#64 EVOLUTION OF SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM PART - I
From the very beginning of human existence, ships were considered as an indispensable means of transportation, trade and war. Mankind does not know what was the first means for overcoming water spaces in humans. There are no chronicles that would record what the very first ship in the world was like, where and by whom it was built: there are only rock paintings.
But nevertheless, the ancient Egyptians and their boats, made of reed and papyrus, are considered to be the first: after all, trees in Egypt were rare, very dearly valued, therefore, the first ship in the world was reed. Since then, people have tried to make ships faster and more efficient. For this, the methods of movement have changed over the centuries. From wind and steam to diesel engines and autonomous ships, engines are looking for an innovation, while recently the need for environmentally friendly transportation has become a driving force behind new methods of propulsion and the exploration of potentially new ones. In this article, would like to look at how engines and propulsion systems on ships have evolved over the years and what the future holds for them.Wind
Before the use of the coal steam engines on ships in the early 19th century, oars or wind were mainly used to propel ships. At that time, merchant ships used sail as well as rowing, which was preferable as it provided maneuverability and speed.
Until the moment when the engines appeared, the sail was not used by the ship as a means of transportation. Recently, however, more and more developments have been taking place in which wind power is used to power ships.
Steam
The real steam turbine was invented in medieval Egypt, by the 16th century Turkish astronomer, physicist and engineer Takiyuddin al-Shami. He proposed a method of rotating the spit by means of a stream of steam directed to the blades fixed along the rim of the wheel. In the 1700s, steam was one of the main sources of energy that propelled ships.
In fact, there was a large influx of steam ships in 1769, as the steam engine underwent great changes during this time.
During this period, steam powered two types of engines: reciprocating (with steam pistons connected to the crankshaft) and turbines.
Reciprocating
The first steamers operated on wood and used aft or side paddle wheels, which later gave way to propeller wheels. The next generation of steamboats used coal or fuel oil, and the first commercial success was achieved on Robert Fulton's North River Steamboat in the United States in 1807.
Turbines
Initially, steam turbines were fired with coal, and then with fuel oil, while the ship's steam turbine increased the power density. This allowed the creation of new high-speed liners in the first half of the 20th century, making the reciprocating steam engine obsolete.
to be continue
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