Speed, Power and Displacement of QE2 - Steam and Diesel

[Rob Lightbody]

Hi,

Can someone help me please?

I am trying to help Barry de Klerk to write an article about big fast ships, including QE2.

He is looking for accurate trial speeds for QE2, combined with her displacement on those dates.

What was the maximum trial speeds on steam and diesel, and what was her displacements on those dates?

He is also looking for power figures, but I think we have those - 110,000 shp steam, and 130,000 shp when electric - or is there more complex figures here too?

Many thanks,

- Rob

[Michael Gallagher]

Having just read his article in the April 2014 Ships Monthly I have just realised that in maritime history QE2 is the third fastest passenger liner ever having achieved 33.8 knots in 1987. This places her behind first place United States which was capable of 35+ knots and second place France which managed 35 knots on trials. Queen Mary was fourth having achieved 31.69 knots in 1938 and Normandie was fifth having been capable of 30+ knots. Queen Elizabeth may have achieved fourth or fifth place if she had been introduced as a passenger ship and not gone straight into war service.

[skilly56]

Rob,

The QE2's Trials Data Booklet (or Sheets) will contain all the relevant information regarding engine outputs (the recordings for speed vs shaft power are done at various power percentages, e.g., 70%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, and 110% overload), along with all the engine parameters/generator loads which are recorded at each power setting. In addition, the  ship speed, draft, displacement, weather conditions (tide, wind, swell directions etc) each way on the Measured Mile will also be recorded. The ship's maximum speed is then calculated as the average of the maximum achieved speed in each direction on two consecutive runs over the mile.

If the ship cannot achieve the owner's specified contract speed, big bucks normally change hands for each 0.25 of a knot that was not achieved. Normally, a sea margin allowance of 15% is made for future hull fouling, etc, which will be why the QE2 was specified with a service speed of 28.5 knots on 'X' number of engines, but could achieve 33.8 with them all on load.

Also, the 127,676 bhpe developed by the nine generators is not the shaft horse power transmitted by the prop shafts. The two prop motors are 88 MW combined, which converts to 118,000 horse power e, so leaving the approx., the full output of one main engine/generator for ship's hotel services and auxiliary loads.

Maybe Michael can lay his hands on a copy of the Trials Data. As well as the copies on the ship, most owners tend to keep this info with the Ship Build Specification, and Building Contract files in the head office as well. When I think some more, Michael has probably got this info in one of those cardboard boxes that reside upstairs in his attic!

Cheers

Skilly

[Lynda Bradford]

Very interesting to have this information on QE2 being the world's third fastest passenger ship after re-engining in 1987.  Following on from what Skilly said about the owners specified contract speed, just wondered if Michael knows the owner's specification for the re- engined QE2 in 1987?

Also I noticed in the statistical comparisons given in the Cunard press release of 1967 that the service speed specified was 28 and a half knots, so it would be interesting to know the top speed she achieved as a steam ship.

[ship pro]

I have seen the steam ship do 31 knots.

An interesting aspect of the final speed trials of the diesel plant, which were done going west bound Transatlantic around July 88, the Atlantic was like a mill pond.
we had the prop pitches on max doing around 32.5 knots which satisfied the delivery criteria, but we still had power available. We had the LIPS propeller rep on board and I mentioned the situation , He told me there was a way to get more pitch but it had to be kept confidential as if it was used un officially it could have negative impacts on the power management. We went down with an allen key and adjusted the stops on the prop blade pitch bit by bit we edged it up until every generator was on max load that's when we got the 33.8 knots.

We put the prop blade pitch stops back to where they were set originally and the ship would never do that power output again.

A ships speed can also be impacted by a current which some times can be 3/4 knots either with or against you.

If you are heading West the current is against you.
 

[Peter Mugridge]

He told me there was a way to get more pitch but it had to be kept confidential as if it was used un officially it could have negative impacts on the power management.

Is that a polite way of saying that if it was used routinely, it would very quickly knacker everything?

[June Ingram]

Thank you very much Skilly and ship pro for your explanations and descriptions.  It is very much appreciated !  June

[Adam Hodson]

I've heard that she could stop from full speed ahead to still in 3/4 of a mile, or 4 mins. Does anybody know how fast she could accelerate?

[Twynkle]

I've heard that she could stop from full speed ahead to still in 3/4 of a mile, or 4 mins. Does anybody know how fast she could accelerate?

Hi Adam.
Do you mean speed of acceleration from stationary?
Wouldn't this speed vary enormously, depending on so many things that would include wind direction and speed, sea conditions including height of swells, and whether she had taken tugs etc, and power available from the engines...?
t's a question that may be more easily answered in the cases of more modern ships which use azipods.
Bringing a big ship to a standstill ( as in an 'emergency 'stop) is almost always avoided, this is  for lots of technical reasons too.
Rosie

[Adam Hodson]

Hi Rosie, yes I meant speed of acceleration from standstill. Perhaps and average if it varies? Or from her sea trials maybe?

Adam