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A turbo-electric transmission uses
electric generator
In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts motive power (mechanical energy) or fuel-based power (chemical energy) into electric power for use in an external circuit. Sources of mechanical energy include steam turbines, gas ...
s to convert the
mechanical energy
In Outline of physical science, physical sciences, mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that if an isolated system is subject only to conservative forces, t ...
of a
turbine
A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used for generating e ...
(
steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
or
gas
Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma).
A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...
) into
electric energy
Electrical energy is energy related to forces on electrically charged particles and the movement of electrically charged particles (often electrons in wires, but not always). This energy is supplied by the combination of electric current and electr ...
, which then powers
electric motor
An electric motor is an Electric machine, electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a Electromagneti ...
s and converts back into mechanical energy that power the
driveshaft
A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power and torque and rotation, usually used to connect ...
s.
Turbo-electric drives are used in some rail
locomotive
A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...
s (gas turbines, ''e.g.'' with the first
TGV
The TGV (french: Train à Grande Vitesse, "high-speed train"; previously french: TurboTrain à Grande Vitesse, label=none) is France's intercity high-speed rail service, operated by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 19 ...
) and ships (steam and more recently gas turbines). An advantage of turbo-electric transmission is that it allows the adaptation of high-speed turbines to slow turning
propeller
A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
s or
wheel
A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...
s without a heavy and complex
gearbox
Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...
. It has the advantage of being able to provide electricity for the ship or train's other electrical systems, such as lighting, computers, radar, and communications equipment. Other advantages for ships include greater
watertight subdivision, quieter operations, and safety (via instant thrust reversal by changing engine
direct current
Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or even ...
polarity) for
submarine
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...
s.
[Friedman, 1994, pp 136, 147–149]
Ships with turbo-electric drive
Warships
Battleships
*
*
*
Aircraft carriers
*
*
* (gas turbine)
Destroyer escorts
*
*
Destroyers
*
Type 45 destroyer
The Type 45 destroyer, also known as the D or ''Daring'' class, is a Ship class, class of six guided-missile destroyers built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy in the early 21st century. The class is primarily designed for Anti-aircraft warfa ...
s (gas turbine)
Troop ships
*s
*s
Submarines
*
*
*s
*s
*s
Auxiliary ships
*s
Coast Guard cutters
*
cutters , , and
Merchant ships
Ocean liners
* (later ''Uruguay''), ''Pennsylvania'' (later ) and ''Virginia'' (later )
* – the most powerful steam turbo-electric units in a passenger ship, per shaft, 2 shafts
*''Monarch of Bermuda'' (later and ''Arkadia'') and
* (as re-engined in 1929)
* and ''Oriente'' (later )
* – most powerful steam turbo-electric passenger ship ever, per shaft (50,000 shp at max power), 4 shafts
* and (later )
* and (originally planned as s)
* and
* – powered by
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the directi ...
s as well as her diesel generators to generate the current for her four
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
electric podded
azimuth thruster
An azimuth thruster is a configuration of marine propellers placed in pods that can be rotated to any horizontal angle (azimuth), making a rudder unnecessary. These give ships better maneuverability than a fixed propeller and rudder system.
Ty ...
s
*''Santa Clara'' (later )
*''Strath''-class ocean liners and
*
*
Coastal liners
*''
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
'' (formerly ''Powhatan''), converted to turbo-electric transmission in 1920
* (II) and
Ferries
*
* – possibly the World's last steam-powered turbo-electric merchant ship; scrapped 2005
*''
Union Rotorua
''Union Rotorua'' was a large ro-ro vessel operated on the trans Tasman route by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (USSCo). Along with her sister ship ''Union Rotoiti'', she was unusual in that she originally had turbo-electric transmi ...
'' and ''
Union Rotoiti
''Union Rotoiti'' was a large roll-on/roll-off vessel operated on the trans Tasman route by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (USSCo.). Along with her sister ship '' Union Rotorua'', she was unusual in that she originally had turbo-elec ...
'' were both built as gas turbine ships with electric transmission. ''Rotoiti'' was subsequently re-engined to diesel.
Cruise ships
*''Millennium''-class
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...
s ''
Celebrity Constellation
GTS ''Celebrity Constellation'' (formerly ''Constellation'') is a operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. She was renamed in May 2007 to add the "Celebrity" prefix, joining her three sister ships: ''Celebrity Infin ...
'', ''
Celebrity Infinity
GTS ''Celebrity Infinity'' (formerly ''Infinity'') is a operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. She measures and long, and holds a capacity of 2,170 passengers across 12 decks. After Royal Caribbean signed a let ...
'', ''
Celebrity Millennium
GTS ''Celebrity Millennium'' (formerly ''Millennium'') is a cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises. She is the lead ship of her namesake class, whose ships are powered by gas turbines. Delivered in 2000, she is the oldest operating ship in C ...
'' and ''
Celebrity Summit
GTS ''Celebrity Summit'' is a owned and operated by Celebrity Cruises and as such one of the first cruise ships to be powered by more environmentally friendly gas turbines. Originally named ''Summit'', she was renamed with the "Celebrity" prefi ...
''
Banana boats
* (as re-engined in about 1930)
*Cargo and passenger liners (later s) , , , , and
* and
*''San Benito'', later
General cargo ships
*''Arauca'' (later ), and
Bulk carriers
* was a
lake freighter
Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that operate on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships.
Since the late 19th century, lakers have carried bulk cargoes of m ...
that was converted to turbo-electric propulsion in 1930.
*
Oil tankers
*
T2 tanker
The T2 tanker, or T2, was a class of oil tanker constructed and produced in large quantities in the United States during World War II. Only the T3 tankers were larger "navy oilers" of the period. Some 533 T2s were built between 1940 and the end of ...
s
See also
*
Gas turbine-electric locomotive
A gas turbine locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), prime mover is a gas turbine. Several types of gas turbine locomotive have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is ...
*
Steam turbine-electric locomotive
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
External links
*
*{{cite journal , url= https://books.google.com/books?id=qOIDAAAAMBAJ&q=Popular+Science+1930+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&pg=PA898 , last=Draper , first=John L , title=The Paddle Wheel to Electric Drive , journal=
Popular Mechanics
''Popular Mechanics'' (sometimes PM or PopMech) is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do-it-yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation and transportation o ...
, date=December 1930 , pages=898–902 — detailed article with drawing and charts on turbo-electric drive for ships and the advantages
Engine technology
Marine propulsion