we get simply from surfacing a prop to lose parastic losses. Now move a 20,000 TON 500' long sub completely submersed at 70mph :eek:

[XstreamVking]

They claim 35 knots, so I surmised and have read experts opinions that they can easily do 70. You know how the navy likes to sandbag their top real speed before they race you for the money... Destroyers speed is actual fact. The nuke carriers can run a SUSTAINED 35 knots with a potential top speed of 45 knots. This is with a fresh bottom job and new fuel rods. Push it any harder and it will break shafts and props due to design limit of the hull shape. Cavitation induced vibration?

[LakeFever]

Theres standard duty MV and then theres GO TIME MV and they are wildly different. Humvees for instance built on the old 6.2/6/5L GM diesel crap motor that would do 60mph wide open. Special opps get hot tuned Duramax Humvess that run the quarter in 12 flat. Same vehicle, different purpose.

If the real nasty lights off again, considering how much HP we could harness back in the Merlin engine era? Imagine the unreleased new tech baddassery that will suddenly hit theatre. Hope we never see such a thing

[dagodiver]

850 tons of coal per day.
Read all i can on the great ships.
Wrecker for sure.

Dago.

[Brad Zastrow]

I am blown away on Titanic information and the other posts. I had no idea.

[dagodiver]

Here is my shipwreck artifacts display. It is in the Library at the Suncoast technical Center in north port for the month of march.
These were recovered from local gulf coast Florida wrecks and restored by myself over many years. WWII wrecks most of them.
Incredible history on the ocean floor. The great liners of yesteryear most have been incredible.

Dago.



484016

[Chaz]

Brilliant minds at work during the industrial revolution. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution#Steam_power

[Greg G]

Wow, incredible what they thought of and then went out and did way back then. Also have to say that whoever created the write-up did a great job in pulling all the aspects together. Can you imagine walking through that engine room/s at the dry dock before launch? Must have been like walking on the moon in a way.