GEARED TURBINE ECONOMY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14917, 16 March 1914, Page 9

GEARED TURBINE ECONOMY.

The geared turbine represents tho latest development in marine engineering, tho idea being to secure economy in vie running of a steamer, by tho use or high-speed turbines in conjunction with comparatively slow-runrnn;; propellers. In other words, a turbine is most efficient and economical at a high speed, while a steamer's propeller gives the best results by being largo and slowrunning. Tho first experiments with geared turbines for marine propulsion wore made in the Vespasian, an orthnarv cargo steamer fitted with a single screw driven by reciprocating engines, which were replaced with a pet of turbines connected by mechanical 1 eduction gearing to the propeller shaft The experiments were conducted by the 1 arsons Marino Steam Turbine Company, nnd running in her ordinary tredo the Vespasian had completed, up till IUI-', some 67 voyages, covering over J/,W mites, and th« gearing gave not the slightest trouble, nor had any appreciable wear been detected on the teeth of tho pinions or gear wheels. According to the Hon. Sir Charles A. l'arsoiis, X.C.8., the originator of the marine steam turbine, the principal advantapes of geared turbines, as compared with triple expansion reciprocating engines are- tummarised as follow:—increased economy in coal and oil consumption, absence of racing in rough weather,' reduced wear and tear of engines, red'irasd etrw* on screw shaft* iiip duo to even turning movement of enzincs. and tho absence of racing; reliability of running in all weathers, reduced weight of machinery, increased dead-weight of cargo due to lnt-roased economy in <-oa! consumption, and reduced weight of engines. , GEARED TL'RBIMS'S RAPID PROGRESS. Until tha advartages of tho geared turbine had been demonstrated, tho use of turl>i»es as a means of propulsion ha-l been confined O high-speed pastseiiior steamers—the direct-driven turbine .vus <jut of the mustion for tuo and the results achieved running of the Uannross, havo Sown that tho geared turbine Una a big future in »te application to the tramp steair.er ot large deadweight capacity. Moreover, the geared turbine ia winning it ß way in highspeed passenger steamers. . Ino «£*■ Channel steamers Normannia andlHau tonia, owned by tho London and bputhWestern Railway Company, built m 1912 aro fitted, with geared turumes, wh:oh are also installed in. three steamers for the forry service between India and Ceylon. Tho Cunard Line is having a 15,000-ton steamer, the Transylvania, built on the Clyde, and fitted with geared turbines, and the lederai Steam Navigation Company (controlled by tbo New Zealand Shipping Company) has just placed orders for three largo refrigerated cargo steamers, each ouu feet in'lengtii. o-™ io rr } • same type or machinery. The I nion liner, Mahono, which has been engaged in tbo intercolonial service since 1905, and whose direct-drivo turbines have never given satisfaction or economy, is to be laid up this month at Port Chalmers, and converted into a twin-screw steamer, driven by geared turbines. Tho Huddart-Parker Company lias also placed an order for a fast passenger steamer for tho Launceston-Mel-bourno service, to be driven by geared turbines.