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Steam Power Off Subject Maybe general i nterest?
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Posted by Ol Chief on February 18, 2003 at 20:04:31 from (24.175.114.218):
I recently wrote an article on a modern version of a steam powered tractor.This seemed to meet with chilling interest by some of the Hi Tech-nitions.Some of you fellows with both feet on the ground showed a bit of interest in steam power so I will go back about 60 years when steam was still king.At the outbreak of WW/2 the U S merchant fleet was almost non-existant.Our govt.set out to build an emergency fleet of one class of vessels.They became named Liberty Ships.These vessels carried 10,000 long tons == ( 2,260 lb.per = L.T.)at a speed of 9 knots or about 10 mph.They were powered by one 2,500 HP three cylinder triple expansion reciprocating engine.This engine was coupled to approx.200 feet of 10 inch dia.propellor drive shaft.The engines operated on 250 lb.(PSI) of superheated steam. The Hi press.cylinder was 24 inches in dia.W/48" stroke.This exhausted into an intermediate cyl.36"dia.which in turn exhausted into the low press.cyl.which was 60 inches in dia.That cyl exhausted into salt water cooled condensor which carried internal vacuum of 25" Hg. Maximum normal speed was 76 RPM.emergency RPM was about 84.Only used when under attack by submarines or surface vessels.The purpose of the various size cylinders was to utilize the the lowered steam pressure exhaust from the preceeding cylinder into a larger size piston surface thereby giving each cylinder equal horsepower.These engines were oiled by hand every thirty minutes.I know well because I was an oiler on these ships in my early years. The cranks, eccentrics,valve rods,crossheads and crosshead slipper guides were all totally exposed and oilers were required to feel the moving conn. rod crank pin bearings along with all other bearings to ascertain bearing temps. Also he would examine appearance of oil on his fingers for discoloration.this wound determine whether few a extra or fewer shots of oil were to be used at that engine round. In addition The line shaft bearings were also checked and oiled.Many a man lost fingers and some lost limbs in the performance of these tasks.That was an accepted risk that went along with the job for a pay of $110 per month.All part of helping to win the war. Two thousand five hundred of these ships were produced during the war.Though hundreds of these ships made the voyage attempting to reach Murmansk,Russia only One in ten succeded ,the other nine were lost to submarine or air attacks.I went to sea in 1944 an retired from merchant service October 23, 2002 and loved the job.I hope I have not been to windy. By the way only three of these vessels are in existance today.Mostly maintained by old guys like me ,as a hobby.
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