why smoke stacks so fat for diesels of this size?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Squidly-Diddly, Dec 13, 2018.

  1. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

  2. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Probably just a carry-over from the steam days, when a smokestack had to have "substance". Or maybe some of these vessels were formerly steam driven. But this timber passenger ferry built in the 1930's was always diesel-powered
    yet the stack is similarly much larger than needed, so could be just for appearances sake.
    Mirana.jpg ,
     
  3. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Like Mr. E said, on e.g. the 1987 built MS Astor of 15.4 MW total power you can see that the outer size of the stack is mostly meant to be stylish, and that the pipes within need less space...

    Length ~ 578' 3" ~ 176.25 m, Beam ~ 74' 2" ~ 22.60 m, total power ~ 15.4 MW ~ 20,652 HP, propulsion by 2 props powered by 4 Sulzer-Wärtsilä diesels.

    [​IMG]
    (large)

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    However the total stack size is already much reduced vs early steam power, e.g. the 1858 built SS Great Eastern had 5 boilers to power 4 steam engines for the paddles and an additional engine for the propeller, and so she had 5 large stacks for a total of 6 MW steam power.

    Length ~ 692' ~ 211 m, Beam ~ 82' ~ 25 m, total steam power ~ 6 MW ~ 8,046 HP

    [​IMG]
    (large and very large, be careful not to get a small computer stuck, the latter is 8,419 × 5,123 pixels = 27.11 MB)

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    (large)
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2018
  4. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    The bridge is a bit hard to find on the Great Eastern !
     
  5. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    I guess everyone was at work, shoveling coal and working the sails, plus a lot of maintenance on the engines and boilers etc., so not at ease watching how she goes, hard working like on a sailboat without a bridge, I'm afraid...

    SS Great Eastern 1866 pic
    [​IMG]

    Jackas.s-barque - - Niobe 1930 pic
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2018
  6. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    It was certainly an example of the "think big" entrepreneurial spirit of the Victorian era.
     
  7. BlueBell
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    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    And the fourth funnel on the TITANIC wasn't even functional!
     
  8. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    If only it had been packed with inflatable life boats that popped out if (when) it sank.
     
  9. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

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  10. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    they should've painted lifeboat silhouettes on the hull


    For when your Felony Conviction makes it illegal to wear real body armor in California.
    Fake ballistic vests become dangerous fashion trend https://www.policeone.com/patrol-issues/articles/121074-Fake-ballistic-vests-become-dangerous-fashion-trend/

    But seriously, if I was designing a pre-radar Coast Guard Cutter I'd want the highest crow's nest possible. Maybe make a tall smokestack part of the structure with tip above the station with 360 degree swivel so the smoke is always pulled cleanly away. Not sure if this would work with strong positive pressure exhaust like diesel. Wind Directional Chimney Cap - Galvanized https://www.famcomfg.com/product/wind-directional-chimney-cap-galvanized/

    This looks like in many conditions the guys in the towers would be smoked out.
    Lattice mast - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lattice_mast#/media/File:Uss_south_carolina_bb.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2018
  11. Milehog
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    Milehog Clever Quip

    The stacks are likely part of the engine room ventilation system in addition to protecting the hot exhaust pipes.
     
  12. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    The engine room ventilation grates can also be seen around the stack of the MS Astor in post #3, but since the stack underside has a lot of covered area between the ventilation grates, the stack could have been built smaller if this was desired, and still have enough ventilation capacity, I believe.
     
  13. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Last edited: Dec 17, 2018
  14. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)


  15. HJS
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    HJS Member

    One stack contains the owner's cabin on this vessel.
     

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