Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,028 pages of information and 246,693 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Bauer-Wach Exhaust Turbine System

From Graces Guide

This is a marine propulsion system developed by Gustav Bauer-Schlichtegroll.

EXHAUST TURBINE EQUIPMENT ON S.S. “BRITANNIA.”

'By interpolating an exhaust steam turbine between the low-pressure cylinder and the condenser, and coupling it by reduction gearing to the propeller shaft, some 30 per cent, more work can, in favourable cases, be obtained from each pound of steam passed through the combined system, by Dr. Bauer stated in his paper that the plan in question had originated with Sir Charles Parsons, but the credit for the practical application of the idea appears to rest with the Vulcan yard. Particulars were given of two steamers, each of 9,080 tons deadweight, which were thus converted at this establlishment. In their original condition, these engines developed about 2,605 indicated horse-power, and drove their ships at a speed of 14 knots. By the addition of the exhaust turbine, the horse-power, with the same consumption of steam, was raised to the equivalent of 3,590 indicated horse-power, and the speed to 15 knots. The one difficulty encountered in making this combination, lies in the fact that, owing to inequalities in the torque, the speed of a reciprocating marine engine is not constant, but varies cyclically throughout each revolution. The turbine, on the other hand, develops a uniform torque, and owing to the large amount of kinetic energy stored in its rapidly rotating rotor, its speed tends to be very uniform. Hence, in order that the turbine and the reciprocator shall work satisfactorily together, there must be considerable elasticity in the coupling between the two. In the case of the Vulcan sets above referred to, this elasticity was provided by the use of a Föttinger hydraulic coupling.
In view of the success thus attained in Germany, it is of interest to note that Messrs. William Beardmore and Company, Limited, of the Naval Construction Works, Dalmuir, have now applied the system to the Anchor liner Britannia, a ship of 8,464 tonnage, launched only two years ago. .....
As already noted, the installation of the exhaust turbine increases the horse-power developed by the same quantity of steam by an amount which, in favourable cases, may attain 30 per cent. The corresponding gain in economy is stated by the builders to range between 18 per cent, and 25 per cent., depending on the type of engine converted. Owing to the uniform torque of the turbine, the racing in a seaway is reduced, and higher average speeds can be maintained.'[1]

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