Getting power to the right place

摘要

For owners of large ships, the main consideration is at what point they might consider a move from single two-stroke engines, with their massive crankshafts and pistons, to diesel-electric, with multiple generators and propulsion units. The advantages for staying with the existing designs are that the technology associated with the diesel engine is well understood; there is a perceived shortage of electrical and electronic specialists and associated crew in the industry; larger engines are able to run at maximum power for longer; and the fuel efficiency of diesel-electric is still below that of direct drive systems.