I don't agree with RUclips hiding Dislikes. 2482 Likes, 44 Dislikes, 2022-10-15. Just so you know what to expect from this Video. For anyone wondering, the Ship was built in 1932, so the Engine must have been built some Time between 1930 and 1932. I would include that Information if I made this Video today. The Image Quality could be a lot better, so I'm planning to take this Video down and re-shoot it with a proper Camera that can handle Low-Light Conditions, unlike the GoPro that I was using. But I'll wait with that until this Video inevitably falls out of Favour with the RUclips Algorithm. Until then, I'll keep this one because I don't want to throw away 200-500 Views per Day. There are a few Minor Mistakes about the Pumps at 08:08 as well. The two Duplex Pumps are Bilge, Fire and General Service Pumps, and the Feed Water Pumps are the two Vertical Pumps seen stopped in the Background RIght at 07:55.
There are folk on RUclips that dislike everything, take no notice of them. It is a well known fact they dislike their parents as well ! It is difficult to describe how beautiful a large steam engine is in action, so peaceful to watch.
@@vulgivagu If I didn't like Dislikes, I wouldn't bother telling how much of them there are. People having valid Reasons to not like my Videos are welcome to leave a Dislike and I can tell a few Things to not like about this Video; e.g. you can't see anything in the Boiler Room (the Light is really weird there) and the high ISO Speed often causes a bit of Image Noise (the entire Engine Room is quite dark as well). If People tell me what they don't like, I improve these Things if I can and want to. Take that Tandem Compound Steam Engine Video for Example; someone complained about the Explanations and I told him he'd be better off watching the Videos that just show the very same Engine without anything else. IMHO I'm filling a bit of a Niche with explaining how these Things work. Btw. I've got a Voiceover Video coming up, explaining a Paddle Steamer Engine in the Lucerne Transport Museum in Detail, and a Video of the B&W No. 2000 Double Acting Two Stroke Diesel in the MAN Diesel House Copenhagen, which will be similar to this and the Tandem Compound Video. I can't really tell when I'll upload them tho, because I'm a terrible Speaker who needs numerous Takes for an acceptable Voiceover, and because I couldn't record enough Footage in Copenhagen so I have to travel there again. Oh yes and Steam Engines of that Size aren't as relaxing as they may seem. That Engine Room is significantly louder than it appears in the Video. It's still nowhere near as loud as Diesel Engines would be, especially turbocharged ones.
This is really cool. This would be the largest operational hand fired steamship in Europe, but not the largest operational coal fired steamship. That distinction belongs to the SS Badger that runs daily on Lake Michigan. The Badger is nearly three times the size, with two four cylinder compound unaflow reciprocating engines.
@@Art_Thompson That's sort of what I meant with that; I knew about the Badger when making this Video but wrongfully assumed it was fired by Coal Dust. Because it has an mechanised Stoker System, and the Hand-fed Boilers of the Stettin are closer to the Titanic-Image most People have when reading "Coal-fired", I'm going to stick with "largest Coal-fired Steam Ship in the World" in the Title for future Videos about the Stettin (there will be at least one). "The largest Coal-fired Steam Ship at Sea" just is a much better Title than "The largest Steam Ship with Hand-fed Coal Boilers at Sea". Mind you, except for that Video (which will show the entire Ship but without Explanations), I will label it correctly if I ever re-shoot this Video with a better Camera. The Image Quality really sucks, especially in the Boiler Room.
This machine is nothing less than a work of art. Every piece is designed perfectly to create a smoothly running system, and while it's too mechanically complex for me to truly comprehend, I can certainly appreciate its fascinating design.
The Stephenson Valve Gear actually is pretty simple once you understood it. Tomorrow, I'm going to upload a Video of a stationary Steam Engine with Sulzer Valve Gear which is a lot more complex but works great with a Flyball Governor to keep the Engine at a constant Speed.
You CAN understand it. People less educated than you MADE these. Never doubt your own ability to understand. Society wants you to believe you are less than you are. Do you want to know how I know that? Because you are HERE and you have life! Don't ever underestimate what you can do or know! I lived most of my life doing just that, being humble. I can't begin to tell you the things that have happened because I learned We as people are born into these deceptions.
@@Peranaworthal Highly unlikely, except that almost all Thermal Powerplants use Steam. The Laws of Thermodynamics limit their Efficiency to about 45%, perhaps 50. "Steam Power" like in this Video is significantly worse, because it is nowhere near the Pressure and Level of Superheating of a modern supercritical Steam Turbine Plant. There are some Niches tho, e.g. the Ferries on Lake Zürich, which may be converted from Diesel to Steam in a few Years. Steam would be supplied from a nearby Incineration Plant and stored on Board for the relatively short Passage over the Lake. The Concept involves Steam Motors like the one you can see at the End of this Video tho. Another Concept is COGAS (Combined Gas and Steam Turbine) Propulsion from Ships, similar to Combined Cycle Powerplants. I've made a Video about that before, although I'm probably going to replace that Video by an improved Re-Upload in the next Months. You can find either the old (now) or the new (maybe later) Video there: ruclips.net/video/_b8DYD8xTEM/видео.html
That's why the Stettin was built with a Steam Engine, even though Diesels were fairly common by 1932. An Icebreaker must be manouverable, so a quickly reversing Engine is a great Advantage. Modern Icebreakers have Pitch Propellers or Diesel-Electric Propulsion for that.
@@therandomytchannel4318 Large turbine powered ships have separate turbines for ahead and astern. IIRC even separate propellers. Anyone correct me if i'm wrong.
@@falconwaver totanic could only reverse the compound engines, not the middle propeler with the turbine, reversing them might have also taken longer as stettin was specifically built for good maneuverability. But mostly its just the immense mass at speed
It almost sounds like it has a heartbeat. Such a beautiful machine... Thank you for preserving it through film for those of us who may never get the chance to see a vessel like this!
how the heck you only have 4K subs with such marvelous and splendid documentary? straight to the point, no music, no commentary, just the natural sounds of this machinery, incredible that steam engines are so loud!
My Channel "surged" from July-October; I only passed 1000 Subscribers by early February. Ever since I passed that Monetisation Threshold, I don't care too much about Subscribers, as they are pretty much irrelevant today and the RUclips Recommendation System works more based on Viewer Preferences rather than Subscriptions. The only Reason for me to still care about Subscribers is that it is a Number that makes me look "good" when requesting to film somewhere; e.g. did I have to get Permission for both my Swiss Steam Ship Engine Room Videos. Other Examples are two 90-100 Year old Hydro Power Stations in Germany and operated by the same Company, or a V16 Engine on a Diesel-Electric Locomotive. I'm still waiting for Replies from both of these but it's probably futile now almost a Months after I wrote them. One rejected Example would be four V20 Engines on a High Speed Ferry, where ISPS prohibited me from even taking Photos.
I was very impressed by this video being a veteran Navy Destroyer Boiler Tech in the70"s. These engines seem to be quite a bit more complicated and intricate than the "M" type super heat boilers I ran. That old oil sweat started oozing from my skin once again watching this! Thank you, great job!
That's the most comprehensive explanation I've seen of triple expansion marine engines. We here in Sydney Australia have one in the South Steyne a harbour ferry now retired and quietly rusting away. Sigh, I used to hang over the wooden railing on the hatchway just to watch the engine pounding up and down and smell the hot steamy, oily air rising from the engine room. :)
Thanks. My "Tandem Compound Steam Engine"-Video (linked in the End Screen) has a more in-depth Explanation about Compounding, although I explained that in the Comments to keep the Video short. It's all about Temperature Gradients. Regarding your Sydney Anecdote: Hamburg may just have the most operational Steam Ships (and Museum Ships in general) in one Place worldwide; there are at least five Steam Ships, two Cargo Ships from the late 50ies/early 60ies (one of which is the largest seaworthy Museum Ship in the World) and a Number of smaller Diesel Ships preserved there, all fully operational. I've been looking a bit about what Things I could make Videos of in Australia, as Australia is high up on my Bucket List once Travel is possible again (and I have Time+Money to do so). All I found so far are the Echuca Paddle Steamers and the Puffing Billy Railway, especially the Garrat and Climax Locomotives there.
Absolutely fascinating. So grateful you took time to explain and positionally point out the positions for technical items. No annoying music introduction anywhere else, but just letting the steam engine speak for herself. I look forward to seeing your other videos. Subscribed!
That's sort of my Concept. I always put in detailed Descriptions on how Things work and try to keep the original Audio wherever possible. I only do Voiceovers if there is no Audio or unpleasant one (especially too much Wind Noise), partially for the Reasons you stated and partially because I'm a terrible Speaker and want to avoid Voiceovers wherever I can. My Channel is "hibernating" right now because I don't have much to make Videos of right now, but I have some pretty cool Things coming up in May, e.g. a Video similar to this one but of a Two Stroke Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego ( the largest seaworthy one in the World to be precise). I hope I can resume uploading Videos earlier tho.
I love anything steam. I've always been fascinated by it. A couple years ago I was a fireman and oiler for a steam locomotive at Knott's Berry Farm in California and I really enjoyed it. I have a very mechanical mind so I love seeing how things operate. Especially steam engines, whether it is trains or ships, I love watching all the moving parts. Thank you for this informative and interesting video
I was on some type of retired boat in Halifax, forgot the name of the boat but we got to see the engines and boiler areas. Nothing was running, no steam or any water but the engines looked pretty similar to these, this was 1995 lol
My Grandfather started in square sailed sailing ships (Balclutha still afloat in San Francisco) in 1896 rounding Cape Horn, was shanghaied onto a Whaler in San Francisco spent 9 months in the Bering Sea chasing whales BUT he learned Triple Expansion Steam Engines and English. He spent most of his time from 1898 to 1914 on Pacific Coast Steam Lumber Schooners, with the exception of the terrible wreck of the SS Valencia and loss of life, Google that story, I heard it firsthand from my grandfather. He would also work his way back to Germany on the SS Amerika as an Engineer to visit family then buy a Steerage Ticket to sail back to the USA. Nice video, I've seen the engine in the Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien in operation, they used to steam up and run the engine every 3rd Sunday of the month. The Engine Room scenes in the Movie Titanic were shot onboard the SSJeremiah O'Brien.
Personally, I find the steam engine that controls the steering gear to be the pinnacle of engineering. I suspect the mechanism operates much like a governor, where steam is cut off once the desired angle has been reached? Absolutely genius design! Thank you for the detailed tour!
I found them particulary intersting as well, although they're very common. I know only one Steam Ship without Steering Gear, and it's a really small one but turning the Rudder by Hand already is reall hard Work. The Steering Gears vary slightly in their Layout, but I'd guess that the Control Mechanism works fairly similar in all of them, and all use Chains to move the Rudder. You can see them in many of my Steam Ship Videos. Larger Steam Ships (that are preserved static out of Operation, if preserved at all) had a Bevel gear attached to the Rudder Shaft, so it gets turned by the Steam Engine Crankshaft directly without Chains in between. The Hydraulic Steering Gears of Motor Ships are intersting too though.
Little Addition: I forgot that most Swiss Steam Ships originally had no Steering Gear, but all of them were refitted with modern Hydraulic ones over the last 60 Years.
@@jonathanparle8429 If just the Linkage to the Wheelhouse broke, the Steering Gear could be operated locally according to spoken Commands from the Bridge. Some smaller Ships also have an emergency Hand Wheel with a huge Gear Ratio attached, to turn the Rudder by Hand if the Steering Gear failed completely. But this becomes impractical even with fairly small Ships, as turning the Rudder just takes too long because of the according Gear Ratio. Hence modern Ships must have two independent Stearing Gears for Redundancy Reasons.
Brilliant! Back in the late 70's I was fortunate enough to work on the restoration of the SS Forceful, the last steam tug to operate on the Brisbane River in Queensland, Australia. She is now owned by the Brisbane Maritime Museum. In the mid 90's she was fully operational and I was able to go on board and see her in steam. Also a triple with two Scotch boilers, very similar in layout to the Stettin. Wonderful machines!
The Stettin was still active back then; it was decommissioned in 1981. Stokers still being paid to shovel Coal as late as the 1980ies seems a bit ridiculous, but the Stettin was owned by the German Government, which is know for keeping ridiculously outdated Tech in active Service. A Friend of mine works on a German Navy Tug Boat, which was built in 1961 and the only Upgrades it saw since then is the Installation of GPS, AIS and ECDIS on the Bridge. Everything else is like a Time Machine back to the early 1960ies.
In the early 80s, I cruised down the river Clyde in Scotland on the Paddle Steamer, "Waverley". Fabulous triple expansion engine. She's still operating as far as I know.
Thanks; luckily I had more than enough Time for filming. A few Weeks later, I uploaded a Video of a stationary Steam Engine in Switzerland, but had just about 30 Minutes for recording. The Difference really shows when comparing the Videos. At least I got that Video informative too: ruclips.net/video/wTZtXs-HtT0/видео.html
That's one of the Reasons why the Stettin was built with a Steam Engines, despite Motor Vessels being fairly common by 1932. A Steam Engine can reverse much quicker than a Diesel, making the Ship more manouverable. That's a major Advantage for an Icebreaker.
Thank you for the clear explanations included. Most I knew, some I had forgotten 🙂, so good to be reminded. Love these old expansion engines! They have a "Soul" that is sadly lacking in the super wizzy turbines. The only time you SEE a turbine at work is just before you get shredded! I have been lucky enough to travel on the Paddle Steamer Waverly a couple of times, and she also has a Triple Expansion set, but mounted horizontally and a-thawartships to connect to the paddles. You can hear those blades slapping the water for miles! Also had a run on a Steam Tug that was part of the Bristol Docks Museum. There I learned the interesting fact that although a Diesel Motor powered boat would need to increase engine revolutions to get more power (torque), for towing, with a steam engine you can just increase the STEAM PRESSURE (but keep the same revolutions) for the same effect. Remarkable.
Steam Turbines are pretty dead except for Nuclear Ships and some older LNG Tankers (before Diesel Engines could burn the Boil Off Gas just as well as a Boiler). Steam Turbine Ships lloked really intersting to me when visiting the HMS Belfast though, too bad no such Ships have been preserved operational, as Water Tube Boilers are very expensive to maintain. There are three Victory Ships preserved in America, but they haven't sailed in Years because of Boiler Problems and I'm not convinced they'll sail again, at least in the forseeable Future. Old Diesel Engines are really nice too though; see the Video in the End Screen. The other Video in there is worth watching too, regarding what you said about the Waverley. I always found the Swiss Paddle Steamers fairly quiet, regarding the Noise from the Paddle Wheels.
@@Genius_at_Work There are several steam turbine freighters still running on the US Great Lakes, although several others have been dieselized in the last few years. The ones still running have automated controls.
This is the best (only) video I have seen of a steam engine that explains what all the parts are and what they do. thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! You have solved many mysteries for me.
I've got another one of the Steam Engine on a Swiss Paddle Steamer. It emphasises a bit more on the Steam Cycle, and also shows what a Steam Engine in commercial Operation looks like today; the obviously are some minor Modifications to make it more economical.
WIP, but I don't have much to make Videos of right now, like every Winter. I've got a Video of the Double Acting Two Stroke Diesel Engine in the MAN Diesel House Copenhagen coming up in April, the Two Stroke Marine Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego in May, and a "How to fire up a Steam Ship"-Video on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg some Time this Summer, probably July or August. More Stuff that I can't assure 100% yet include an almost 100 Year old Electric Locomotive, a 130 Year old Hydro Power Station and starting up a 60 Year old Cargo Ship.
GREAT VIDEO. The captions with the explanations really gave a great and concise comments on the Steam Cycle and how the machinery used that Steam Power. This should be shown in every High School Science Class.
Thanks, but I'd guess this is a little too specific for any High School Class. If it wasn't for my Personal Interest, I would have heard about the Steam Cycle for the first Time in Marine Engineering School. Even that is more general Information on the Steam Cycle and not so much about all the Machines that you can see here; more like calculating the (theoretical) Power and Efficiency Figures of the Engine from the given Temperature and Pressure Data. Little Edit: I've got a very similar Video to this one coming up in May, but about a Two Stroke Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego.
Sonntag Abend kommt ein Video von einer Escher-Wyss-Dampfmaschine auf einem Schweizer Raddampfer, mit strukturierteren und somit besseren Erklärungen. Außerdem ist es dort deutlich heller, was die Bildqualität mit meiner GoPro verbessert. Gerade im Kesselraum erkennt man in dem Video hier ja echt gar nichts.
So glad you shared this beautiful video. I’ve always had a fascination with old ships and being able to watch this and get an idea of how a triple expansion steam engine works makes my mechanical mind so happy. I loved every second of this. I just wish I could’ve been around back in the day when steam was the predominant source of power in just about everything from train locomotives down to the boiler rooms and huge steam engines in factories.
What an excellent job detailing all the systems and so on, with slow panning & long waits in locations to soak it all in properly, on this amazing historical steam ship! Very top notch job there buddy & thanks for not adding music, as the steam & mechanisms are the mesmerizing music! Thank you.😉 Cheers.🍻 Rich.😎
The Image Quality could be better though, especially in the Boiler Room. My GoPro doesn't work that well in such Low Light Conditions, although the Light in the Boiler Room is really weird anyway. There also is a minor Mistake in the Captions regarding the Pumps around 08:08. Recently graduated Marine Engineer btw.
I'm not working on it (yet) but only visited as Passnger. I used to work on a different Steam Ship named Alexandra in Flensburg though, while I wa studying Marine Engineering there (aka until last Friday btw.), and may change to the Stettin now, because Hamburg is much closer than Flensburg to the Place where I actually live. I occasionally volunteer on the Cap San Diego in Hamburg since Years too, but without being an actual Member of the Club that runs it though.
I recently retired from a large web press print shop. The noise is a lot, and so is this. This seems to be almost dangerously crowded, but very wonderful. Great video!
It was really, really empty that Day. You can watch my latest Video of the Flensburg Steam Fair, where I included Footage from the Stettin too (much better Image Quality btw.). There isn't much Footage from the Stettin though, because the Engine Room was so crowded with Passengers, and the Steam Ship Alexandra was even worse. When I recorded this, I actually had booked for the Day before, but the Trip was cancelled on short Notice for having only three Passengers. The following Day, (when I recorded), there were eight or nine Passengers. The Stettin can carry up to 180 Passengers, but only 25 are allowed in the Engine Room simultaneously.
As a former sailor I think of the countless men who stayed at their post to keep machines like this running to the very end. Hell, in the Great Lakes the men are still at their watch station after a 100 years.
Up until 1993, there were a pair of triple expansion excursion steamers that ran from Detroit to an amusement park, "Bob-Lo". On each boat, the engine stuck up through a large well in the main deck, with a railing so anyone could watch the engine running, hear bells, and watch the steering engine and pumps. Once I was invited down to the engine room, along with my very young daughter. She still remembers it.
The Engine Room on the Stettin is open for Passengers, like on most German Museum Ships. If I ever visit America, the Paddle Steamer Natchez and one of the Liberty Ships definitely are on my Bucket List. If at least one of the three Victory Ships sails again would be great too, IIRC that would be the only operational Turbine Ship in Preservation. Britain is great for Steam Engines too, and much closer to me. I'm planning to visit many Engines there, such as the Kempton Steam Museum, Crossness Pumping Station, Newcomen Engine Replica at Black Country Living Museum, and the Smethwick Engine in Birmingham, that was built in 1779 by James Watt himself.
In a world of electronics and software coding, it's so fascinating to look at a machine and see how it works just by observing all the moving parts. It turns out that electronic parts don't always outlast mechanical parts after all.
I work in the maritime industry and specifically work with automation electronics. You couldn't be more right. Most of the systems I have to work on are, quite frankly, garbage.
@@wysoft I work in heavy industry where everything is either PLC or DCS controlled. Older electronics from 80s and 90s can be fairly robust, but protection protocols programmed into these systems tend to be so complex that they cause more problems than they solve. Simpler equipment is almost always more reliable.
Lovely video, that gives a good technical description of engine room machinery equipment and its working - something that many video's on this subject lack..... The Spilling high speed enclosed engine, is a later addition that did replace a earlier steam generator engine...Stettin is a lovely steamship...
fascinating. There are similarities to steam locomotives. I once visited the steam tug Wattle in Melbourne and was amazed at how silent the engine room is.
That's because Marine Steam Engines condense the Exhaust Steam, either to feed the Condensate back into the Boilers or only to increase Efficiency by increasing the Expansion Ratio (see my Escher-Wyss Steam Engine Video about that). Steam Locomotives use the Exhaust Steam to create a Draft in the Furnace by exhausting the Steam through a Blast Pipe, resulting in the characteristic and relatively loud Chuffing Noise. Probably the loudest Thing in the Engine Room of the Stettin is the Condensate Air Pump, which unfortunately is barely visible in this Video.
I am an old marine engineer from the 1970's, I was chief engineer on motor and steam ships; I became superintendent and worked in Hamburg; I am now chief engineer on MS Oldenburg - ex ferry to Helgoland, taking passengers to to Lundy Island
Steam Engine or Steam Turbine in the 1970ies? IIRC Steam Turbines were fairly common on large Cargo Ships back then, and it's a shame no such Plant has been preserved operational. But I always thought that the Stettin was very outdated as "traditional" Steam Ship when it was decomissioned in 1981, and only the improved Manouverabilty compared to a Diesel Ship kept it in Service for so long. Well, plus the Fact that it was Government owned, and the German Government really has a Habit of keeping ridiculously old Equipment in Service. Especially the Fact that it had Stokers shovelling Coal as late as 1981 really is something that I can't imagine anywhere else. Pretty much the same Facts apply to the Bussard, a Buoy Tender which was built in 1906 and kept in Steam until 1979. It's a operational Museum Ship in Kiel today. Mind you, Coal fired Steam Ships in the 1970ies may be ridiculous from a rational Point of View, but these Ships probably wouldn't be in Steam today if the German Government was a bit more "up to Date". One of my Classmates (I'm studying Marine Engineering in Flensburg) works on a Navy Tug Boat built in 1967 which has a fairly interesting Diesel-Electric Plant. But it probably will be sold either to some 2nd/3rd World Country or for Scrap. I'm still keeping my Fingers crossed that one of the Bremen-Class Frigates will be preserved as static Museum; I'd really like to see a Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine Plant once; albeit not in Operation.
Es gibt noch den Zerstörer Mölders liegt in WHV als Museumsschiff ein Dampfturbinenschiff mit 4 Kesseln. Die Anlage ist allerdings eine Hochdruckheizdampfmaschine mit ca 88 bar (1275 psi ) Dampfdruck. Leider sind die Maschinenräume nicht zu besichtigen. Ich war selber 6 Jahre als „ Heizer“ auf diesen Schiff. Diese Anlage war sehr anspruchsreich für die Besatzung.
1:32 Check out the SS Badger in the US. It is a coal fired car ferry that is still in service as a national historic landmark on Lake Michigan. Six times the displacement of The Stettin with twin 3,500 HP Uniflow engines. Great vid anyway and great channel. Love hearing that engine work. The steering motor was really interesting. Subbed.
Now that's odd; you're the second User commenting about a thumping/knocking Sound. Can you tell the Points in the Video where you hear it? I have seen/ heard a few Steam Engine Rooms on Museum Ships, and there seems to be nothing wrong with the Stettin. Btw. I have a Video about firing up a Steam Ship coming up some Time in Summer; I volunteer as Stoker on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg. Another one is a very similar Video to this one, but about the Two Stroke Diesel on the Freight Ship Cap San Diego, coming up in May (unless the Hamburg Harbour festival gets cancelled again)
I have watched the video again,but with not being in the engine room it is impossible to locate the sound source or direction and the possible cause but it seems to time with the engine.Roly🇬🇧.
I heard a bit of a rod knock, but probably not enough to worry about. The rod bearings naturally wear. They are sacrificial, to avoid wearing the steel crank pins. In some cases, they can be tightened, in other cases, you need to recast the brass. A little looseness isn't always bad, compensates for any misalignment.
I've watched a number of videos of old ships powered by triple expansion engines, and one thing that strikes me is they always seem to be able to go from full ahead to full astern in about five seconds. It makes the scene in James Cameron's movie hilarious in retrospect, with frantic engine room crew running all over the place, and the the engines taking about a minute to slowly wind down and then another minute to slowly speed up again in the opposite direction.
That's not all that wrong though; Inertia still is a Thing and the Engines of the Titanic were on a completely different Scale than any that you might see today. Such Masses still take their Time to accelerate. Because Movies are the Way they are, Things certainly are "overdone" there, but Titanic's Engines just were a lot less responisve than the Engine here.
Huge difference in scale in those engines, indeed. Titanic's low pressure cylinders were 97 inches in diameter! The crank shafts per engine were about 118 tons. The outer (wing) propellers measured over 23 feet across and weighed 38 tons on their own. Trying to reverse that much inertia in 5 seconds would likely cause things to come apart. If you search on RUclips for some stationary steam engines, you'll see a historic monster of similar size in use at a pumping station.
There are a few Inaccuracies regarding the Pumps, see my pinned Comment for that. I'm currently working on two more Steam Videos, one showing Steam Threshing with a Locomobile, and one of the ridiculously over-engineered Uniflow Engine on the Swiss Paddle Steamer Stadt Luzern. That one is limited to 1200 HP, but actually has 1600 or even 1800, not sure right now.
During my apprenticeship on the Clyde in the early 1950's we built ,installed and repaired such engines. At one time during the trials on the measured mile it was my job to tally the fuel consumption by counting the number of 1 cwt coal bins dumped on the floor plates prior to stoking the boiler. .
Even though I knew how most of a steam engine worked, I was not aware of a triple expansion and was wondering what the difference was to a normal steam engine. But thanks to this video you beautifully explained it. Thanks very much.
There are two more Videos on my Channel where I go a bit more in Depth to why Steam Engines offen are compounded (aka triple Expansion, or double, quad etc). These Videos are about Swiss-made Engines; one on the Paddle Steamer Stadt Zürich, built by Escher-Wyss; and a stationary Sulzer one, driving a Flywheel Generator. I explained Compounding in my pinned Comments though, as the Explanation is way too long to put it in the Video. To say it shortly, Compounding is all about Temperature Gradients.
@@Aieou472 I might have got another one coming up; I'm currently in Contact with the Lake Lucerne Ship Operator to make a Video about the Stadt Luzern Paddle Steamer. All other Swiss Steam Ships have very similar Engines, but the one on the Stadt Luzern isn't just unique in Switzerland but the whole World. Other Steam Videos that I'm planning right now are firing up a Steam Roller, and a Steam Locomobile driving a historic Threshing Machine.
The Image Quality could be better though, especially in the Boiler Room. I blamed my Gopro for that first, but it turns out that the Light in the Boiler Room is so weird that a proper Camera (Sony FDR AX-53; 1000€ Camcoder) struggles there too. I considered uploading an improved Version of this Video first, but abandoned that Idea as I realised that it wouldn't be much better. There also is a minor Mistake regarding the Pumps around 08:08, but it's so small that it doesn't justify taking this Video down and uploading a fixed Version. See my pinned Comment for more Information.
It's quite startling how quiet the boiler room is. Most footage of full-size boiler rooms feature oil fired furnaces, which have a constant roar. Film and television usually depict coal boiler rooms similarly, or with a deep low rumble of fire. It's fascinating to see that (unless there is noisy auxiliary equipment) a hand stoked coal boiler room is nearly silent. Happy to have found this video, I've seen photos of people working in what must be this boiler room, glad I've found out exactly where it was. This is the only coal fired ship I've seen with multiple full-size boilers in the same league as the Titanic.
They are exactly the same as on the Titanic, except the Titanic mostly had Double Boilers (IIRC around 25 Double and around 5 Single Boilers), which just are two Boilers like this mounted back to back. There's not much to make Noise though, and the Engine itself is very quiet too. I'm used to turbocharged Diesel Engines, so to me, even naturally aspirated Engines are fairly quiet and Steam Engines are literally silent compared to any Diesel. I find the Boiler Rooms startlingly dark though. That's why I might re-shoot this Video with a better Camera that can handle Low Light Conditions, unlike the GoPro that I was using here. I'll wait with that until this Video falls out of Favour with the Algorithm though; I don't want to throw away 200-500 Views per Day.
Thanks for this video. There is a lot that looks lika on S/S Sankt Erik from Stockholm, Sweden, but clerarly on Stettin some new steam inventions had been made when they built the ship. (Sankt Erik is from 1915, and is also an icebreaker). Beautiful that the coal fiereing is still there!
Audio and especially Video Quality aren't the best though. That's why I'm planning to record and upload a better Video of it this Summer, with a large Sony Camcoder and External Microphone instead of GoPro and that MediaMod-Thing. Low Light Performance of GoPro's just isn't all that good.
Very cool. I still have a steam license. The Canadian Navy ran steam ships up til the early 2000 s. More modern than this mind you, with steam turbines and oil fired boilers.
It's a Shame that it looks like no such Ship will be preserved operational, but I can see why. The Water Tube Boilers on Turbine Ships are much more expensive to maintain than Scotch Boilers like on the Stettin. There is a very similar Hip to the Stettin, named Wal. It had the Scotch Boilers replaced by Water Tube ones in 1964, and these Boilers are a huge Problem today.
@@Genius_at_Work It's crazy that not more of these are preserved. A true work of art in every way. They almost have a pre historic feeling. Like they are alive when in operation. At least we have great footage.!
@@pstreetgarage7304 I'm really interested in Turbine Ships since I visited the HMS Belfast in London. The American Victory in Tampa and the Lane Victory somewhere in Calfornia used to be operational but a grounded since Years because of Boiler Problems, and I don't know if they will sail again. The Lane Victory in Richmond California looked like she would sail again soon in 2018, but I don't know of any Progress over the last four Years.
This is a very special vessel especially being triple expansion and hand coal fired. However At 1:31 you mention she's the "largest operational coal-fired ship in the world." The Stettin displaces 1,138 tones. The SS Badger is still coal fired and is still used in regular daily ferry service. She displaces 6,600 tons.
I was going to mention this also... Definitely not with the intention to detract from this video of the Stettin which is excellent by the way! It really is remarkable though, and special that the Badger continues on in regular, commercial use. I've had the pleasure of riding across Lake Michigan on her on two occasions and totally enjoyed both trips. The only thing that could have made it better is if I could have talked my way into an engine room and boiler room tour lol.
The Skinner engines on Badger are in square enclosures, you can't really see anything working. Many years ago I got aboard Medusa Challenger, which had a single Skinner, just a big square silver box.
The US Coast Guard WTGB-140 Bay-class - Large Icebreaking Tug has 2500 SHP to the prop. So Stettin's 2200 Hp isn't out of line. Instant reversing is very important for ramming. The WTGB-140 is not for arctic operation. "They can proceed through fresh water ice up to 20 inches (51 cm) thick, and break ice up to 3 feet (0.91 m) thick, through ramming. It can also ram pressure ridges of up to eight feet in thickness. These vessels are equipped with a system to lubricate their progress through the ice, by bubbling air through the hull."
I applied as Mechanic for the German Polar Research Ship Polarstern a few Months ago. A Friend of mine used to work there as Navigation Watch Assistant, and he told some Stories about his Duty Officer getting stuck in Ice, so the Captain told him "don't be so gentle" and slamming the Telegraph from full ahead directly to full astern and back every Minute or so. The Polarstern is powered by four Deutz Inline-8 Four Stroke Diesels at 19,200 HP, driving two Shafts with Pitch Propellers. These Propellers allow to go from full ahead to full astern weithin Seconds, as the Shaft always rorates at the same Speed and just the Pitch of the Propeller Blades is adjusted. The Propellers were built by Escher-Wyss, but I'm not sure if they were built in Zürich/Switzerland, the Factory in Ravensburg/Germany, or if Escher-Wyss had even more Factories around the World.
Wow can't believe how fast you can stop the engine and throw it in reverse! It's scary but fascinating to watch just thinking about the size and sheer weight of the pistons and the energy that must be required to move them so fast!
Assuming a Speed of 150 RPM (I think thats's realistic for Full Speed, if not too much. Can't find exact Numbers right now), it has roughly 100,000 Nm of Torque. At 100 RPM, it would be 150,000 Nm, as Speed and Torque are proportional. Given that Steam Engines can have nearly their max Torque at a very slow Speed, it's not surprising that the Engine reverses quickly from half ahead to half astern.
That was very interesting, especially how the links on the eccentrics shift to switch from forward to reverse. Until I saw that I was wondering why there was one to operate the valve, and the other just moved the beam up and down.
Yes and intermediate positions can be used to reduce the amount of time that the intakes are open, to moderate down the power more economically than with the throttle.
Love these. Have you seen the triple expansion engine on the PS Waverley based in Scotland. Did a cruise on it last week. Very impressed with your boat.
Not yet. I'm working on a new and improved Video of this Engine here (Camcoder instead of GoPro, External Microphone etc.), which I already wanted to release almost two Months ago but I have to visit Stettin again. If I can't get it done on the last Cruise this Year (September 15), I'll have to delay that Video to next Year. Another interesting one would be the Icebreaker Suur Tõll in Tallinn, which has three similar Engines with two astern and one at the Bow. It's not operational, but in very good Condition and there were serious Attempts to fully restore it ten odd Years ago, I don't know if they continue to this Day and what the Plans are.
Steam still has its Place. Most Power Generation is done with Steam Turbines, and also Piston Engines still have their Niche Applications. The Spilling Steam Motor is still built today, for Use e.g. in Refineries or Chemical Plants. These Places have Steam abundant anyway, and Steam Motors are inherently Explosion-proof by default. For the same Reasons, they often use Fireless Steam Locomotives, the last of which were built in the 1980ies (in Germany). A large Scale Renessaince of Steam Vehicles is not going to happen though, Steam Powerplants get Efficiencies similar to Diesel Engines by using ridiculous Steam Pressures and even more ridiculous Superheating, making the Steam so hot that any hotter would literally destroy the Steel. With Temperatures that could safely be handled on Ships, there is no Way to get anywhere near the Efficiency of a Diesel Engine; you just can't bend the Thermodynamics of the Carnot Cycle. The last Steam Turbine Ships are LNG Tankers, which were more economical with Steam Turbines as the Liquefied Gas is constantly boiling inside the Cargo Tanks, and it is more economic to just burn that Boil Off Gas as Fuel than to re-liquefy it. Until 15-20 Years ago, it was not possible to burn Natural Gas in Diesel Engines, so LNG Tankers had Steam Turbine Plants as Boilers can burn pretty much any Fuel if you use the appropiate Burner. Ever since Dual Fuel Engines came up, that Niche for Steam Propulsion died too. The last Steam Turbine LNG Tankers are approaching 20 Years Age now, and it probably won't be worth it to keep them going much longer. The only two Cases for (Commercial) Steam Ships I think of are the new Attempts at Nuclear Propulsion, and Combined Gas and Steam Turbines, where the ludicrous Waste Heat of Gas Turbine Exhaust Gas is reclaimed in Boilers to power a Steam Turbine, similar to Combined Cycle Powerplants.
1:29 Coal has to be shoveled in by hand? Wow, that must be a tremendous amount of work when underway to do that continuously! Those guys must develop some muscles, for sure!
There's an excellent Video by @The Great Big Move about that, explaining how there's much more to being a Stoker than just Brute Force Coal Shovelling: ruclips.net/video/U4qpNjYkCZ4/видео.html Today, the Stettin barely ever runs faster than Half Ahead, which means that the Engine only runs at ≈1/4 Power, making the Job of the Stokers fairly relaxed compared to what it could be like. Compared to really large Steam Ships, it's also fairly easy as the Coal Bunkers are small and located right next to the Furnaces. Larger Ships had Coal Trimmers to move the Coal inside the Bunkers (for Stability Reasons), and Coal had to be wheelbarrowed around the Boiler Rooms which all made for a complicated Logistic Task.
Thanks, a similar Video about a large Two Stroke Marine Diesel Engine is underway- If all goes well, it will go online May 8 at 2000 German Time (6PM UTC). I'm also in Contact with some Swiss Steam Ship Operators, because I want to make a Steam Engine Video of one of their Paddle Steamers.
They train them themselves, just like on any other German Museum Ship (or Heritage Railway). I started training as a Stoker on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg, while I was studying Marine Engineering there (aka until last Friday btw.), but couldn't finish on Time. Maybe I will continue on the Stettin, as it is much closer to my actual Home. Certain Crew Members like the Captain, Officers and Engineers must be licensed Seamen like me though.
The reason that there is expansion is to stop the steam condensing due to pressure. In a steam pressure system the water boiling point is related to the pressure , bellow this pressure the water remans steam and the temperature drop due to work does not condense the steam to water.
No, that's just a Lever to turn the Valve Gear Shaft. The Lever is moved by a Steam Cylinder, but can also be moved manually with a Spindle, for Redundancy Reasons.
IIRC, it became pretty much irrelevant there when Walschaerts Valve Gear came up. Almost all German Steam Locomotives used that since the 1880ies, although most Locomotives since the mid-1920ies were from a standardised Kit System anyway.
the SS Badger is a significant bigger coal fired SS; Tonnage 4,244 gross tons[1] Displacement 6,650 tons[1] Length 410 ft 6 in (125.12 m)[1] Beam 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m)[1] Height 106 ft 9 in (32.54 m)[1] Depth 24 ft (7.32 m) molded depth Decks 2 passenger, 1 vehicle Installed power Steam, coal-fired Propulsion Two four-cylinder compound Skinner Unaflow steam engines, totaling 7,000 shp (5.22 MW); four Foster-Wheeler water-tube type D boilers, 470 psi (3.24 MPa)[2]
I knew about the Badger when I made the Video, but wrongfully assumed it was fired by Coal Dust. Given that the Badger has an automatic Feed System, the Stettin still is the largest one in Terms of traditional, Hand-fed Boilers.
@@Genius_at_Work I love the triple expansion marine engines, they are works of art. And the traditional hand fed boilers, but ........coal is coal. Being a resident of Michigan, I have to stick up for the Badger also.
So the "eccentric rods" control where steam is sent and vented inside the cylinder at various points in the stroke, similar to the job of the cam shaft in a combustion engine?
Pretty much. But the Eccentrics themselves are what the Cam Shaft is in an IC Engine; the Eccentric Rods are more comparable to the Push Rods between Cams and Rocker Arms.
With the condenser converting spent steam back to water for the boilers, approx. what percentage of the original boiler water is lost in the process? Where does the makeup water come from.
Dunno how much Steam is lost, but the Stettin has no Way of replenishing Boiler Feed Water. The Water doesn't go directly back into the Boilers though, there is a Feed Water Tank acting as Reservoir between the Condensate Oil Trap and Feed Water Pump. The Stettin only maintained a Fairway into the Port of Stettin (1932-1945) and then broke Ice on the Elbe Estuary and Kiel Canal (1945-1981), so it never spent more than a few Days "at Sea" and could just bunker Boiler Feed Water in Port. Larger Ships had Fresh Water Generators, that evaporate Sea Water in a Vacuum and then condense it to distill Fresh Water. The Vacuum lowers the Boiling Temperature to increase Efficiency. Modern Ships still use the same Technology, and the low Boiling Temperature allows to reclaim Waste Heat by heating the Sea Water with High Temperature Cooling Water.
Appreciate the video..Great job. I have an old math book "Practical Shop Mathematics" by Charles B Claphem, fifth edition printed 1959. It explains the ratio between the size of each cylinder. Gives axamples. Was kinda fun doing the exercises throughout this book. Thanks for your video! jP
I'm working on a new and better Video of this Engine, more precisely I already wanted to have uploaded that two Months ago but cocked up recording. The Stettin will sail for the last Time this Year on this Weekend, and I'm planning to visit for at least one of the two Cruises. If all goes well, I might be able to get the new Video online as early as Sunday. It will mostly feature better Image and Sound Quality (Camcoder and External Microphone instead of GoPro), but also better Editing and more detailed Explanations.
Great video with great information. Unfortunately for me, it was difficult to read a lot of the text because of partial color blindness, more contrasting color text would have been great, but still, I enjoyed watching the video. Thank you for sharing the workings.
I originally picked bright Colours like Red or Orange for Captions, because they have a good Contrast to most other Colours. I never had Colour-Blindness in mind when deciding these Things though. This sort of turned into cursive orange Captions becoming a Distinguishing Feature of my Videos. I actually show them to my legally blind Girlfriend (she's an Albino, so she has really, really bad Eyes) for checking before I upload them, but once again, Colours are about the only Thing where her Eyes work properly.
@@Genius_at_Work I understand, and it is not always difficult to see them, in most cases it is much less distracting than white or some other bright color would be. My problem is when the colors of something in the video gets too close to the color of the text, like when it is darker inside a white or grey room and the white balance shifts to a warm color, everything becomes more red/orange. Like I said, it is more a me problem than a criticism of the video. I don't know if anyone else has the same issue, but thought it may be something to consider. Perhaps a slight shadow effect arount the text or translucent text box might help in some scenes where the colors are close to the text color? Ironically, I actually have really good eyesight, it is just that colors are not as vivid for me as they are for others.
It sails Mai-September, mostly on Weekends. Here's the WIP Schedule for 2023: www.dampf-eisbrecher-stettin.de/downloads/Fahrplan_2023Vorlufig_Stand_28.11.2022.pdf
I recently made a similar Video on the Swiss Paddle Steamer Stadt Zürich, and am currently in Contact with the Lake Lucerne Shipping Company to make a similar Video on the Stadt Luzern. The Stadt Luzern has a Three Cylinder Uniflow Engine, which is kinda unusual. A major Difference between the Stadt Zürich and this Engine is, that the Stadt Zürich has all Pumps attached to the Engine, while this one is so large that there are separate Pumps only. It's kinda the same with Diesel Engines, although a similarly powerful Engine as on the Stettin would still have attached Pumps and the Engines with separate Pumps are large Two Strokes, with at least 5x the Power.
@@martingruffalump5484 That's just the Way Switzerland is. Btw. regarding said Pumps: The Waverley may have separate Pumps as well, given the Engine's Size and Power. Plus there is a minor Mistake about these Pumps in this Video; see my pinned Comment for that.
I don't agree with RUclips hiding Dislikes. 2482 Likes, 44 Dislikes, 2022-10-15. Just so you know what to expect from this Video.
For anyone wondering, the Ship was built in 1932, so the Engine must have been built some Time between 1930 and 1932. I would include that Information if I made this Video today.
The Image Quality could be a lot better, so I'm planning to take this Video down and re-shoot it with a proper Camera that can handle Low-Light Conditions, unlike the GoPro that I was using. But I'll wait with that until this Video inevitably falls out of Favour with the RUclips Algorithm. Until then, I'll keep this one because I don't want to throw away 200-500 Views per Day. There are a few Minor Mistakes about the Pumps at 08:08 as well. The two Duplex Pumps are Bilge, Fire and General Service Pumps, and the Feed Water Pumps are the two Vertical Pumps seen stopped in the Background RIght at 07:55.
There are folk on RUclips that dislike everything, take no notice of them. It is a well known fact they dislike their parents as well ! It is difficult to describe how beautiful a large steam engine is in action, so peaceful to watch.
@@vulgivagu If I didn't like Dislikes, I wouldn't bother telling how much of them there are. People having valid Reasons to not like my Videos are welcome to leave a Dislike and I can tell a few Things to not like about this Video; e.g. you can't see anything in the Boiler Room (the Light is really weird there) and the high ISO Speed often causes a bit of Image Noise (the entire Engine Room is quite dark as well). If People tell me what they don't like, I improve these Things if I can and want to. Take that Tandem Compound Steam Engine Video for Example; someone complained about the Explanations and I told him he'd be better off watching the Videos that just show the very same Engine without anything else. IMHO I'm filling a bit of a Niche with explaining how these Things work.
Btw. I've got a Voiceover Video coming up, explaining a Paddle Steamer Engine in the Lucerne Transport Museum in Detail, and a Video of the B&W No. 2000 Double Acting Two Stroke Diesel in the MAN Diesel House Copenhagen, which will be similar to this and the Tandem Compound Video. I can't really tell when I'll upload them tho, because I'm a terrible Speaker who needs numerous Takes for an acceptable Voiceover, and because I couldn't record enough Footage in Copenhagen so I have to travel there again.
Oh yes and Steam Engines of that Size aren't as relaxing as they may seem. That Engine Room is significantly louder than it appears in the Video. It's still nowhere near as loud as Diesel Engines would be, especially turbocharged ones.
750 tons of coal titanic
This is really cool. This would be the largest operational hand fired steamship in Europe, but not the largest operational coal fired steamship. That distinction belongs to the SS Badger that runs daily on Lake Michigan. The Badger is nearly three times the size, with two four cylinder compound unaflow reciprocating engines.
@@Art_Thompson That's sort of what I meant with that; I knew about the Badger when making this Video but wrongfully assumed it was fired by Coal Dust. Because it has an mechanised Stoker System, and the Hand-fed Boilers of the Stettin are closer to the Titanic-Image most People have when reading "Coal-fired", I'm going to stick with "largest Coal-fired Steam Ship in the World" in the Title for future Videos about the Stettin (there will be at least one). "The largest Coal-fired Steam Ship at Sea" just is a much better Title than "The largest Steam Ship with Hand-fed Coal Boilers at Sea".
Mind you, except for that Video (which will show the entire Ship but without Explanations), I will label it correctly if I ever re-shoot this Video with a better Camera. The Image Quality really sucks, especially in the Boiler Room.
This machine is nothing less than a work of art. Every piece is designed perfectly to create a smoothly running system, and while it's too mechanically complex for me to truly comprehend, I can certainly appreciate its fascinating design.
The Stephenson Valve Gear actually is pretty simple once you understood it. Tomorrow, I'm going to upload a Video of a stationary Steam Engine with Sulzer Valve Gear which is a lot more complex but works great with a Flyball Governor to keep the Engine at a constant Speed.
You CAN understand it.
People less educated than you MADE these. Never doubt your own ability to understand. Society wants you to believe you are less than you are.
Do you want to know how I know that?
Because you are HERE and you have life!
Don't ever underestimate what you can do or know!
I lived most of my life doing just that, being humble. I can't begin to tell you the things that have happened because I learned We as people are born into these deceptions.
@@rdallas81 Very true, thanks for the reminder. The way things are going we might be back to steam power anyway?
@@Peranaworthal Highly unlikely, except that almost all Thermal Powerplants use Steam. The Laws of Thermodynamics limit their Efficiency to about 45%, perhaps 50. "Steam Power" like in this Video is significantly worse, because it is nowhere near the Pressure and Level of Superheating of a modern supercritical Steam Turbine Plant. There are some Niches tho, e.g. the Ferries on Lake Zürich, which may be converted from Diesel to Steam in a few Years. Steam would be supplied from a nearby Incineration Plant and stored on Board for the relatively short Passage over the Lake. The Concept involves Steam Motors like the one you can see at the End of this Video tho. Another Concept is COGAS (Combined Gas and Steam Turbine) Propulsion from Ships, similar to Combined Cycle Powerplants. I've made a Video about that before, although I'm probably going to replace that Video by an improved Re-Upload in the next Months. You can find either the old (now) or the new (maybe later) Video there: ruclips.net/video/_b8DYD8xTEM/видео.html
@@Genius_at_Work Thanks for the reply, going to look at the link now.
Just beautiful to see. I am an ex merchant seaman (1957 - 1965) and most ships I was on were steam. The sound & rhythm was magic for sleeping!
2:36 Reversing that engine so smoothly, in literally several seconds, is absolutely incredible. My god. Thank you so much for sharing this.
That's why the Stettin was built with a Steam Engine, even though Diesels were fairly common by 1932. An Icebreaker must be manouverable, so a quickly reversing Engine is a great Advantage. Modern Icebreakers have Pitch Propellers or Diesel-Electric Propulsion for that.
How long do turbine engines need in order to engage the astern turbines
@@Genius_at_Work Could a larger steam engine be reversed this quickly? Titanic took quite a while to be reversed.
@@therandomytchannel4318 Large turbine powered ships have separate turbines for ahead and astern. IIRC even separate propellers. Anyone correct me if i'm wrong.
@@falconwaver totanic could only reverse the compound engines, not the middle propeler with the turbine, reversing them might have also taken longer as stettin was specifically built for good maneuverability. But mostly its just the immense mass at speed
It almost sounds like it has a heartbeat. Such a beautiful machine... Thank you for preserving it through film for those of us who may never get the chance to see a vessel like this!
how the heck you only have 4K subs with such marvelous and splendid documentary? straight to the point, no music, no commentary, just the natural sounds of this machinery, incredible that steam engines are so loud!
My Channel "surged" from July-October; I only passed 1000 Subscribers by early February. Ever since I passed that Monetisation Threshold, I don't care too much about Subscribers, as they are pretty much irrelevant today and the RUclips Recommendation System works more based on Viewer Preferences rather than Subscriptions. The only Reason for me to still care about Subscribers is that it is a Number that makes me look "good" when requesting to film somewhere; e.g. did I have to get Permission for both my Swiss Steam Ship Engine Room Videos. Other Examples are two 90-100 Year old Hydro Power Stations in Germany and operated by the same Company, or a V16 Engine on a Diesel-Electric Locomotive. I'm still waiting for Replies from both of these but it's probably futile now almost a Months after I wrote them. One rejected Example would be four V20 Engines on a High Speed Ferry, where ISPS prohibited me from even taking Photos.
I was very impressed by this video being a veteran Navy Destroyer Boiler Tech in the70"s. These engines seem to be quite a bit more complicated and intricate than the "M" type super heat boilers I ran. That old oil sweat started oozing from my skin once again watching this! Thank you, great job!
That's the most comprehensive explanation I've seen of triple expansion marine engines. We here in Sydney Australia have one in the South Steyne a harbour ferry now retired and quietly rusting away. Sigh, I used to hang over the wooden railing on the hatchway just to watch the engine pounding up and down and smell the hot steamy, oily air rising from the engine room. :)
Thanks. My "Tandem Compound Steam Engine"-Video (linked in the End Screen) has a more in-depth Explanation about Compounding, although I explained that in the Comments to keep the Video short. It's all about Temperature Gradients. Regarding your Sydney Anecdote: Hamburg may just have the most operational Steam Ships (and Museum Ships in general) in one Place worldwide; there are at least five Steam Ships, two Cargo Ships from the late 50ies/early 60ies (one of which is the largest seaworthy Museum Ship in the World) and a Number of smaller Diesel Ships preserved there, all fully operational. I've been looking a bit about what Things I could make Videos of in Australia, as Australia is high up on my Bucket List once Travel is possible again (and I have Time+Money to do so). All I found so far are the Echuca Paddle Steamers and the Puffing Billy Railway, especially the Garrat and Climax Locomotives there.
Absolutely fascinating. So grateful you took time to explain and positionally point out the positions for technical items. No annoying music introduction anywhere else, but just letting the steam engine speak for herself. I look forward to seeing your other videos. Subscribed!
That's sort of my Concept. I always put in detailed Descriptions on how Things work and try to keep the original Audio wherever possible. I only do Voiceovers if there is no Audio or unpleasant one (especially too much Wind Noise), partially for the Reasons you stated and partially because I'm a terrible Speaker and want to avoid Voiceovers wherever I can. My Channel is "hibernating" right now because I don't have much to make Videos of right now, but I have some pretty cool Things coming up in May, e.g. a Video similar to this one but of a Two Stroke Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego ( the largest seaworthy one in the World to be precise). I hope I can resume uploading Videos earlier tho.
I think this engine is a man! So it speaks for HIMself!
I love anything steam. I've always been fascinated by it. A couple years ago I was a fireman and oiler for a steam locomotive at Knott's Berry Farm in California and I really enjoyed it. I have a very mechanical mind so I love seeing how things operate. Especially steam engines, whether it is trains or ships, I love watching all the moving parts. Thank you for this informative and interesting video
Steam engines have always fascinated me. Especially the marine versions of these. Thanks for sharing!
BP
I was on some type of retired boat in Halifax, forgot the name of the boat but we got to see the engines and boiler areas. Nothing was running, no steam or any water but the engines looked pretty similar to these, this was 1995 lol
What a beautifully maintained piece of history. Well done crew/volunteers.
My Grandfather started in square sailed sailing ships (Balclutha still afloat in San Francisco) in 1896 rounding Cape Horn, was shanghaied onto a Whaler in San Francisco spent 9 months in the Bering Sea chasing whales BUT he learned Triple Expansion Steam Engines and English. He spent most of his time from 1898 to 1914 on Pacific Coast Steam Lumber Schooners, with the exception of the terrible wreck of the SS Valencia and loss of life, Google that story, I heard it firsthand from my grandfather. He would also work his way back to Germany on the SS Amerika as an Engineer to visit family then buy a Steerage Ticket to sail back to the USA. Nice video, I've seen the engine in the Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien in operation, they used to steam up and run the engine every 3rd Sunday of the month. The Engine Room scenes in the Movie Titanic were shot onboard the SSJeremiah O'Brien.
Personally, I find the steam engine that controls the steering gear to be the pinnacle of engineering. I suspect the mechanism operates much like a governor, where steam is cut off once the desired angle has been reached? Absolutely genius design! Thank you for the detailed tour!
I found them particulary intersting as well, although they're very common. I know only one Steam Ship without Steering Gear, and it's a really small one but turning the Rudder by Hand already is reall hard Work. The Steering Gears vary slightly in their Layout, but I'd guess that the Control Mechanism works fairly similar in all of them, and all use Chains to move the Rudder. You can see them in many of my Steam Ship Videos. Larger Steam Ships (that are preserved static out of Operation, if preserved at all) had a Bevel gear attached to the Rudder Shaft, so it gets turned by the Steam Engine Crankshaft directly without Chains in between. The Hydraulic Steering Gears of Motor Ships are intersting too though.
Little Addition: I forgot that most Swiss Steam Ships originally had no Steering Gear, but all of them were refitted with modern Hydraulic ones over the last 60 Years.
@@jonathanparle8429 If just the Linkage to the Wheelhouse broke, the Steering Gear could be operated locally according to spoken Commands from the Bridge. Some smaller Ships also have an emergency Hand Wheel with a huge Gear Ratio attached, to turn the Rudder by Hand if the Steering Gear failed completely. But this becomes impractical even with fairly small Ships, as turning the Rudder just takes too long because of the according Gear Ratio. Hence modern Ships must have two independent Stearing Gears for Redundancy Reasons.
❤ quite interesting... like a mini Titanic engine room... Fabulous!!
Brilliant! Back in the late 70's I was fortunate enough to work on the restoration of the SS Forceful, the last steam tug to operate on the Brisbane River in Queensland, Australia. She is now owned by the Brisbane Maritime Museum. In the mid 90's she was fully operational and I was able to go on board and see her in steam. Also a triple with two Scotch boilers, very similar in layout to the Stettin. Wonderful machines!
The Stettin was still active back then; it was decommissioned in 1981. Stokers still being paid to shovel Coal as late as the 1980ies seems a bit ridiculous, but the Stettin was owned by the German Government, which is know for keeping ridiculously outdated Tech in active Service. A Friend of mine works on a German Navy Tug Boat, which was built in 1961 and the only Upgrades it saw since then is the Installation of GPS, AIS and ECDIS on the Bridge. Everything else is like a Time Machine back to the early 1960ies.
In the early 80s, I cruised down the river Clyde in Scotland on the Paddle Steamer, "Waverley". Fabulous triple expansion engine.
She's still operating as far as I know.
Theoretically yes. IIRC, there was some kind of minor Incident recently, that may have put her temporary out of Operation again.
What a great video! Informative and nice slow camera shots so I the viewer can look around. Bravo!
Thanks; luckily I had more than enough Time for filming. A few Weeks later, I uploaded a Video of a stationary Steam Engine in Switzerland, but had just about 30 Minutes for recording. The Difference really shows when comparing the Videos. At least I got that Video informative too:
ruclips.net/video/wTZtXs-HtT0/видео.html
Exceptional engineering. I’m particularly impressed by its reversal speed.
That's one of the Reasons why the Stettin was built with a Steam Engines, despite Motor Vessels being fairly common by 1932. A Steam Engine can reverse much quicker than a Diesel, making the Ship more manouverable. That's a major Advantage for an Icebreaker.
Thank you for the clear explanations included. Most I knew, some I had forgotten 🙂, so good to be reminded.
Love these old expansion engines! They have a "Soul" that is sadly lacking in the super wizzy turbines. The only time you SEE a turbine at work is just before you get shredded!
I have been lucky enough to travel on the Paddle Steamer Waverly a couple of times, and she also has a Triple Expansion set, but mounted horizontally and a-thawartships to connect to the paddles. You can hear those blades slapping the water for miles!
Also had a run on a Steam Tug that was part of the Bristol Docks Museum. There I learned the interesting fact that although a Diesel Motor powered boat would need to increase engine revolutions to get more power (torque), for towing, with a steam engine you can just increase the STEAM PRESSURE (but keep the same revolutions) for the same effect. Remarkable.
Steam Turbines are pretty dead except for Nuclear Ships and some older LNG Tankers (before Diesel Engines could burn the Boil Off Gas just as well as a Boiler). Steam Turbine Ships lloked really intersting to me when visiting the HMS Belfast though, too bad no such Ships have been preserved operational, as Water Tube Boilers are very expensive to maintain. There are three Victory Ships preserved in America, but they haven't sailed in Years because of Boiler Problems and I'm not convinced they'll sail again, at least in the forseeable Future. Old Diesel Engines are really nice too though; see the Video in the End Screen. The other Video in there is worth watching too, regarding what you said about the Waverley. I always found the Swiss Paddle Steamers fairly quiet, regarding the Noise from the Paddle Wheels.
@@Genius_at_Work There are several steam turbine freighters still running on the US Great Lakes, although several others have been dieselized in the last few years. The ones still running have automated controls.
This is the best (only) video I have seen of a steam engine that explains what all the parts are and what they do. thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! You have solved many mysteries for me.
I've got another one of the Steam Engine on a Swiss Paddle Steamer. It emphasises a bit more on the Steam Cycle, and also shows what a Steam Engine in commercial Operation looks like today; the obviously are some minor Modifications to make it more economical.
More steamships and engines please. Great video and aknowledge of the engines.
WIP, but I don't have much to make Videos of right now, like every Winter. I've got a Video of the Double Acting Two Stroke Diesel Engine in the MAN Diesel House Copenhagen coming up in April, the Two Stroke Marine Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego in May, and a "How to fire up a Steam Ship"-Video on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg some Time this Summer, probably July or August.
More Stuff that I can't assure 100% yet include an almost 100 Year old Electric Locomotive, a 130 Year old Hydro Power Station and starting up a 60 Year old Cargo Ship.
GREAT VIDEO. The captions with the explanations really gave a great and concise comments on the Steam Cycle and how the machinery used that Steam Power. This should be shown in every High School Science Class.
Thanks, but I'd guess this is a little too specific for any High School Class. If it wasn't for my Personal Interest, I would have heard about the Steam Cycle for the first Time in Marine Engineering School. Even that is more general Information on the Steam Cycle and not so much about all the Machines that you can see here; more like calculating the (theoretical) Power and Efficiency Figures of the Engine from the given Temperature and Pressure Data.
Little Edit: I've got a very similar Video to this one coming up in May, but about a Two Stroke Diesel Engine on the Museum Ship Cap San Diego.
Excellent sound and videography. Good job. Thank you.
It always amazes me how quiet a steam engine can be when its so darn big!
One of the beauties of steam ...
The way that these machines move almost makes them seem alive, it really feels like the "heart" of a giant beast
..geniales Video....da kommen mir die Tränen bei einem solchem Anblick......und toll erklärt...
Sonntag Abend kommt ein Video von einer Escher-Wyss-Dampfmaschine auf einem Schweizer Raddampfer, mit strukturierteren und somit besseren Erklärungen. Außerdem ist es dort deutlich heller, was die Bildqualität mit meiner GoPro verbessert. Gerade im Kesselraum erkennt man in dem Video hier ja echt gar nichts.
So glad you shared this beautiful video. I’ve always had a fascination with old ships and being able to watch this and get an idea of how a triple expansion steam engine works makes my mechanical mind so happy. I loved every second of this. I just wish I could’ve been around back in the day when steam was the predominant source of power in just about everything from train locomotives down to the boiler rooms and huge steam engines in factories.
What an excellent job detailing all the systems and so on, with slow panning & long waits in locations to soak it all in properly, on this amazing historical steam ship! Very top notch job there buddy & thanks for not adding music, as the steam & mechanisms are the mesmerizing music! Thank you.😉 Cheers.🍻 Rich.😎
OUTSTANDING video!!!
Very enjoyable and informative . Thank you for explaining how it all works ( former watercraft engineer , U.S ARMY )
The Image Quality could be better though, especially in the Boiler Room. My GoPro doesn't work that well in such Low Light Conditions, although the Light in the Boiler Room is really weird anyway. There also is a minor Mistake in the Captions regarding the Pumps around 08:08.
Recently graduated Marine Engineer btw.
Absolutely beautiful piece of engineering.
You must feel a great sense of pride working on her I can only imagine it's not like going to work it's doing somthing you love
I'm not working on it (yet) but only visited as Passnger. I used to work on a different Steam Ship named Alexandra in Flensburg though, while I wa studying Marine Engineering there (aka until last Friday btw.), and may change to the Stettin now, because Hamburg is much closer than Flensburg to the Place where I actually live. I occasionally volunteer on the Cap San Diego in Hamburg since Years too, but without being an actual Member of the Club that runs it though.
A wonderful discovery for me! Subscribed, of course! Keep them coming, bitte!
Took me right back to my merchant navy days. thank you.
Very good description, good work.
I recently retired from a large web press print shop. The noise is a lot, and so is this. This seems to be almost dangerously crowded, but very wonderful. Great video!
It was really, really empty that Day. You can watch my latest Video of the Flensburg Steam Fair, where I included Footage from the Stettin too (much better Image Quality btw.). There isn't much Footage from the Stettin though, because the Engine Room was so crowded with Passengers, and the Steam Ship Alexandra was even worse.
When I recorded this, I actually had booked for the Day before, but the Trip was cancelled on short Notice for having only three Passengers. The following Day, (when I recorded), there were eight or nine Passengers. The Stettin can carry up to 180 Passengers, but only 25 are allowed in the Engine Room simultaneously.
As a former sailor I think of the countless men who stayed at their post to keep machines like this running to the very end. Hell, in the Great Lakes the men are still at their watch station after a 100 years.
Awesome video, I love seeing big machineries like that and I love learning new things.
Up until 1993, there were a pair of triple expansion excursion steamers that ran from Detroit to an amusement park, "Bob-Lo". On each boat, the engine stuck up through a large well in the main deck, with a railing so anyone could watch the engine running, hear bells, and watch the steering engine and pumps. Once I was invited down to the engine room, along with my very young daughter. She still remembers it.
The Engine Room on the Stettin is open for Passengers, like on most German Museum Ships. If I ever visit America, the Paddle Steamer Natchez and one of the Liberty Ships definitely are on my Bucket List. If at least one of the three Victory Ships sails again would be great too, IIRC that would be the only operational Turbine Ship in Preservation. Britain is great for Steam Engines too, and much closer to me. I'm planning to visit many Engines there, such as the Kempton Steam Museum, Crossness Pumping Station, Newcomen Engine Replica at Black Country Living Museum, and the Smethwick Engine in Birmingham, that was built in 1779 by James Watt himself.
In a world of electronics and software coding, it's so fascinating to look at a machine and see how it works just by observing all the moving parts. It turns out that electronic parts don't always outlast mechanical parts after all.
I work in the maritime industry and specifically work with automation electronics. You couldn't be more right. Most of the systems I have to work on are, quite frankly, garbage.
@@wysoft I work in heavy industry where everything is either PLC or DCS controlled. Older electronics from 80s and 90s can be fairly robust, but protection protocols programmed into these systems tend to be so complex that they cause more problems than they solve. Simpler equipment is almost always more reliable.
Amazing engineering. Some clever engineers made this happen!
Great video with nice explanations. Thanks for posting!
Absolutely fascinating piece of art. I love the power of steam. It's massive. Thank You...For fascinating vidio!
Lovely video, that gives a good technical description of engine room machinery equipment and its working - something that many video's on this subject lack.....
The Spilling high speed enclosed engine, is a later addition that did replace a earlier steam generator engine...Stettin is a lovely steamship...
Added in the 50ies, for 400 V Triple Phase. The original Steam Generator can still supply the 110 V Single Phase Grid though.
fascinating. There are similarities to steam locomotives.
I once visited the steam tug Wattle in Melbourne and was amazed at how silent the engine room is.
That's because Marine Steam Engines condense the Exhaust Steam, either to feed the Condensate back into the Boilers or only to increase Efficiency by increasing the Expansion Ratio (see my Escher-Wyss Steam Engine Video about that). Steam Locomotives use the Exhaust Steam to create a Draft in the Furnace by exhausting the Steam through a Blast Pipe, resulting in the characteristic and relatively loud Chuffing Noise. Probably the loudest Thing in the Engine Room of the Stettin is the Condensate Air Pump, which unfortunately is barely visible in this Video.
I am an old marine engineer from the 1970's, I was chief engineer on motor and steam ships; I became superintendent and worked in Hamburg; I am now chief engineer on MS Oldenburg - ex ferry to Helgoland, taking passengers to to Lundy Island
Steam Engine or Steam Turbine in the 1970ies? IIRC Steam Turbines were fairly common on large Cargo Ships back then, and it's a shame no such Plant has been preserved operational. But I always thought that the Stettin was very outdated as "traditional" Steam Ship when it was decomissioned in 1981, and only the improved Manouverabilty compared to a Diesel Ship kept it in Service for so long. Well, plus the Fact that it was Government owned, and the German Government really has a Habit of keeping ridiculously old Equipment in Service. Especially the Fact that it had Stokers shovelling Coal as late as 1981 really is something that I can't imagine anywhere else. Pretty much the same Facts apply to the Bussard, a Buoy Tender which was built in 1906 and kept in Steam until 1979. It's a operational Museum Ship in Kiel today.
Mind you, Coal fired Steam Ships in the 1970ies may be ridiculous from a rational Point of View, but these Ships probably wouldn't be in Steam today if the German Government was a bit more "up to Date". One of my Classmates (I'm studying Marine Engineering in Flensburg) works on a Navy Tug Boat built in 1967 which has a fairly interesting Diesel-Electric Plant. But it probably will be sold either to some 2nd/3rd World Country or for Scrap. I'm still keeping my Fingers crossed that one of the Bremen-Class Frigates will be preserved as static Museum; I'd really like to see a Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine Plant once; albeit not in Operation.
Es gibt noch den Zerstörer Mölders liegt in WHV als Museumsschiff ein Dampfturbinenschiff mit 4 Kesseln. Die Anlage ist allerdings eine Hochdruckheizdampfmaschine mit ca 88 bar (1275 psi ) Dampfdruck. Leider sind die Maschinenräume nicht zu besichtigen. Ich war selber 6 Jahre als „ Heizer“ auf diesen Schiff. Diese Anlage war sehr anspruchsreich für die Besatzung.
Heel leerzaam en interessant. Bijzondere boot.
A wonderful engine well maintained.
This video was awesome and informational. Thank you and keep up the good work! 👍
1:32 Check out the SS Badger in the US. It is a coal fired car ferry that is still in service as a national historic landmark on Lake Michigan. Six times the displacement of The Stettin with twin 3,500 HP Uniflow engines. Great vid anyway and great channel. Love hearing that engine work. The steering motor was really interesting. Subbed.
I was looking for this comment. The Badger is a big lady.
The Stephenson's link is very clever. It just slides from one position to the other when reversing. It is like a lever that changes fulcrum.
Lovely video production. Very educational and informative. She is a beautiful peice of engineering.
Great video,I have sailed in coal and oil fired trawlers,but I have never heard a thumping sound like that in the engine room.
Now that's odd; you're the second User commenting about a thumping/knocking Sound. Can you tell the Points in the Video where you hear it? I have seen/ heard a few Steam Engine Rooms on Museum Ships, and there seems to be nothing wrong with the Stettin.
Btw. I have a Video about firing up a Steam Ship coming up some Time in Summer; I volunteer as Stoker on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg. Another one is a very similar Video to this one, but about the Two Stroke Diesel on the Freight Ship Cap San Diego, coming up in May (unless the Hamburg Harbour festival gets cancelled again)
I have watched the video again,but with not being in the engine room it is impossible to locate the sound source or direction and the possible cause but it seems to time with the engine.Roly🇬🇧.
@@rolanddunk5054 Just mark the Moments like this: 01:23
I heard a bit of a rod knock, but probably not enough to worry about. The rod bearings naturally wear. They are sacrificial, to avoid wearing the steel crank pins. In some cases, they can be tightened, in other cases, you need to recast the brass. A little looseness isn't always bad, compensates for any misalignment.
I've watched a number of videos of old ships powered by triple expansion engines, and one thing that strikes me is they always seem to be able to go from full ahead to full astern in about five seconds. It makes the scene in James Cameron's movie hilarious in retrospect, with frantic engine room crew running all over the place, and the the engines taking about a minute to slowly wind down and then another minute to slowly speed up again in the opposite direction.
That's not all that wrong though; Inertia still is a Thing and the Engines of the Titanic were on a completely different Scale than any that you might see today. Such Masses still take their Time to accelerate. Because Movies are the Way they are, Things certainly are "overdone" there, but Titanic's Engines just were a lot less responisve than the Engine here.
Huge difference in scale in those engines, indeed. Titanic's low pressure cylinders were 97 inches in diameter! The crank shafts per engine were about 118 tons. The outer (wing) propellers measured over 23 feet across and weighed 38 tons on their own. Trying to reverse that much inertia in 5 seconds would likely cause things to come apart. If you search on RUclips for some stationary steam engines, you'll see a historic monster of similar size in use at a pumping station.
Wow! Fantastic video!
Una obra de arte flotante y operacional al 100%. felicitaciones a los técnicos que la mantienen en perfectas condiciones.
Cool tour, thank you
Great video!
2200 Hp gets my attention!
There are a few Inaccuracies regarding the Pumps, see my pinned Comment for that. I'm currently working on two more Steam Videos, one showing Steam Threshing with a Locomobile, and one of the ridiculously over-engineered Uniflow Engine on the Swiss Paddle Steamer Stadt Luzern. That one is limited to 1200 HP, but actually has 1600 or even 1800, not sure right now.
@@Genius_at_Work Most people won't notice. The only thing that matters is that I can smell the hot oil. Keep doing these videos!
During my apprenticeship on the Clyde in the early 1950's we built ,installed and repaired such engines. At one time during the trials on the measured mile it was my job to tally the fuel consumption by counting the number of 1 cwt coal bins dumped on the floor plates prior to stoking the boiler.
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Even though I knew how most of a steam engine worked, I was not aware of a triple expansion and was wondering what the difference was to a normal steam engine. But thanks to this video you beautifully explained it. Thanks very much.
There are two more Videos on my Channel where I go a bit more in Depth to why Steam Engines offen are compounded (aka triple Expansion, or double, quad etc). These Videos are about Swiss-made Engines; one on the Paddle Steamer Stadt Zürich, built by Escher-Wyss; and a stationary Sulzer one, driving a Flywheel Generator. I explained Compounding in my pinned Comments though, as the Explanation is way too long to put it in the Video. To say it shortly, Compounding is all about Temperature Gradients.
@@Genius_at_Work I actually just watched both of them. They are some of the best steam engine content I've ever watched.
@@Aieou472 I might have got another one coming up; I'm currently in Contact with the Lake Lucerne Ship Operator to make a Video about the Stadt Luzern Paddle Steamer. All other Swiss Steam Ships have very similar Engines, but the one on the Stadt Luzern isn't just unique in Switzerland but the whole World. Other Steam Videos that I'm planning right now are firing up a Steam Roller, and a Steam Locomobile driving a historic Threshing Machine.
Brilliant video, beautiful machinery and really appreciate the explanations, thank you...
The Image Quality could be better though, especially in the Boiler Room. I blamed my Gopro for that first, but it turns out that the Light in the Boiler Room is so weird that a proper Camera (Sony FDR AX-53; 1000€ Camcoder) struggles there too. I considered uploading an improved Version of this Video first, but abandoned that Idea as I realised that it wouldn't be much better. There also is a minor Mistake regarding the Pumps around 08:08, but it's so small that it doesn't justify taking this Video down and uploading a fixed Version. See my pinned Comment for more Information.
EXCELLENT presentation
Amazing. Thank you for the video.
It's quite startling how quiet the boiler room is. Most footage of full-size boiler rooms feature oil fired furnaces, which have a constant roar. Film and television usually depict coal boiler rooms similarly, or with a deep low rumble of fire. It's fascinating to see that (unless there is noisy auxiliary equipment) a hand stoked coal boiler room is nearly silent. Happy to have found this video, I've seen photos of people working in what must be this boiler room, glad I've found out exactly where it was. This is the only coal fired ship I've seen with multiple full-size boilers in the same league as the Titanic.
They are exactly the same as on the Titanic, except the Titanic mostly had Double Boilers (IIRC around 25 Double and around 5 Single Boilers), which just are two Boilers like this mounted back to back. There's not much to make Noise though, and the Engine itself is very quiet too. I'm used to turbocharged Diesel Engines, so to me, even naturally aspirated Engines are fairly quiet and Steam Engines are literally silent compared to any Diesel.
I find the Boiler Rooms startlingly dark though. That's why I might re-shoot this Video with a better Camera that can handle Low Light Conditions, unlike the GoPro that I was using here. I'll wait with that until this Video falls out of Favour with the Algorithm though; I don't want to throw away 200-500 Views per Day.
Thanks for this video. There is a lot that looks lika on S/S Sankt Erik from Stockholm, Sweden, but clerarly on Stettin some new steam inventions had been made when they built the ship. (Sankt Erik is from 1915, and is also an icebreaker). Beautiful that the coal fiereing is still there!
Every time I watch an engine like this, I think of Rudyard Kipling's poem, "McAndrew's Hymn"
"Predestination in the stride of yon connectin' rods"
Gran sala de máquinas. Es historia pura. Felicidades por el video.
Great! That was super interesting!
Audio and especially Video Quality aren't the best though. That's why I'm planning to record and upload a better Video of it this Summer, with a large Sony Camcoder and External Microphone instead of GoPro and that MediaMod-Thing. Low Light Performance of GoPro's just isn't all that good.
Very cool. I still have a steam license. The Canadian Navy ran steam ships up til the early 2000 s. More modern than this mind you, with steam turbines and oil fired boilers.
It's a Shame that it looks like no such Ship will be preserved operational, but I can see why. The Water Tube Boilers on Turbine Ships are much more expensive to maintain than Scotch Boilers like on the Stettin. There is a very similar Hip to the Stettin, named Wal. It had the Scotch Boilers replaced by Water Tube ones in 1964, and these Boilers are a huge Problem today.
@@Genius_at_Work It's crazy that not more of these are preserved. A true work of art in every way.
They almost have a pre historic feeling. Like they are alive when in operation. At least we have great footage.!
@@pstreetgarage7304 I'm really interested in Turbine Ships since I visited the HMS Belfast in London. The American Victory in Tampa and the Lane Victory somewhere in Calfornia used to be operational but a grounded since Years because of Boiler Problems, and I don't know if they will sail again. The Lane Victory in Richmond California looked like she would sail again soon in 2018, but I don't know of any Progress over the last four Years.
This is a very special vessel especially being triple expansion and hand coal fired. However At 1:31 you mention she's the "largest operational coal-fired ship in the world." The Stettin displaces 1,138 tones. The SS Badger is still coal fired and is still used in regular daily ferry service. She displaces 6,600 tons.
I was going to mention this also... Definitely not with the intention to detract from this video of the Stettin which is excellent by the way! It really is remarkable though, and special that the Badger continues on in regular, commercial use. I've had the pleasure of riding across Lake Michigan on her on two occasions and totally enjoyed both trips. The only thing that could have made it better is if I could have talked my way into an engine room and boiler room tour lol.
The Skinner engines on Badger are in square enclosures, you can't really see anything working. Many years ago I got aboard Medusa Challenger, which had a single Skinner, just a big square silver box.
Great video, very educational. I did not know the condenser create vacuum and increase efficiency, for example. Interesting 😊
The US Coast Guard WTGB-140 Bay-class - Large Icebreaking Tug has 2500 SHP to the prop. So Stettin's 2200 Hp isn't out of line. Instant reversing is very important for ramming. The WTGB-140 is not for arctic operation. "They can proceed through fresh water ice up to 20 inches (51 cm) thick, and break ice up to 3 feet (0.91 m) thick, through ramming. It can also ram pressure ridges of up to eight feet in thickness. These vessels are equipped with a system to lubricate their progress through the ice, by bubbling air through the hull."
I applied as Mechanic for the German Polar Research Ship Polarstern a few Months ago. A Friend of mine used to work there as Navigation Watch Assistant, and he told some Stories about his Duty Officer getting stuck in Ice, so the Captain told him "don't be so gentle" and slamming the Telegraph from full ahead directly to full astern and back every Minute or so. The Polarstern is powered by four Deutz Inline-8 Four Stroke Diesels at 19,200 HP, driving two Shafts with Pitch Propellers. These Propellers allow to go from full ahead to full astern weithin Seconds, as the Shaft always rorates at the same Speed and just the Pitch of the Propeller Blades is adjusted. The Propellers were built by Escher-Wyss, but I'm not sure if they were built in Zürich/Switzerland, the Factory in Ravensburg/Germany, or if Escher-Wyss had even more Factories around the World.
Wow can't believe how fast you can stop the engine and throw it in reverse! It's scary but fascinating to watch just thinking about the size and sheer weight of the pistons and the energy that must be required to move them so fast!
Assuming a Speed of 150 RPM (I think thats's realistic for Full Speed, if not too much. Can't find exact Numbers right now), it has roughly 100,000 Nm of Torque. At 100 RPM, it would be 150,000 Nm, as Speed and Torque are proportional. Given that Steam Engines can have nearly their max Torque at a very slow Speed, it's not surprising that the Engine reverses quickly from half ahead to half astern.
Just awesome work
That was very interesting, especially how the links on the eccentrics shift to switch from forward to reverse. Until I saw that I was wondering why there was one to operate the valve, and the other just moved the beam up and down.
Yes and intermediate positions can be used to reduce the amount of time that the intakes are open, to moderate down the power more economically than with the throttle.
How amazing and perfectly smoothly engine running system thanks for sharing this very interested video .
Love these. Have you seen the triple expansion engine on the PS Waverley based in Scotland. Did a cruise on it last week. Very impressed with your boat.
Not yet. I'm working on a new and improved Video of this Engine here (Camcoder instead of GoPro, External Microphone etc.), which I already wanted to release almost two Months ago but I have to visit Stettin again. If I can't get it done on the last Cruise this Year (September 15), I'll have to delay that Video to next Year. Another interesting one would be the Icebreaker Suur Tõll in Tallinn, which has three similar Engines with two astern and one at the Bow. It's not operational, but in very good Condition and there were serious Attempts to fully restore it ten odd Years ago, I don't know if they continue to this Day and what the Plans are.
Very interesting - thanks!
Thanks for the response
Fascinating. Thanks.
I love steam powered equipment very efficient should re figured and brought back in service
Steam still has its Place. Most Power Generation is done with Steam Turbines, and also Piston Engines still have their Niche Applications. The Spilling Steam Motor is still built today, for Use e.g. in Refineries or Chemical Plants. These Places have Steam abundant anyway, and Steam Motors are inherently Explosion-proof by default. For the same Reasons, they often use Fireless Steam Locomotives, the last of which were built in the 1980ies (in Germany). A large Scale Renessaince of Steam Vehicles is not going to happen though, Steam Powerplants get Efficiencies similar to Diesel Engines by using ridiculous Steam Pressures and even more ridiculous Superheating, making the Steam so hot that any hotter would literally destroy the Steel. With Temperatures that could safely be handled on Ships, there is no Way to get anywhere near the Efficiency of a Diesel Engine; you just can't bend the Thermodynamics of the Carnot Cycle.
The last Steam Turbine Ships are LNG Tankers, which were more economical with Steam Turbines as the Liquefied Gas is constantly boiling inside the Cargo Tanks, and it is more economic to just burn that Boil Off Gas as Fuel than to re-liquefy it. Until 15-20 Years ago, it was not possible to burn Natural Gas in Diesel Engines, so LNG Tankers had Steam Turbine Plants as Boilers can burn pretty much any Fuel if you use the appropiate Burner. Ever since Dual Fuel Engines came up, that Niche for Steam Propulsion died too. The last Steam Turbine LNG Tankers are approaching 20 Years Age now, and it probably won't be worth it to keep them going much longer. The only two Cases for (Commercial) Steam Ships I think of are the new Attempts at Nuclear Propulsion, and Combined Gas and Steam Turbines, where the ludicrous Waste Heat of Gas Turbine Exhaust Gas is reclaimed in Boilers to power a Steam Turbine, similar to Combined Cycle Powerplants.
1:29 Coal has to be shoveled in by hand? Wow, that must be a tremendous amount of work when underway to do that continuously! Those guys must develop some muscles, for sure!
There's an excellent Video by @The Great Big Move about that, explaining how there's much more to being a Stoker than just Brute Force Coal Shovelling: ruclips.net/video/U4qpNjYkCZ4/видео.html
Today, the Stettin barely ever runs faster than Half Ahead, which means that the Engine only runs at ≈1/4 Power, making the Job of the Stokers fairly relaxed compared to what it could be like. Compared to really large Steam Ships, it's also fairly easy as the Coal Bunkers are small and located right next to the Furnaces. Larger Ships had Coal Trimmers to move the Coal inside the Bunkers (for Stability Reasons), and Coal had to be wheelbarrowed around the Boiler Rooms which all made for a complicated Logistic Task.
Amazing video
Thanks, a similar Video about a large Two Stroke Marine Diesel Engine is underway- If all goes well, it will go online May 8 at 2000 German Time (6PM UTC). I'm also in Contact with some Swiss Steam Ship Operators, because I want to make a Steam Engine Video of one of their Paddle Steamers.
I like the fact that everything on the ship is run off of coal/steam.
How did they get (train) a crew familiar with the ship's operation?
They train them themselves, just like on any other German Museum Ship (or Heritage Railway). I started training as a Stoker on the Steam Ship Alexandra in Flensburg, while I was studying Marine Engineering there (aka until last Friday btw.), but couldn't finish on Time. Maybe I will continue on the Stettin, as it is much closer to my actual Home.
Certain Crew Members like the Captain, Officers and Engineers must be licensed Seamen like me though.
The reason that there is expansion is to stop the steam condensing due to pressure. In a steam pressure system the water boiling point is related to the pressure , bellow this pressure the water remans steam and the temperature drop due to work does not condense the steam to water.
2:42 y did the whole engine start to tip over? Is the driver that strong?😂
No, that's just a Lever to turn the Valve Gear Shaft. The Lever is moved by a Steam Cylinder, but can also be moved manually with a Spindle, for Redundancy Reasons.
Stephenson valve gear is also often used on steam railroad locomotives.
IIRC, it became pretty much irrelevant there when Walschaerts Valve Gear came up. Almost all German Steam Locomotives used that since the 1880ies, although most Locomotives since the mid-1920ies were from a standardised Kit System anyway.
the SS Badger is a significant bigger coal fired SS;
Tonnage 4,244 gross tons[1]
Displacement 6,650 tons[1]
Length 410 ft 6 in (125.12 m)[1]
Beam 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m)[1]
Height 106 ft 9 in (32.54 m)[1]
Depth 24 ft (7.32 m) molded depth
Decks 2 passenger, 1 vehicle
Installed power Steam, coal-fired
Propulsion Two four-cylinder compound Skinner Unaflow steam engines, totaling 7,000 shp (5.22 MW); four Foster-Wheeler water-tube type D boilers, 470 psi (3.24 MPa)[2]
I knew about the Badger when I made the Video, but wrongfully assumed it was fired by Coal Dust. Given that the Badger has an automatic Feed System, the Stettin still is the largest one in Terms of traditional, Hand-fed Boilers.
@@Genius_at_Work Ahh....very good point my friend. You're correct.
@@dougvensel7421 Coal Dust is a Point, "hand-fed" is more of an Excuse.
@@Genius_at_Work I love the triple expansion marine engines, they are works of art. And the traditional hand fed boilers, but ........coal is coal. Being a resident of Michigan, I have to stick up for the Badger also.
I think it’s also interesting that the Badger is still in private revenue service. It gets no subsidies as far as I know.
Who in their right mind starts watching a video like this only to skip ahead to 4:38 to skip the technical stuff?!
3:43 Too technical?
That's why i'm here lol
🔩⚙🛠🔗🗝🔧⛓
2:54 - Suddenly I smell hot oil!
So the "eccentric rods" control where steam is sent and vented inside the cylinder at various points in the stroke, similar to the job of the cam shaft in a combustion engine?
Pretty much. But the Eccentrics themselves are what the Cam Shaft is in an IC Engine; the Eccentric Rods are more comparable to the Push Rods between Cams and Rocker Arms.
With the condenser converting spent steam back to water for the boilers, approx. what percentage of the original boiler water is lost in the process? Where does the makeup water come from.
Dunno how much Steam is lost, but the Stettin has no Way of replenishing Boiler Feed Water. The Water doesn't go directly back into the Boilers though, there is a Feed Water Tank acting as Reservoir between the Condensate Oil Trap and Feed Water Pump. The Stettin only maintained a Fairway into the Port of Stettin (1932-1945) and then broke Ice on the Elbe Estuary and Kiel Canal (1945-1981), so it never spent more than a few Days "at Sea" and could just bunker Boiler Feed Water in Port. Larger Ships had Fresh Water Generators, that evaporate Sea Water in a Vacuum and then condense it to distill Fresh Water. The Vacuum lowers the Boiling Temperature to increase Efficiency. Modern Ships still use the same Technology, and the low Boiling Temperature allows to reclaim Waste Heat by heating the Sea Water with High Temperature Cooling Water.
Appreciate the video..Great job. I have an old math book "Practical Shop Mathematics" by Charles B Claphem, fifth edition printed 1959. It explains the ratio between the size of each cylinder. Gives axamples. Was kinda fun doing the exercises throughout this book. Thanks for your video! jP
I'm working on a new and better Video of this Engine, more precisely I already wanted to have uploaded that two Months ago but cocked up recording. The Stettin will sail for the last Time this Year on this Weekend, and I'm planning to visit for at least one of the two Cruises. If all goes well, I might be able to get the new Video online as early as Sunday. It will mostly feature better Image and Sound Quality (Camcoder and External Microphone instead of GoPro), but also better Editing and more detailed Explanations.
@@Genius_at_Work Sounds great! Just found your new video....playing now..Thanks for all your efforts. jP
Great video with great information. Unfortunately for me, it was difficult to read a lot of the text because of partial color blindness, more contrasting color text would have been great, but still, I enjoyed watching the video. Thank you for sharing the workings.
I originally picked bright Colours like Red or Orange for Captions, because they have a good Contrast to most other Colours. I never had Colour-Blindness in mind when deciding these Things though. This sort of turned into cursive orange Captions becoming a Distinguishing Feature of my Videos. I actually show them to my legally blind Girlfriend (she's an Albino, so she has really, really bad Eyes) for checking before I upload them, but once again, Colours are about the only Thing where her Eyes work properly.
@@Genius_at_Work I understand, and it is not always difficult to see them, in most cases it is much less distracting than white or some other bright color would be. My problem is when the colors of something in the video gets too close to the color of the text, like when it is darker inside a white or grey room and the white balance shifts to a warm color, everything becomes more red/orange.
Like I said, it is more a me problem than a criticism of the video. I don't know if anyone else has the same issue, but thought it may be something to consider. Perhaps a slight shadow effect arount the text or translucent text box might help in some scenes where the colors are close to the text color?
Ironically, I actually have really good eyesight, it is just that colors are not as vivid for me as they are for others.
I see nothing showing how they're getting the cylinder lube oil out of the condensate tho.
Cascade Tank and Oil Trap, but these are located between the Pumps, off-Limits to Passengers. Both are just big Boxes anyway.
Thx
Is it possible to purchase copies of (longitudinal) profile drawings of this icebreaker?
Best Bet is here: stettin@hoppe-marine.com
There are numerous Scale Models of Stettin, so these Plans certainly are around.
Very amazing and simply... Wonderful! But this ship does sail anytime?
It sails Mai-September, mostly on Weekends. Here's the WIP Schedule for 2023: www.dampf-eisbrecher-stettin.de/downloads/Fahrplan_2023Vorlufig_Stand_28.11.2022.pdf
@@Genius_at_Work Thank you Genius and have a great day
splendid vid - im much more acquainted with diagonal paddler engines like on PS Waverly - so many similarities and also so many differences!! 😁😁😁
I recently made a similar Video on the Swiss Paddle Steamer Stadt Zürich, and am currently in Contact with the Lake Lucerne Shipping Company to make a similar Video on the Stadt Luzern. The Stadt Luzern has a Three Cylinder Uniflow Engine, which is kinda unusual.
A major Difference between the Stadt Zürich and this Engine is, that the Stadt Zürich has all Pumps attached to the Engine, while this one is so large that there are separate Pumps only. It's kinda the same with Diesel Engines, although a similarly powerful Engine as on the Stettin would still have attached Pumps and the Engines with separate Pumps are large Two Strokes, with at least 5x the Power.
@@Genius_at_Work thanks 4 recommendation --its another wonderful vid of a great little ship and its impeccably kept machinery!!
@@martingruffalump5484 That's just the Way Switzerland is. Btw. regarding said Pumps: The Waverley may have separate Pumps as well, given the Engine's Size and Power. Plus there is a minor Mistake about these Pumps in this Video; see my pinned Comment for that.