Navy Christens Hybrid Gas/Electric Assault Ship, page 1

posted on Aug, 21 2006 @ 04:20 PM

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The U.S. Navy christened the amphibious assault ship Makin Island (LHD 8) in a ceremony Aug. 19 at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss.

What sets this particular ship apart from other assault ships is that it is the U.S. Navy's first amphibious ship equipped with all-electric auxiliary systems and a hybrid gas turbine/electric propulsion system. This hybrid system will save millions of dollars worth of fuel costs over the life of the ship.

Makin Island is a multipurpose amphibious assault ship designed to transport and land a Marine Expeditionary Unit force of 1,900 Marines ashore by helicopter, landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles. Its secondary missions include maintaining sea control, command and control, and mission support.

With a combined 70,000 horsepower, the fuel savingt hybrid propulsion system will drive the 42,800-ton ship with it's 3,200 crew members to speeds in excess of 20 knots.

Image Source: US Navy Newstand

Source:
Navy Christens Assault ship; Navy Newstand

LAES YVAN

posted on Aug, 21 2006 @ 04:33 PM
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They will also land harrier jump jets, and F-35B's on this as well, yes?

I'm wondering how exactly they desgined the engine/motor. Will it be simultaneous gas/electric or will they switch between gas and electric at different stages? Are they running off of battery power, or are they using gas to run a generator?

RedMatt

posted on Aug, 21 2006 @ 05:04 PM
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Originally posted by LAES YVAN
I'm wondering how exactly they desgined the engine/motor. Will it be simultaneous gas/electric or will they switch between gas and electric at different stages? Are they running off of battery power, or are they using gas to run a generator?

I believe it's neither of the above, "hybrid electric" isn't quite the right term to use because people think it works like automobiles do.

Makin Island (I'm assuming) uses gas turbine engines to power generators, and that power is then fed into electric motors to drive the propellers. The main advantage of this arrangement is that, because there's no direct connection between the engines and the props, each can be spun at the most efficient speed for a given power output, and you can do this over a wide range of speeds.

We used to have "turboelectric drives" on our battleships, which worked along the same lines (based around boilers/steam turbines rather than today's gas turbines), and a good description of the advantages it offered can be found US here.

[edit on 21-8-2006 by RedMatt]

LAES YVAN

posted on Aug, 21 2006 @ 06:45 PM
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hmm... electric motors that have 70,000 horsepower. I'd like to see that..

JohnR

posted on Aug, 25 2006 @ 05:28 PM
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What about the French Passenger Liner of the 1930's, can't lay my hands on the technical specs at the moment, but she was turbo electric and must have need 120,000 hp + to achieve her speed.

LAES YVAN

posted on Aug, 26 2006 @ 12:23 AM
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You are right, the SS Normandie has 160,000 shaft horespower. But could only temporarly hold that power for short periods of time.

Didn't know that till now.

You would think with power like that, you could hook multiple generators to it, and have it power itself... free energy.

justin_barton3

posted on Aug, 26 2006 @ 05:33 AM
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Originally posted by LAES YVAN
and have it power itself... free energy.

nothing can power itself due to no system being 100% efficient although there are a couple of irishmen who claim to have broken the laws of physics and created a system that is 400% efficient.

EDIT: for more look up look up Perpetual motion on google or wikipedia.

justin

[edit on 26-8-2006 by justin_barton3]

LAES YVAN

posted on Aug, 26 2006 @ 10:02 AM
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Originally posted by justin_barton3

Originally posted by LAES YVAN
and have it power itself... free energy.

nothing can power itself due to no system being 100% efficient although there are a couple of irishmen who claim to have broken the laws of physics and created a system that is 400% efficient.

EDIT: for more look up look up Perpetual motion on google or wikipedia.

justin

I know, I have been participating in a conversation about that...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Supposedly the guys are professional micro generator builders. I think their design is based on a generator and motor and possibly a battery setup, where the motor is powerful enough to spin the generator that is powerful enough to charge the battery faster than the motor can drain it.

Anyway... I look forward to seeing this new ship in person.

[edit on 26-8-2006 by LAES YVAN]

justin_barton3

posted on Aug, 26 2006 @ 10:18 AM
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Originally posted by LAES YVAN
I know, I have been participating in a conversation about that...

my apologies i didnt realise. it will be cool if it acutally works and even cooler if they can make it work on an industrial scale. cant wait to hear what my physics teacher has to say about this.

justin