Page 37: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 1990)

THE PROPULSION SYSTEM:

HEART OF TODAY'S NAVY VESSEL

Table 1

READER SERVICE NUMBERS

FOR MANUFACTURERS

IN THIS REVIEW

Manufacturers Reader Service # Manufacturers Reader Service #

ABB Marine 62 Isotta Fraschini . . . 77

Allison Gas Turbines . . 63 KaMeWa 78

Bird-Johnson 64 Kato 79

Cincinnati Gear .... 66 Krupp MaK 80

Coltec 67 Lips 81

Combustion Engineering 68 MAN B&W Diesel . . 101

Cummins 65 MTU 82

Detroit Diesel 69 National Forge . . . 83

Deutz MWM 70 Omnithruster .... 84

Electro-Motive .... 71 Paxman Diesels . . . 85

GE ALCO Power .... 60 Rolla Propellers . . . 100

GE Marine & Industrial 72 SSS Clutch 86

GE Naval & Drive Turbine Systems . . 73 Sulzer-Escher Wyss 87

GMT 74 Westinghouse .... 88

Hamilton Marine . . . 75 ZF 89

Hedemora Diesel . . . 76

The heart of today's Navy vessel, whether it is a cruiser, destroyer, fri- gate, corvette, minehunter or sup- port craft, is the propulsion system.

Many of these warships and naval auxiliaries demand high-perform- ance, flexible and durable propul- sion systems. A significant number of new surface combatants are being fitted with marine gas turbines be- cause of their excellent power-to- weight ratios, simplicity and reli- ability. Diesels remain a popular choice in both diesel and diesel-elec- tric applications. In addition, through technological advances, major naval equipment manufactur- ers of propellers and gears, for ex- ample, are constantly improving their propulsion system products and components in an effort to pro- vide the international naval market with the most durable, quietest, most powerful and most fuel-effi- cient propulsion systems.

This article, based on information received as of press time, offers a brief review of some of the latest propulsion systems that are in use by the world's naval fleets.

FREE LITERATURE

AVAILABLE

Technical reports, product litera- ture and brochures are available free of charge from the manufactur- ers included in this review. If you would like additional information, just circle the appropriate Reader

Service Number(s) on the postpaid card bound into the back of this issue. See Table 1 in this review for the proper Reader Service Number for each manufacturer.

DIESELS

For well over a half a century,

Paxman Diesels Ltd. has been a major supplier to the British Royal

Navy.

Paxman has supplied low mag- netic signature marine diesel en- gines for the Sandown Class single- role minehunters, developed and built for the Royal Navy by the

U.K.'s Vosper Thornycroft. These

GRP-hulled vessels are each pow- ered by two Paxman Valenta 6RP200E propulsion engines. These

Valenta six-cylinder engines have a continuous rating of 500 kwb (670 bhp) at 1,200 rpm. When installed in minesweepers, the power rating of these engines is raised to 755 kwb (1,012 bhp) at 1,460 rpm.

In other work for the British

Royal Navy, Paxman has provided diesel power modules for the com- bined diesel and gas turbine (COD-

LAG) propulsion system in the new

Type 23 Antisubmarine Warfare fri- gates. Twelve of these ships are now under construction or on order. The first of the class, the HMS Norfolk is due to be commissioned shortly.

The ASW frigates will each be fit- ted with four Paxman Valenta 12RP200CZ power modules each having a continuous power output of 1.3 mw 440/600 v at 1,200 rpm.

The modules will provide power for the propulsion system and ship's electrical supplies.

Earlier this year, NAVSEA gave its formal approval for three of Pax- man's Valenta range of diesel en- gines to be "Qualified in Accordance with MIL-E-24455" for considera- tion in U.S. Naval applications.

The three Valenta engine models involved are the 12-, 16- and 18- cylinder versions.

Paxman paved the way for future

U.S. Navy use when its Valenta 16RP200CM engines were used in 37 of the U.S. Coast Guard's Island

Class patrol boats. Some of these vessels have now been operating for four years.

Fincantieri's GMT (Grandi

Motori Trieste) engine divi- sion produces the medium-speed

B/BL 230 diesel, a typical "naval" engine used in the Italian Navy. The series has a wide selection of models (six to 20 cylinders) and power ranges (1,000 to 5,600 kw), enabling the use of a standard cylinder for all types of vessels, ranging from mine- hunters, patrol craft and corvettes to frigates, destroyers and cruisers.

The main characteristics of the B/

BL 230.8M (low magnetic signature and short stroke version) are: a pis- ton bore of 230 mm, piston stroke of 270 mm, and engine speed of 1,200 rpm in an eight-cylinder, turbo- charged and intercooled model. The long-stroke version of this engine has the a piston stroke of 310 mm and an engine speed of 1,050 rpm.

Fincantieri's Isotta Fras- chini engine division produces

ID 36 diesel engines, designed to achieve maximum power-to-weight ratios, while maintaining the origi- nal characteristics of reliability and long TBO.

The compact engine, well-suited for use in small engine rooms, exhib- its very low noise emissions.

In fact, the propulsion or power generation sets driven by ID 36 engines can be easily contained in acoustic enclosures and fitted on a double system of elastic mountings.

This high-speed engine has a pis- ton bore of 170 mm, stroke of 170 mm and engine speed of 1,200 rpm.

The modular design of the ID 36 engine series ensures simple instal- lation as a propulsion or power gen- eration unit.

Shock testing on ID36SS8V-AM diesels was recently completed on behalf of the U.S. Navy. One pro- pulsion and one generating set uti- lizing ID36SS8V-AM engines will be installed aboard the Navy's new minehunter ship USS Osprey.

Cummins marine diesels, sup- plied by Cummins Engine Com- pany, Inc., Columbus, Ind., pro- vide all on-board power for the U.S.

Army Troop Support Command's new Utility Landing Craft, LCU- 2000. Built by Trinity Marine

Group, Gulfport, Miss., the LCU- 2000 features two Cummins

KTA50-M main propulsion engines, rated at 1,250 hp at 1,800 rpm, two

NTA-855-GC generator sets, rated at 250 kw at 1,800 rpm, one 4BT3.9-

G emergency generator, rated at 40 kw at 1,800 rpm, and one NT-855-M bowthruster engine, rated at 300 hp at 1,800 rpm.

Detroit Diesel Corporation's military marine engines, in the pow- er range of 105 to 2,200 horsepower, have been fitted aboard such mili- tary craft as minesweepers, motor lifeboats, torpedo weapons retriev- ers, and landing craft.

A recent government project un- dertaken by DDC is the U.S. Coast

Guard's 47-foot motor lifeboat pro- gram, which utilizes the firm's 6V- 92TA (model 8062-7404 diesel, rated at 450 hp at 2,300 rpm).

In addition, a 78-foot aluminum fast patrol boat under construction at Halter Marine for the Philippine

Navy will be powered by two De- troit Diesel 16V92TAB engines driving through ZF BW255 reverse/ reduction gears.

Serving the single engine 50- 10,000 horsepower range, MTU of

North America has supplied pro- pulsion equipment for both Navy and Coast Guard patrol boats. In the U.S., MTU has its 16V396TB94 diesel engines, rated at 3,433 bhp at 2,100 rpm, for the repowering of the (continued)

ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG 51)

V—* iiiXrJftl

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September, 1990 39