The Biggest Engine In The World

[Strong Eagle]

OK... the engineer in me loves stuff like this.




http://www.herbhost.com/engine/TheMostP ... eWorld.htm

[pakjohn]

That's amazing! They use a center rod to decrease stroke arc and reduce linear loadinng of the crank on the compression stroke. It's amazing to me you can have a crankshaft that long and maintain tolerances from one end to the other. The guys that machine something that big have to be nervy as well, one slip and you've potentially wrecked a million dollar blank.

I'm assuming they have one hell of a pony motor to start it?

[Strong Eagle]

That's amazing! They use a center rod to decrease stroke arc and reduce linear loadinng of the crank on the compression stroke. It's amazing to me you can have a crankshaft that long and maintain tolerances from one end to the other. The guys that machine something that big have to be nervy as well, one slip and you've potentially wrecked a million dollar blank.

I'm assuming they have one hell of a pony motor to start it?

I think you can just kick start it but watch out for the kickback.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That is totally awesome.

Brings to mind a job I assisted in way back in 1974-75 at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. We complete dismantled a triple expansion chamber steam engine and the entire engine room complete with condensate coolers and all the piping and "Asbestos" slagging that covered same from an old steam driven Coast Guard Bouy Tender had been decommissioned and was sitting in Curtis Bay Shipyard in Baltimore. (c. 1890 something). We completely rebuilt the whole engine room in situ in the Smithsonian History & Technology Museum The steam engine was animated by a small electric motor. The steam engine was around 3 stories high and three men could stand in the initial compression chamber (largest of the three).

It was during this project that I got my unlimited driving license (18 wheeler) hauling all that stuff from the ship to the warehouse and later after refurbishing it, to the Smithsonian in downtown DC. Good driving lessons I'll tell you! I like those shows on the Discovery Channel about monster mechanicals as well!