woodworker
Well-Known Member
I was in charge of overhauling the three EMD 20 Cylinder diesels before I retired. They were 3800 HP at 900 RPM. I use to love to hear them start up and load. Being a two stroke diesel, they have a pretty unique turbocharger overrunning gear drive that built up pressure in the air boxes on startup and until the generator started to load up. Then exhaust pressure took over and drove the turbo and the gear drive was just along for the ride until the generator unloaded and the gear drive would take over at idle to shutdown. The overhaul was awesome work because the engine had power packs that contained everything like piston, connecting rod, coolant ports, injector, and four huge exhaust valves. The whole power pack unit was disconnected from the crank throw which was also an innovative “fork and blade rod” arrangement. We had it down to a complete overhaul in 72 hours and had to because the EDG’s were on a seven day clock to very expensive unit shut downs. I miss that work sometimes but then I think, hmmm, a cup of coffee at 09:00 hours on my sofa is pretty cool……. We also had one explode when a jumper line from the fuel manifold over to one injector leaked enough fuel into the lube oil system to ignite and explode. It was not a pretty sight.Cool Beans!
I've never visited a nuke generation plant but would love to tour one up close.
When I stationed at NORAD CMC, I remember visiting the generator area. 6 very larger diesel generators lined up pretty as you please, with cat walks up near the top of the engines. 2 running, 2 for backup, and 2 down for overhaul. (Nothing like a nuke power plant in scale)
I remember seeing two men up on the catwalk with what I would describe a very large ratchet, both men working it to remove the head bolts, there was a large electric hoist installed onto a big I beam mounted into the top of the granite ceiling that lifted/moved major parts,
I remember looking up and seeing copper infused into the granite ceiling. When I inquired about it, one of the mantenance crew told me that one of the previous generation of generators had caught fire when the fuel line was breached and ignited when the fuel hit the hot exhaust manifolds, that they had to evac the area, seal the area and pull the air out the generator area to put the fire out.
That copper was what was left of the electrical mains that powered the entire complex. This incident happened years before I arrived for duty there. The facility was still mission critical back then, before the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war.
I found this 9 year old 3 minute video, and those generators look just like the ones I saw back in 1976. Same light blue engine, green fuel rail and lines, and the same black catwalks. The video gives you an idea about what's there and even shows the generator room. I grabbed this image from that video. And I remember that row boat in the water reservoir!
This picture is taken from the control room that overlooks the generation plant. It is behind glass and actually very quiet until you open the door. The squeal is deafening without headgear.
The place is an engineering marvel!
Heres a peek of a fuel rod and a partially offloaded nuclear core.
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