Coal-fired ships. [Lack of bunkers off dedicated routes]

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Mar. Eng./Log; (United States)

OSTI ID:5511607

Delaney, R

The reintroduction of coal-firing is an evolution in propulsion rather than a revolution. In fact, the feasibility of coal-fired ships returning to the oceans owes a heavy debt to technology already in place and developed by land-based generating plants. The resurgence of the coal-fired ships does not indicate a dearth of this type of propulsion. There are still coal-fired ore boats working the Great Lakes. Coal-fired boilers will be larger, cycle performance will be lower, and crews may need to be retrained. The ships will be larger for the coal bunkers. The fuel transfer equipment will be new, cumbersome and an array of maintenance nightmares will ensue. Wide tube spacing is necessary to minimize ash buildup and plugging between the tubes. Gas velocities are limited to a maximum 50 to 70 ft per second which is desirable in a boiler fired with solid fuel. It is not uncommon to have gas-side velocities of 100 ft per second in an oil-fired unit. The length of the coal-fired installation is about twice that of the D-Type oil unit, with the conventional orientation of steam drums fore and aft. The furnace volume of a stoker-fired boiler is also approximately three times larger. Nearly all operating parameters are identical to those of the oil-fired plant. The only major exception is the limitation of the final steam temperature to 900F. Overall efficiency of the coal-fired unit is somewhat less due to carbon loss and the 30% excess air normally required for stoker-fired boilers.

• OSTI ID: 5511607
• Journal Information: Mar. Eng./Log; (United States), Journal Name: Mar. Eng./Log; (United States) Vol. 86:10; ISSN MENLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320204* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Transportation-- Sea & Water
42 ENGINEERING
420205 -- Engineering-- Transport & Storage Facilities-- (1980-)
ASIA
AVAILABILITY
BOILERS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DESIGN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
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EUROPE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL OILS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
ITALY
JAPAN
LIQUID FUELS
LOAD MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POWER SYSTEMS
PRICES
PROPULSION
RESIDUAL FUELS
SHIPS
SPAIN
STEAM GENERATORS
USA
VAPOR GENERATORS
WESTERN EUROPE