The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-02-26

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 tur-
bine direct connected to a powerful generator.
Ihls generator is operated by the steam turbine
and produces the current have been seeking
Each of the turbo-generators produces 1900
horsepower. In technical language this spot with
In the ship is known the power plant
The turbine Is an essential part of this plant. 1t
illustrates another advantage Of the electric drive
A steam turbine to operate at Its maximum efi-
cheney must revolve at a relatively high speed.
say 1000 revolutions per minute. On the other
hand, the propeller 10 be most efficient, must re-
volve with comparative slOwness, say 200 revolu-
tons per minute. This is because If the propeers
revolved at high speed they would merely churn up
the water and fail to drive the vessel ahead.
Now electricity acts as a connecting link be-
tween this highspeed .Lrbine and the low-speed
motor which drives the propellers Mechanical
gears, which in the turbine driven vessel have
been used to reduce the turbine speed down to
suitable propeller speed, entirely eliminated
and the necessary reduction accomplished by sim
pie electrical means Moreover the operating
units OF vital Importance are each nclosed In sep
arate water-tight compartments. In addition the
machinery is grouped very close to the center of
the ship as far as possible away from the Sides
The possibility OF so grouping the machinery"
says an officer, means a greater protection of
the apparatus from shell fire, grounding and col
lision. We might say that this feature plus the
nexibility OF control and the ability to cut off
defective or damaged apparatus, constitutes one
OF the essential superorities of electric drive"
10 follow the power route TO its source we must
go still further forward to a point amidshins
Here are nine huge steam boilers, arranged three
In compartment. They store up the steam nm
der pressure Of 250 pounds to the square inch
and deliver II to the turbines. The New Mex.
leo burns oil instead of coal.
Thus the electrical propulsion equipment of the
New 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 conner
cables to control station where it is distributed
and passed on to four big motors Each of the
four motors turns propeller and thus the shin
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-
tioRal electrical energy with which to operate
scores of auxiliary apparatus
For instance electric motors operate the 70
Inch and l4-inch guns. blowers which supply the
ventilation Of the ship, electric fans telephones
heaters. pumps, refrigerating machinery wireless
apparatus. kitchen appliances. laundry eoup-
ment etc, to say nothing OF the lighting svsten,
Motordriven machinery also operates the boat
cranes and the anchor windass. There are scores
Of storage batteries which stand ready 10 Keen
the electric lights going should the main lighting
system fall 1t has been estimated that there are
aboard the New Mexico no less than 80 electric
motors.
Where does the current come from to operote
themr we ask. It comes from six auxiliary
turbo- generator sets and We And two of them well
up toward the bow Of the vessel still on the same
level as the boiler room from which we have lust
This turbo-generator. and the others
similar to It. are responsible for the wonderful
applications Of electricity which We will make the
acquaintance Of as We go upward through the
New Aexics. There are four separate decks