DDG-51 class Hybrid propulsion RANGE?

Propulsion systems, machinery, turbines, boilers, propellers, fuel consumption, etc.
petsan
Junior Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:30 am

DDG-51 class Hybrid propulsion RANGE?

Post by petsan »

After watching "the last ship" on TV I started wondering........
The standard DDG-51 class can go 4,400 nautical miles at 20 knots
I was wondering with a 16% fuel saving with Hybrid.....how far will a hybrid equipped DDG-51 go on service turbine-generators at 15 knots ????

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Right now, DDG-51 destroyers are fielded with a ship service electrical system, and an independent main propulsion system of LM2500 gas turbines that are tied to a mechanical drive through the Main Reduction Gear assembly. Each shaft is tied to 2 LM2500 gas turbines (GTMs), which have just 2 speeds: off, and on. Another 3 ship service turbine-generators (GTGs) provide electrical power, with the 3rd designed as a redundant back-up. Using this mechanical arrangement, current DDG-51 Flight IIA ships have a reported total power output of 7.5 MW, and end up using too much effort from their LM2500 gas turbines for propulsion at low speeds.
During underway operations under 15 knots, in low-threat areas, 2 engines are typically on line: a gas turbine GTM with a trail shaft, and a smaller ship service turbine-generators GTG for basic power to the ship, navigation radars etc. Speed changes up to 15-18 knots are controlled by varying propeller pitch, and are independent of the LM2500 GTM. For more electricity, another GTG generator can be brought online to power the main SPY-1 radar if needed.
At low speeds, Hybrid Electric Drives would allow ships to take the gas turbines GTM offline, and rely on 1-2 smaller service turbine-generators GTGs for both propulsion and power, using less fuel and offering more power flexibility. Ships could also be designed with fixed-pitch propellers, which are quieter than variable-pitch blades. As a bonus, Hybrid Electric Drives (HED) propulsion is less noisy, which is useful when a ship is trying to deal with enemy submarines, hybrid electric drive also reduces fuel use and increases range by 16%, cutting each ship’s annual steaming cost by $2.5 million.
Steve Crandell
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Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:05 pm

Re: DDG-51 class Hybrid propulsion RANGE?

Post by Steve Crandell »

It sounds like you are proposing a system similar to that used in the British Daring class DDs and the US DDG-1000 ships. Both are newer designs, of course. Sometimes it makes sense to keep churning out ships to an older design, even though there are new power plants which would show some advantages. People comment pretty much continuously about the latest and greatest power plants, weapons, radars, etc and want to know why new system X is not instantly incorporated on the next ship off the ways. Sometimes "good enough" is still ok. At some point the USN is probably going to have to build escorts with VDS again, because they are getting pretty good and are necessary to detect modern submarines, but that is just one example. There are laser weapons and other things coming along as well.
petsan
Junior Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:30 am

Re: DDG-51 class Hybrid propulsion RANGE?

Post by petsan »

I wasn't proposing this......I didn't make this up, the Navy is actually attempting to do this
a simple Google search on DDG-51 HED will give you all the info...
but no one is saying how much further the DDGs will go with HED (Hybrid electric drive)
maybe not on the flight 3 Burke
but definitely with the upcoming ddg-51 SLEPs
petsan
Junior Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:30 am

Re: DDG-51 class Hybrid propulsion RANGE?

Post by petsan »

Navy Set to Install Hybrid Electric Drives in Destroyer Fleet Staring Next Year in 2016.......

http://news.usni.org/2015/09/23/navy-se ... -next-year

any thoughts on range?
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