----- Original Message ----- > From: David Scheidt <[email protected]> > To: The GURPSnet mailing list <[email protected]> > > On Sun, Feb 16, 2014 at 12:27 PM, Brandon Cope <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> On Sun, Feb 16, 2014 8:41 AM CST Onno Meyer wrote: >> >>> >>>> Several thousand M4 Shermans used the A57 Multibank engine (five >>>> truck engines driving one crankshaft) and it proved reliable in >>>> service. I think two engines should work fine. >>> >>> The BTR-60 was always troublesome, by anecdotal "evidence". >> >> I'm not sure why the BTR-60 did it. The M4's did because there > wasn't an engine powerful enough at the time, outside of radial aircaft > engines (which some American tanks did use). The A57 used tried and tested > commercial truck engines to attain the required power. >> >> In any case, 2+ engines linked to one drivetrain can work. > > multiple engines in a mechanical drivetrain is a reliability > nightmare. The A57 worked okay, but it wasn't wonderful; the engine > it's built from was pretty built proof. The BTR-60 has two not > relieable engines, which made the resulting product very not reliable. > (It was also undercooled for hot weather use, a problem in most of > the action it saw.) In general, multiple mechanically coupled engines > are obsolete in the real world.
I'll point out that the way the engine provides power to the drivetrain is below the level of resolution of VE2. > Multiple engines electrically or hydraulically coupled, however, are a > substantial advantage. They can be more modular (need more power? > Add another engine module.) more reliable (can have redundancy), and > the failure of one doesn't create mechanical problems for the others. > And electrical drive lets you run only the engines you need for the > current load, shutting the others down, saving fuel. (and maybe > iimproving stealth.). There are several modern warships that combine a diesel (for cruising) and a gas turbine (for high speed) to one shaft (Combined Diesel And Gas, CODAG). There are other ships with two gas turbines powering one shaft, alternating engines for cruise and using both for top speed. It appears that the 60+ ships of this Arleigh Burke-class use the COGAG (Combined Gas And Gas). Brandon _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
