Abstract
MR. A. C. HARDY, in an article entitled “The Electric Ship” in the Electrician of May 2, outlines, some recent trends and developments. A project for a 50,000 kw. self-contained, floating power plant is being studied by the General Electric Co., Schenectady. The plant is to be housed in a hull of similar dimensions to that of a Great Lakes freighter capable of passing through the Welland Canal, the dimensions being limited to 290 ft. by 43 ft., with a draught of 10 ft. and a low-bridge clearance of 15 ft. It is recalled that this idea is not new, for two 10,000 kw. turbo-generators were installed in the hull of the Jacona, a vessel built during the War of 1914-18, and since 1930 used as a floating power plant in New England. This vessel was taken in hand at the works, of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. The main engine boilers and auxiliary formerly used for propulsion were removed. The funnel, foremast and four forward winches, propeller, shaft-tunnel and shafting were removed. New watertight bulkheads were installed fore and aft, and special thickening was fitted underneath the power plant. Two steam turbo-generators were installed, taking steam from four marine boilers, delivering 280,000 lb. of steam per hour at 425 lb. pressure at 250° F. superheat. The steam consumption of the turbines is about 9-4 lb. per kwh. at full load, the turbines being directly connected. With the exception of a few auxiliaries, the whole of the plant is divisible into two separate units, two boilers being arranged to serve each turbine. The method of making electrical connexion to the shore is a problem involving considerable study.
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Floating Electric Power Plants. Nature 147, 707–708 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1038/147707c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/147707c0