Page 28: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 1999)

Marine Engineering

Northrop Grumman Readies New Gas Turbine For Market

As the use of gas turbines as main ship's propulsion power continues to grow in popularity, particularly in the niche vessel segments of cruise shipping and rapid transport, Northrop Grumman recently announced that its WR-21 Intercooled Recuperated (ICR) advanced- cycle gas turbine ship propulsion engine has begun final development tests for the market which has most widely used the product in ship propulsion applications — naval.

The engine, which is being developed for naval war- ship applications through a team led by Northrop

Grumman, is being put through its final paces at a naval facility in Philadelphia. England's Rolls-Royce is designing and developing the gas generator and power turbines, while AlliedSignal's Aerospace Sys- tems & Equipment Group in Los Angeles is providing the Intercooler and Recuperator Heat-Exchanger

Cores.

The WR-21 is touted particularly for its fuel efficien- cy, as it will reportedly reduce both operation and sup- port costs significantly while keeping the naval ships it serves battle ready. To date, it is a candidate for the

U.S. Navy's DD-21 program and for European advanced combatants. "In initial tests, the WR-21 has already demonstrated a 25 percent annual propulsion fuel savings, compared to the existing gas turbine engines on a typical Navy destroyer," said Jim Hupton, vice president, Northrop

Grumman Marine Systems. "The WR-21 is now pre- dicted to deliver a 27 percent propulsion fuel savings in its initial mechanical drive production configuration.

An additional benefit from the newly developed gas turbine is a lower exhaust temperature, which can help to reduce the infrared signature of the vessel. Also, the system is designed to reduce airborne noise by 70 per- cent over current marine gas turbine models. The WR- 21 is designed with ease of maintenance in mind, as well, and individual modules of the unit can be removed and replaced aboard the ship.

Circle 60 on Reader Service Card %fiefrUnu££yJ(dBn

HEAD OFFICE:

MARINA TOWERS, 204, NEWTOWN BARRACKS

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE - CENTRAL AMERICA

Tel: 501-2-35031 / 35047 - Fax: 501-2-35048 / 35070 [email protected]

DESIGNATED OFFICES:

PANAMA

TOKYO

KOBE

SINGAPORE

ZURICH

NEW YORK

ROTTERDAM

HOUSTON

PUSAN, KOREA

CONSTANZA

MALMOE, SWEDEN

LUXEMBOURG

BANIAS, SYRIA

CAIRO, EGYPT

ISTANBUL

LAS PALMAS,CANARY Is.

ARGENTINA

ECUADOR

HONG KONG

YOKOHAMA

PIREAUS

LONDON

GENEVA

MANILA

MADRID

BANGKOK

KARACHI

LIMASSOL

TAIPEI, TAIWAN

ANTWERP

SHANGHAI, P.R.C.

NEW DELHI, INDIA

VALLETA, MALTA

MOMBASA, KENYA

URUGUAY

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA

KX( KU.r.M K ISOl KSTANDAIil) IN Sill IN UVAl ISTKATIOX • Dependable common law sys|em • Fast and efficient ship registration and related services • International conventions requirements • Bareboat Charter registration (Charter in — ( barter out) • Special registration lor deli very or scrap purpose • I lettable system lor recordation of ownership titles, morti>aj4es and Iiens • Competitive fees and taxes

IXTUn\ATIO\AL MKIM'IIANT MAMNE mwisTnv or nruzr 'I .M M A III',I f

CCOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS >rized by IMMARBE to perform statutory certification)

American Bureau of Shipping

Belize Maritime Bureau

Bureau Veritas

China Corporation Register

Det Norske Veritas

Hellenic Register of Shipping

Inspeccion y Clasiflcacion Maritima

Lloyd's Register of Shipping

Panama Maritime Documentation Serv.

Polski Rejestr Statkow

Registro Italiano Navale

Registro Cubano de Buques

Associated Consultants Bureau

Belize Register Corporation

China Classification Society

Class NK

Germanischer Lloyd

Korean Register of Shipping

Isthmus Bureau of Shipping

Panama Bureau of Shipping

Panama Shipping Registrar

R. J. Del Pan & Co., Inc.

Registro Internacional Naval

Maritime Register of Shipping

Ferriby Marine - Authorized for ISM certification 28 Circle 235 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News