2009
SU3912 : SS Margaret Hill - main condenser
taken 15 years ago, near to Millbrook, Southampton, England
SS Margaret Hill - main condenser
Opportunities to visit steam turbine powered ships are now few and far between and the recent scrapping of older passenger tonnage due to stricter SOLAS regulations has not helped. SS Margaret Hill was a liquefied natural gas carrier with the boilers fired on boil-off gas (BOG - yes really). The vessel was built in 1974 by Moss at Stavanger, Norway and fitted with a General Electric cross compound steam turbine of 30,400 horsepower and good for 19.5 knots.
This view shows the huge surface condenser to the right and one of the main cooling water connections on the left. This carries seawater to cool and condense the exhaust steam. The water is in tubes and the steam condenses over the surface of them. The condenser deals with the exhaust steam from the main turbines and two of the turbo-alternator sets. At low speeds an electric pump circulates the sea water but at higher speeds a 'ram effect' scoops the water through the condenser. More than one ship has been lost by failure of the seawater connections.
We were well looked after and given a free lunch afterwards. A witty member of the party remarked - there's a restaurant ship in Shrewsbury and you don't have to look at the plumbing before being fed!
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