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Imagine this

  • Thread starter Thread starter madhatter1
  • Start date Start date
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Crazy!

An expensive way to make power ...
 
Years ago, I spent some time at Norshipco, doing industrial medicine there, and I remember seeing bunker oil diesels with 8v-92 starting engines. The main engines that the DDs started were at least two stories tall.
 
JD5652 said:
Crazy!

An expensive way to make power ...
Click to expand...
The Detroits (Cats and others) runs to start the big power turbine.
Like an APU to start big old jet airplanes.
Most are big screaming air compressors.
Some made electricity (diesel electric) to start those big turbines.

They sit and collect dust the rest of the time.

But when they do run in starting mode, they scream for every bit of power.
Also, Most run the same fuel as the big turbine.
 
Captain Ralph said:
The Detroits (Cats and others) runs to start the big power turbine.
Like an APU to start big old jet airplanes.
Most are big screaming air compressors.
Some made electricity (diesel electric) to start those big turbines.

They sit and collect dust the rest of the time.

But when they do run in starting mode, they scream for every bit of power.
Also, Most run the same fuel as the big turbine.
Click to expand...

I understood how the DD's were being used, my comment was that they are burning #2 diesel to make power.... one of the most expensive fuels to generate electrical power.
 
JD5652 said:
I understood how the DD's were being used, my comment was that they are burning #2 diesel to make power.... one of the most expensive fuels to generate electrical power.
Click to expand...
#2 or JP5?
 
What would be the most economical fuel to make power? Would it be bunker oil?
 
Who cares, it’s freakin awesome!
 
jim rosenthal said:
What would be the most economical fuel to make power? Would it be bunker oil?
Click to expand...

Over the years I've seen peaking stations use bunker oil, natural gas, #2 diesel, etc. The most economical has depended upon the time in history and natural resource pricing at that time. Many of those fossil fuel-based facilities back in the day were multi-fuel capable meaning they can burn bunker oil or diesel or jet fuel.

I agree... no matter what the fuel, it's pretty cool to see a DD 871 as a starter!
 
I think the video mentioned 12V92.
I have worked on 12V71s for air starters.
I've worked on portable 6-71s for gunite/shotcrete air compressors also,, that was screaming loud.
There is a 8.2 install in Baxley GA and some other sites used for starters.

Of course, Cat and others are used also, but not as exciting as a screaming 2-stroke.

I have to look into what starts the new Clay Power / Seminole turbine in north Putnam.
 
Last edited:
Lots (if not all) of the GE Frame 6 units had detroit diesel 2strokes as their starter engine. I think the engine was coupled to the turbine rotor via a fluid torque converter.

I think after the Frame 6 they went to electric motors or motored the generator to start the turbine.

Most large diesel engines (above a cat 3616) inject air directly into the cylinders to push the piston down to start the engine.
 
There was an article on line today about the fact that the Cuban power grid is off. It mentions their ancient generators which evidently run on bunker, and not very good bunker, so the engines break down all the time (haven't been maintained)
 
I wouldn't deduce anything from news reports about equipment failures--nobody knows what they are talking about but they all become expurts once picking up the pen (or keyboard).

Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), residual fuel oil, Bunker C, #6, whatever you want to call it, is by nature, garbage fuel. It's the leftovers after all the good products have been refined. Since 2020 the sulfur contant has been reduced in certain shipping applications, and of course the scammer often tries to put other bad chemicals in the fuel (I think a bunch of ships had problems in Singapore, or that part of the world), but the stuff is bascially tar and the engines are made to run it.
 
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