Biggest engine ever ?

[tig]

Stick this in your nova

www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl

[Incorrigible]

Maximum torque 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm

[Justin s]

Have worked in a container ship engine room and can say they are that big.The one I was one had come from Sydney to Dagenham docks and while they turned the ship around,decoked all three cylinders and re-ringed them.There was two tankers on the dock,like fuel lorries and they were being pumped full of the sump oil!!!The engineers removed the side access cover and climbed inside.It must have been like a furnace in there and with a few hours,the first headplate was removed and piston disconnected and craned out.The conrod on this was disconnected just below the piston crown.Then there was 4 pairs of ladders with guys with bolster and chisels decoking the bore top.
The rings took five blokes fighting with a massive ring opener to get on.You could get 6 people holding hands to get round the size of the piston.
When it all went back together and its started using compressed air.The racket and mechanical noise is something else!!!! Cruising speed was at 75rpm and max was just over 100 rpm.

[kstead]

Now imagine if you could get it to rev! Short stroke version ? Spannie chambers etc. I recon you could build a screemer that would do maybe 200 rpm.

[ATG]

straight 14 version probably too big for my Skoda's bonnet

[Nacnud]

300 ton crankshaft!
25,480 litre displacement!

That is seriously impressive!

[tig]

Justin s said:

Have worked in a container ship engine room and can say they are that big.The one I was one had come from Sydney to Dagenham docks and while they turned the ship around,decoked all three cylinders and re-ringed them.There was two tankers on the dock,like fuel lorries and they were being pumped full of the sump oil!!!The engineers removed the side access cover and climbed inside.It must have been like a furnace in there and with a few hours,the first headplate was removed and piston disconnected and craned out.The conrod on this was disconnected just below the piston crown.Then there was 4 pairs of ladders with guys with bolster and chisels decoking the bore top. The rings took five blokes fighting with a massive ring opener to get on.You could get 6 people holding hands to get round the size of the piston. When it all went back together and its started using compressed air.The racket and mechanical noise is something else!!!! Cruising speed was at 75rpm and max was just over 100 rpm.

Compressed air ?

I was wondering what sort of starter 'motor' it might have

How does the compressed air bit work ? Any ideas ?

[tig]

Nacnud said:

300 ton crankshaft! 25,480 litre displacement! That is seriously impressive!

"no substitute for cubic feet"

or something like that !

[danhay]

"At maximum economy the engine exceeds 50% thermal efficiency. That is, more than 50% of the energy in the fuel in converted to motion.
For comparison, most automotive and small aircraft engines have BSFC figures in the 0.40-0.60 lbs/hp/hr range and 25-30% thermal efficiency range."

The efficiency is pretty remarkable too. I wonder how this compares to a turbine? I presume it's easier to get the torque out of a piston engine?

[annodomini2]

the compressed air works just like the fuel, because the compressed air is denser than the ambient air pressure it wants to expand, pump it into the cylinder on open (through the inlet manifold). and it will push the piston down then the next, etc etc

[Justin s]

as said the compressed air starts the engine rotating and then over the tannoy comes' shut the loaders' and then compression kicks in and then the most almighty mechanical noises known to man are heard!!!

[Apache]

I want to see/hear/feel one of these in action, how do I do it?

[BogBeast]

Apache said:

I want to see/hear/feel one of these in action, how do I do it?

Propose a PistonHeaders away day to Ted...

[bga]

power is a bit puny at about 4 bhp/litre
torque rules at about 220 lb/ft /litre!

2stroke diesels are great, the soviets used to use twin 14 litre engines in their missile carriers. They "made do" with single 10 litre engines in some of their big trucks.

[AndyS2]

Here's a couple of things to think about:-

1. Imagine the size of the machine that bored the block or turned the crankshaft!!
2. What about the guy responsible for turning the crankshaft, one slip of the key pad when programming and he's wrecked a 300ton billet of steel. Not the sort of think you can pick up at you local steel stockholder!!
3. I wonder what the torque wrench setting is for the cylinder head bolts!!

Sad I know, but I'd like more info on this beast, so if anyone has anymore links please post them.

Andy