TREMENDOUS POWER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 5

TREMENDOUS POWER

Machinery Of Dominion Monarch HUGE SIZE OF MAIN OIL ENGINES (By our special representative on board the Dominion Monarch). Impressive when they are at rest iu port, but truly awe-inspiring when they are driving the great ship at 20 Inots, the four colossal oil-engines of the Shaw Saville liner Dominion Monarch represent the greatest aggregation of propelling power ever installed in a motor-ship. Placed four abreast in the main engine-room, which measures 81 feet in length and 84 feet in width, the engines have a height of 32 feet 6 inches and a total weight of 1680 tons. Each engine has an output of 133 revolutions a minute of 8000 brake horse-power, giving a total propulsive delivery of 32,000 horse-power. The designed speed of the Dominion Monarch is 21 knots, but judged on her performance on the run from England to South Africa and Australia, this should easily be, exceeded when certain adjustments hare been made and the engines are properly “run-in.’’ The normal service speed of the Dominion Monarch is 101 knots at 123 revolutions a minute giving 25,250 horse-power. Running at that power the ship frequently averaged well in excess of 20 knots On her passage out. The four propel lor shafts are approximately 21 inches iu diameter. The

four-bladed bronze propellers weigh 11 tons each. The two outboard propellers have a diameter of 10 feet and a pitch of 18 feet and the two inner propellers a diameter of 16 feet 6 inches and a pitch of 17 feet. The auxiliary engine-room, 54 feet long and 84 feet wide, houses the electric generating plant, which is said to be the largest of its type afloat There are five electric genera tors, each of 600 kilowatts and driven by a six-cylinder oil-engine, giving a total output of 3000 kilowatts. Normally three generators are at work at sea to supply the current for the myriad auxiliaries, as well as for lighting and cooking and many other purposes. The Dominion Monarch is an all-electric ship. The refrigerating machinery of the Dominion Monarch is the largest plant of its kind ever installed in a ship, the four main sets being designed for the simultaneous delivery of brine to the various circuits at six different temperatures. There are four twincompressor machines, each driven by an electric motor of 160 horse-power, and four condensers. In addition there are 14 automatic freezing machines for domestic purposes. The six cargo bolds and nine ’tweendeck compartments are insulated to a capacity of 511,000 cubic feet for refrigerated cargo, in addition to which there is 162.000 cubic feet of space for general cargo. The refrigerated cargo

space is sufficient to stow nearly 250,000 carcases of lamb. The Dominion Monarch carries a staff of 29 engineers and 24 assistants.