Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-11-16
BOILERS OF
/. MINNESOTA NOT
EASY TASK
installation of IS Big Steam
Makers One of Hardest Jobs
Done in United States

How the new boilers OF the giant
hill freiglter Minnesota were install
cd on the lineg at san Francisco is
interestingly told in the November
number of the Pacific Marine Review.
copies OF which reached Honolulu last
week. .-.-. ...... e.. :. s.. -. -. ~.
The trial OF the Minnesota on Sep
TENDER - marks the successful com
pletion Of one Of the largest boiler
JOBS ever undertaken in this Coun-
try, says the Review. The Mime
sofa left Seattle on voyage to Eu-
rope with a full cargo in December
1916 When off the coast OF Lower
California she Developed so much boil
er trouble that she was forced to turn
north again and arrived at San Fran
cisco Decem Der II, 1915. >....-. i.
The boiler installation on the Min
nesota consisted of T6 Niclausse water
tube boilers containing a total OF 272
elements. with. - 81 inch tubes in.
each element. The total heating sur
face was 40.6l4.S square feet and the
total CRATE surface 1,0S0.& square feet,
giving d ratio OF heating surface to
CRATE surface Of ] 10 37.6. These boil
ers were fitted with an induced draft
system .-.-.-. @.....
After several surveys and exam
nations it was finally decided to re-
move the old and install new boilers.
The contract for this work was award
ed the Union Iron Works Company of
San Francisco, and consisted of build
ing and installing, ready for sea, 16
Union Heine boilers. The contract
was awarded during January, 1916.
with the understanding that the work
was to be completed by November ].
1916 ~ - $780, r.:
Crowded condition of the Union
Iron Works shops necessitatcd the
major portion Of the work being done
in the open. Fortunately the weather
held good for outdoor work and the
first boiler was tested on the Goth of
MAY. The last Of the IS boilers was
tested on July 10 and landed on its
in the ship on the 10th.
Fires were lighted and steam raised
on August 2S and the boilers were
tested under. full steam. The whole
was completed on Septem-
Der IL. .--.. .... H..
The Minnesota was fully loaded
and owing To her deep draft the work !
was performed in the bay about one
and one-half miles off the Union Iron
Works. Steam had to be kept up con- |
and for this purpose a large
cylindrical boiler. was placed on the
steamers deck. Oil and water tanks
had also TO be fitted on board so that !
steam could be steadily supplied for
the dynamos and eompressGrs supply
ing power for the use of the tools, !
loists, etc. The smoke pipe was cut |
off and moved to one side as all the
Iptakes and breechings had to be re-
moved and new ones installed.
l2-ton derrick was erected at one
side Of the 0oiler-room hatch by which |
all the lifting was accomplished with |
the exception of the boilers them
selves, which weighed 30 tons each
and which were handled by a special |
boom rugged at the end of the boiler
'oom hatch. In addition to replacing
he boilers, beth the engine and fire
rooms were Quilted Of old and obsolete
auXiliaries, piping, ETC., and the graf
lngs and ladders were raarranged. |
New feed heaters, evaporators. feed I
pumps and other auxiliaries were in |
stalled and a much simpler arrange |
nent of piping provided. =: -