On Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 8:36 PM, Bru <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Quoting Michael Askin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> I believe the best turning would have been performed with the center, >> turbine driven, prop ahead, probably with port screw astern. The >> center prop was the only screw in front of the rudder. Why this didn't >> happen I don't know. > > The centre prop was driven by a small turbine operating off the *very* > low pressure steam exhausted from the LP cylinders of the main triple > expansion engines driving the port and starboard props. The turbine > was non-reversible and would have been disengaged, either > automatically or manually, when going astern. >
With both engines still going full speed (one ahead, another astern) there should have been enough waste steam to drive the turbine. Of course, going forwards is what is needed to get the prop wash across the rudder. It is, however, interesting to note that: "There was no throttle control for the turbine engine. The turbine simply responded proportionally to the amount of exhaust steam being received from the reciprocating engines." Source: http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic_prime_mover.html There was a regulator, but the web page intimates that this is just to limit maximum revs, though this may have been brought down to a lower level during the manoeuvre. So was the center prop still turning then? Hmmmm..... Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
