Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT strips 3666 to 3670 (29th January to 2nd February 2018)
Cornelius:
I do believe that the turbines provide electricity to electric engines, rather than power a steam engine.
shanejayell:
Well, I was not expecting a resolution. Was cute tho.
Case:
--- Quote from: Cornelius on 02 Feb 2018, 07:10 ---I do believe that the turbines provide electricity to electric engines, rather than power a steam engine.
--- End quote ---
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz-class_aircraft_carrier#Propulsion
I could be wrong, but I don't think so - energy conversion methods are typically way below 100% efficiency (except for those that convert into thermal energy, but not vice versa), so to convert thermal energy first into mechanical energy, that, in turn, into some other form of energy, only to then convert that form again into the form you actually want (mechanical energy) literally means wasting energy - you'd only do that if there's other pressing design concerns (storage, safety, whatever).
That doesn't mean that a small fraction of the mechanical kinetic energy generated by the steam turbines cannot be bled off & fed into a dynamo - your car does just that to power its onboard electrical systems.
Edit: Some modern nuclear submarines apparently do exactly what you proposed - though in submarines, noise generation is a vital design concern and has been at least since WW-II. A loud sub is a dead sub. Carrier Battle groups, otoh, are pretty hard to hide from anyone to begin with, even at the best of times.
ZoeB should be able to provide a reality-check to my ramblings.
Cornelius:
You are right, my mistake. But then, I'm more familiar with civilian systems and only as am amateur at that.
It would surprise me greatly if there were no way of generating electricity on board. There's probably a shaft generator on there as well.
traroth:
--- Quote from: Case on 02 Feb 2018, 06:45 ---
--- Quote from: traroth on 02 Feb 2018, 05:06 ---
--- Quote from: JoeCovenant on 02 Feb 2018, 03:02 ---
To those feeling in some way let down today...
Life is like this... quite often.
--- End quote ---
Maybe that's the point? Maybe the comic is coming too close to reality to stay really enjoyable?
--- End quote ---
If reality isn't enjoyable to you, maybe that's not Jeph's fault?
P.S.: It's a 'slice of life webcomic'. We can't really claim fraudulent labelling.
--- End quote ---
Please stop twisting what I'm saying.
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