River Don Steam Engine, Kelham Island, Sheffield - Europe's largest

[bowser5678]

HEY! It's one of those engines used in the Titanic!

[er10b]

Imagine one of those in my living room running on compressed air...

[Siegiftmacher]

This is NOT the most powerful engine. It was the main reciprocating engines of the olympic class vessels rated at 16,000HP. Triple expansion direct acting inverted type engine balanced by the Yarrow Schlick and tweedy system. Total gross weight 600 tonnes, Maximum speed 75RPM. Input pressure 215PSI (from 25 double ended and 4 single ended 3 stage coal fired boilers with drafting flue system.

[mazeppabar]

Kelham Island Museum is well worth a visit.

[francovance1]

I believe the Titanic used two engines similar to this one along with a turbine for the center screw.

[GeneralKenobiSIYE]

@francovance1 She, along with Olympic and Britannic, used much larger engines that had 4 cylinders instead of 3. This looks more like 3 separate single cylinder engines linked together.....Each cylinder should be getting larger as the steam pressure drops after passing through. That's gotta be really inefficient.

[spentacle]

@GeneralKenobiSIYE The ship engines you are referring to are TRIPLE EXPANSION but the largest cylinder is split into 2 smaller ones. They are intended to run for very long periods at high efficiency. The River Don engine is built for maximum power for a very short period, just enough to run the steel through the mills, when it has to reverse immediately. Different tools for different jobs.

[Siegiftmacher]

@francovance1 yes

The center shaft was powered by a single direction low pressure turbine.

[spentacle]

If you people would do the slightest bit of research before posting, you would find that this is a rolling mill engine made for high power and instant reversing. It is SIMPLE expansion using the steam once in each cylinder, which are the same bore. Kempton 6 is made for high efficiency and continuous running and is TRIPLE expansion. The steam passes through each cylinder in turn and they are different bore as the pressure drops. see simtdotcodotuk and kemptonsteamdotorg

[theasylumwanderer]

@spentacle You people !!!!!

[TheArgieH]

What a beautiful engine. I wonder how it compares with Kempton Steam Museum's Engine Number 6. KEn 6 appears to run more smoothly, maybe that's the result of two 32 ton flywheels.

[GayBoyRunning]

I know theses Engines Use the same steam 3 times.. thats awsome then thoses diesel and petrol engines that only use the fuel once

[chazsmateII]

@GayBoyRunning This one is a simple engine, that is, for pure power it uses live steam to all three cylinders. 12,000 horse power and they made them up to 20,000 gee gees.

[GayBoyRunning]

@chazsmateII :: I watch alot of Discovery channel and one of them is Called Industrial revolution, one is a brittish Episode also a europe Episode, both showed this type of 3 Cylinder Steam Engine, Both host said they Used the same steam pasting from 1 cylinder to the other. Ok now do you understand what i mean or do i half to explain so a 5yo can understand it..?

[Siegiftmacher]

@GayBoyRunning Triple expansion = Steam from boiler - Quarter stroke - Input HP cylinder - Quarter stroke - Exhaust to reciever - Quarter stroke - input to IP cylinder - Quarter stroke - Exhaust to reciever - Quarter stroke - Input LP cylinder - quarter stroke - Exhaust to condenser feed pump - and repeat.

[fmanh]

@GayBoyRunning Well it is not using the 'fuel' three times. And there is a reason why a diesel engine is far, far more efficient...

[Siegiftmacher]

@fmanh There is only 2 differences. Fuel economy and mainly "Power to weight Ratio"

[mcdemba]

impressive