The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-10-17

another compartment where we view the machine
which generates the electrical current which turns
The propellerS.
This is the turbo-generator section. There are
two turbo- generators consisting of a steam 'ur'
bine direct. connected to n powerful generator.
This generator is operated by the steam turbine
and produces the current we have been seeking.
Each Of the turbo-generators produces ifooo
horsepower. In technical language this spot Win
in the ship is known as the power plant.
The turbine is an essential part of this plant II
ilust rates another advantage OF the eieclrlc urNc'
A steam turbine to operate Mt Its maximum" -,
cheney must revolve at Il relatively hlgh speeu'
sov 1000 revolutions per minute. On the other
hand the propeller to be most efficient, inust re-
volve with comparative slowness, say -oo reVo'u'
lions ner minute. This is because if the propeilers
revolved mt high speed they would merely churh up
the water and fail to drive the vessel aheao'
Now electricity acts as a connecting INK DE,
,woeu This highspeed .Lrbine and the low-speeu
.,ato, which drives the propellers. Mechanical
uo,r which In the turbine driven Vessei nave
hoen used TO reduce the turbine speed down 10
suitable propeller speed, are entirely eilhi'h''eu'
oud the necessary reduction accomplished w -"
:, electrical means. Moreover the operating
units of vital importance are eacl ihcioSeu III sep
,rote water-tight compartments. IN auu''ioh 'e
,nocbinerv is grouped very close to the center OF
tho shin as far as possible away from the SIDES.
"The possibility of so grouping me machinery
- an officer, means a greater protection OIL
the apporatus from she'll fire, grounding ana cor
us,ou we might say that this feature, plus the
deyibility of control and the ability to cut OH
detective or damaged apparatus, constitutes one
Of the essential superiorities of electric drive.
To follow the power route to its source. we must
90 still further forward to a point amldSiips'
Here are nine huge steam boilers. arranged three
in 9 commitment. They store up the steam un'
der q pressure of go pounds to the square inch
and deliver 1T to the turbines. Inc ne" AieA
leo burns oil instead or coal.
Thus the electrical propulsion equipment OF the
Now Mexico may be briefly summarized as fol
lows. Nine steam boilers deliver steam to two
turbines. The two turbines operate two genera
tors. The two generators produce electrical cur
rent The electrical current is led through copper
cables TO n control station where it is distributed
and passed on to four big motors. Each of the
four motors turns a propeller and thus the ship
is driven through the water.
The current which the two turbO-generators
produce is used entirely in the actual propulsion
of the vessel. The New Mexico must have addi-
tionol electrical energy with which to operate
scores of auxiliary apparatus.
For instance, electric motors operate the -
inch and l4-inch guns, blowers which supply the
ventilation of the ship, electric fans, telephones.
heaters. pumps, refrigerating machinery, wireless
onparatus. kitchen appliances, laundry equip
ment. etc. to say nothing of the lighting system.
Motordriven machinery also operates the boat
cranes and the anchor wlndlass. There are scores
of storage batteries which stand ready to keep
the electric lights going should the main lighting
system fail. 1t has been estimated that there are
aboard the New Mexico no less than so electric
motors.
.Where does the current come from to operate
themY' we ask. 1t comes from six auxiliary
turbo-generator sets and we find two Of them well
up toward the bow Of the vessel, still on the same
level as the boiler room from which we have JUS
emerged. This turbo-generator. and the Others
similar to 1t, are responsible for the wonderful
applications Of electricity which we will make tht
acquaintance Of as We 60 upward through the
New Mexico. There are four separate deck