One of the consequences (and most noticeable external change) of the re-engining of QE2 was the new, thicker funnel which had to be installed to accommodate the new exhaust pipes and air ductwork from the new nine diesel engines and the two auxiliary boiler. This would entail replacing the whole of the inside of the funnel so the new exhaust gas pipes and silencers for the nine diesel engines and space ventilation ducting were all fitted into a metal framework prefabricated ashore in two parts and then assembled on the ship. There was a mere ‘hand’s breadth’ of 80 mm between the new structure and the ship’s original structure. The original funnel casing, considerably widened, was then replaced over the new stack.
Given the fact that QE2’s funnel was recognisable around the world, ‘was QE2’ and whose design had worked so well, it seemed inconceivable that Cunard would abandon the look and design but there was no escaping the fact that an additional 55,000 square metres of outlet surface area had to now be found to accommodate the new plant’s requirements.
Meetings with all parties concerned were held to present and discuss their wishes as to the shape, appearance and technical requirements of the new funnel. Several models were built and placed on a wooden ship model which was tested in wind tunnel before the funnel design was selected – very similar to the original but much thicker!
Models of QE2 with a considerably fatter version of Gardner’s original design were thoroughly wind-tunnel tested at the Institut fur Schifftechnik in Hamburg.
The original funnel would be removed at the start of the conversion to allow access via the boiler casing to the engine and boiler rooms to allow 4,700 tons of existing machinery to be removed and the new machinery to be installed and the funnel was lifted off within days of QE2 arriving at Bremerhaven in October 1986.
In fact the original funnel would be modified and rebuilt to the new design prior to being placed over the Exhaust Stack.
The Exhaust Stack itself was built as a framework structure with a surface area of 8.30 x 8.00 metres and an overall depth of 35.0 metres. The total weight was approximately 250 tons which was the equivalent of 420 ‘VW Golf’ cars. The Exhaust Stack would house all of the exhaust pipes and air ductwork and was prefabricated and installed by a floating crane in two sections – one section of 13.0 metres in height and the other of 22.0 metres in height complete with all lines, ducting, piping etc including insulation and final coating.
In order to reduce vibration and noise, all the exhaust pipes in the Exhaust Stack were mounted on anti-vibration mountings with each pipe and its associated silencers kept in position with anti-spring elements which have no contact with the steel structure of the Exhaust Stack.
The Exhaust Stack itself had rigid connection only at the Signal Deck level so that the connecting pints to the ship structure were minimised. In order to keep weight to the minimum and to provide for minimum construction then calculations were taken of the dimensioning and stability of the tower with the aid of high-powered computer systems similar to those used in the aircraft industry.
The new funnel casing (comprising the modified original casing) was lifted on board and fitted over the Exhaust Stack on 20 February 1987.
In order to run an engine plant of the magnitude of QE2 a total of two million cubic metres of air was needed hourly for combustion air and for cooling the engine rooms. Two casings were built for this purpose. The forward casing, the previous ‘Boiler Casing’ was not only for the movement of supply and exhaust air but also to house the exhaust gas pipes from the nine diesel engines and the two auxiliary boilers. 24 exhaust and supply ventilators were fitted for ventilation to the engine rooms and as well as supplying the two million cubic metres per hour they also removed 1.4 million cubic metres per hour. Within the funnel, heat from the exhaust was recovered in specially designed boilers to provide steam to heat the fuel and domestic water.
HEIGHTS
Funnel above Keel: 204 feet 1.5 inches (62.2 metres)
Funnel: 69 feet 6 inches (21.2 metres)
Again the new funnel was the subject of controversy among ship buffs. While some complained about the new thicker look most agreed that it gave QE2 a more robust and purposeful look.
Topic: QE2's Funnel 1987 - (Read 5864 times)
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