Monday, June 18, 2012

A Glimpse into the Engine Room


Sunday, June 17, 2012

Today an engineering professor took me on a guided tour of the engine rooms. Imagine what it takes to support a building 10 stories high! Mind you, this is without any external supply of electricity, water, or fuel. So besides controlling the propellers and the rudder, the ship’s machinery condition fuel and distill water for the steam engine, generate electricity, produce potable water, treat waste water, and provide refrigeration for food storage and air conditioning. The magnitude of these machines is unreal. Some machines, even some of the pipes, are larger than me, and some systems span several stories. Engineering cadets are constantly monitoring these systems to make sure they are functioning in a state that can continue to function for the long term. (There is no road side assistance in the ocean in case of a breakdown!) They also take commands from the bridge and make adjustments to the engine to match the speed and direction of travel. Is it hot in the engine room? You bet! I was lucky. It was a cool, chilly day of 90 degrees.

No comments: