Jan C. Nielsen
Member
Thanks for posting that research, Mark. I didn't know much about the engines --except that they are huge.
An 'Olympic' Class Propulsion System by Mark Chirnside
- Thread starter Jan C. Nielsen
- Start date
Mark Chirnside
Member
Glad you enjoyed the article; I had feared that it wasn't comprehensive enough. Much credit of course must go to Dean for his research that he shared and information from our discussions with regard to the turbine engine.
Best regards,
Mark.
Best regards,
Mark.
Michael H. Standart
Member
Hi Mark...you might want to think of that artical as a starting point for something bigger. I know you have a full plate of ideas for books, so how's this for non-fiction; a book dealing with the engineering of the Olympic class liners. It's amazing how much tech stuff isn't out there. Seems a good time to change that and you seem like the bloke who could pull it off.
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Mark Chirnside
Member
Thanks! though I suspect Cal Haines is much better suited. Well, it would be good to explore the issue of the class's fire-fighting equipment, about which little is ever published. Maintainance of the boilers would be another good issue. And the double bottom tanks. The expansion joints and how they managed over 24 years on Olympic...
Dean Manning
Guest
Hi Mark,
First and foremost, I want to thank you for the amount of credit you've given me; although I think your article would have been comprehensive and superb without my help. All I did was spend a little time at the library, and clear the dust off some college texts.
More importantly however, I urge you to take the advice of Michael. There are so many avenues to explore; and you have the skill and drive to pursue them.
Regards,
-Dean
First and foremost, I want to thank you for the amount of credit you've given me; although I think your article would have been comprehensive and superb without my help. All I did was spend a little time at the library, and clear the dust off some college texts.
More importantly however, I urge you to take the advice of Michael. There are so many avenues to explore; and you have the skill and drive to pursue them.
Regards,
-Dean
Mark Chirnside
Member
I suspect such a book about the engineering aspect could be a great idea; perhaps as well detailing the design changes to Britannic, Titanic, from Olympic experience, and such changes to her during her lengthy career. It would be very hard, I suspect to try to get published as there are quite a few books about Titanic's engineering; and as she was the second of the class, much of that material might be repetitive to a publisher's eyes. But I suppose there is other reasonably 'fresh' material.
Britannic's different expansion joints, increased rivetting and heavy stiffening of watertight bulkheads would make good reading; it is amazing that her bulkhead between boiler room 5 and 4 held back such a head of water for such a time when the ship was moving at high speed. Her davits, fascinating ventilation system.
Slight accommodation changes could perhaps be detailed, such as the differences between the Café Parisians on the Olympic and Titanic, plus Britannic's so called 'promenade café'. Britannic's amazing number of private baths, even in several second class staterooms.
Actually, there could be some great possibilities.
Perhaps including a comparison between the 'Olympic' class and such features of their contemporaries, such as the Mauretania's rudder, quad screws, Vaterland's cracks caused by the funnel uptakes being split up the ship's side. I would be able to look through Aquitania's repair records as well to compare the ships. Rivetting methods.
Ummm... Something to think about, that book. But for a few years; my second was to be a history of the Aquitania.
First and foremost, I want to thank you for the amount of credit you've given me; although I think your article would have been comprehensive and superb without my help. All I did was spend a little time at the library, and clear the dust off some college texts.
Dean, don't underrate your efforts; the information you supplied me with was fascinating and made a big part of the article when explaining the possibilites about why the turbine material was changed; without it the article would have been quite lacking. I have never understood turbines that well.
Britannic's different expansion joints, increased rivetting and heavy stiffening of watertight bulkheads would make good reading; it is amazing that her bulkhead between boiler room 5 and 4 held back such a head of water for such a time when the ship was moving at high speed. Her davits, fascinating ventilation system.
Slight accommodation changes could perhaps be detailed, such as the differences between the Café Parisians on the Olympic and Titanic, plus Britannic's so called 'promenade café'. Britannic's amazing number of private baths, even in several second class staterooms.
Actually, there could be some great possibilities.
Perhaps including a comparison between the 'Olympic' class and such features of their contemporaries, such as the Mauretania's rudder, quad screws, Vaterland's cracks caused by the funnel uptakes being split up the ship's side. I would be able to look through Aquitania's repair records as well to compare the ships. Rivetting methods.
Ummm... Something to think about, that book. But for a few years; my second was to be a history of the Aquitania.
First and foremost, I want to thank you for the amount of credit you've given me; although I think your article would have been comprehensive and superb without my help. All I did was spend a little time at the library, and clear the dust off some college texts.
Dean, don't underrate your efforts; the information you supplied me with was fascinating and made a big part of the article when explaining the possibilites about why the turbine material was changed; without it the article would have been quite lacking. I have never understood turbines that well.
Please, I have several questions:
I am modeling the full engine/boiler room of a fictional ship built in the same coal-to-oil conversion era.
I have often wondered what effects this would have on the older arrangement and equipment of a ship undergoing such a process.
When was she converted to oil?
....and what work was involved in doing so?
Where the coal bunkers simply (tongue-in-cheek use of the word) converted to tanks?
Where the boilers replaced or just modified?
What was the effect on ballast and capacity/range?
I'd think the conversion would mean far less volume required for fuel (liquid oil vs. coal)... did this "free up" any useful space?
As oil can be transferred from a distance via piping/service pumps, negating the need for bunkers right alongside the boilers, did this change her fueling arrangement?
I'd imagine the amount of fuel required...by volume... could change significantly. (The volume in cubic feet of coal vs. gallons of oil required to propel her over the same distance).
How long did this work take?
I'd imagine this GREATLY reduced her crew requirement...
I am modeling the full engine/boiler room of a fictional ship built in the same coal-to-oil conversion era.
I have often wondered what effects this would have on the older arrangement and equipment of a ship undergoing such a process.
When was she converted to oil?
....and what work was involved in doing so?
Where the coal bunkers simply (tongue-in-cheek use of the word) converted to tanks?
Where the boilers replaced or just modified?
What was the effect on ballast and capacity/range?
I'd think the conversion would mean far less volume required for fuel (liquid oil vs. coal)... did this "free up" any useful space?
As oil can be transferred from a distance via piping/service pumps, negating the need for bunkers right alongside the boilers, did this change her fueling arrangement?
I'd imagine the amount of fuel required...by volume... could change significantly. (The volume in cubic feet of coal vs. gallons of oil required to propel her over the same distance).
How long did this work take?
I'd imagine this GREATLY reduced her crew requirement...
Last edited:
Tim Aldrich
Member
Post #5 in this thread should answer all of your questions.
Edit: despite the title, Olympic was not converted to diesel. It was converted to oil fuel.
Conversion to diesel
Edit: despite the title, Olympic was not converted to diesel. It was converted to oil fuel.
Conversion to diesel
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