Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: wilson@b11.ingr.com (Jon Wilson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: re: Electric warship propulsion
Message-ID: <1990Dec17.051438.29694@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 17 Dec 90 05:14:38 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
Lines: 39
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: wilson@b11.ingr.com (Jon Wilson)

budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg) writes:

	A couple years ago, Navy did some 'blue sky' work resulting in a 
	Ship Operational Characteristics Study (which I'm in the process
	of cloning for USCG use, but different story).  One of the conclusions
	of the SOCS was that electric power should be used as the prime
	mover on the next generations of ships. 

Interestingly, in the thirties the U.S. Navy was a proponent of electric
propulsion. The large carriers _Lexington_ and _Saratoga_ were, I believe,
the largest vessels ever fitted with it; I think that the _Tennessee_ and
other battleships of that class were also fitted with turbine/electric
propulsion.

I recall the account of a crewman on the _Lexington_ who stated that several
men in the engineering spaces were burned, zapped, etc. when incoming seawater
from torpedo or bomb hits shorted the powerplants.

I know of no other warships that used the combustion->steam->electricity
powerplant. 

In a modern context, it might make sense to revert to an electric arrangement;
quietness, plenty of power for laser, particle-beam weapons, massive radar
arrays, etc. :-) Does anyone know if MHD generators would be suitable for
shipboard power? 

 ______________________________________ 
|                                      | 
| Jonathan Wilson                      | 
| VMS Systems Support                  | 
| Intergraph Corporation               | 
|                                      | 
| email: uunet!ingr!b11!wilson         | 
| phone: (205) 730-6397                |  
|______________________________________|