Real Fiero Tech

saw something pretty cool today, watched a 53 year old submarine steam plant go from a stop to ahead standard (60 shaft rpm). it's pretty amazing how much power can be extracted out of two steam turbines.

A+++++++++++ post. Would read again

lol, yeah, I guess it seems dumb, but when you see the stuff in real life, going from a stop to 60 rpm in a matter of seconds when the shaft being turned is ~ 20" in diameter, turning a propeller that's probably 15 feet in diameter, and and being turned by a bull gear is roughly 25 feet in diameter, and all very heavy, it's pretty cool, and amazingly smooth/quiet.

I guess too though, in all fairness, it's rated to 15000 hp...

take a video next time

I wish I could, they don't allow video cameras on site, much less on the sub.

Similar impression when an H-60 pilot releases the rotor brake following engine start.
That's just hot gas flowing over a turbine... and about 40:1 gear reduction.

there's a pretty healthy gear reduction associated with the sub too. I bet the forces on the gear reduction unit are insane, that's over 53 feet of rotor to get spinning!