Generator Question

[bunnyman]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I’ve been wondering given the current plight of the Carnival Triumph, the prior problems with the Carnival Splendor, and other similar instances…why aren’t cruise lines forced to install true back-up generation capabilities? I understand that they have limited capabilities already, but wouldn’t it make sense to have more robust capabilities to power the water, waste systems, some elevators, food storage/prep, etc? I work in a two 15-story tower office complex that has back-up generators onsite, which given recent Northeast hurricanes and nor’easters never left the buildings dark. It can’t be a fuel problem, because obviously it could be diverted from the engines. If it’s a space constraint, then I think you’ll be hearing future issues coming out of Washington, etc. about passenger safety vs. revenues.

Anyone have any specific answers?

[paule123]

When I took the Behind the Scenes tour of the Liberty last month, we visited the engine control room. The ship is powered by something like 6 large generators, so there is redundancy there. Fuel goes to the generators, generators create electric power to drive the electric motors that spin the propellers. It was like running an electric power plant. Whatever happened on the Triumph must have been bad enough or unique enough to render the backup systems inoperative.

 

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-cruise-ships-powered-5594834.html

[Brighton Line]

All that has been said is fire in aft engine room. Maybe the engines that drive the generators have all been damaged. The engine room is not the room that has engines that move the ship. As said the engines power generators that in turn make the electricity for everything on board.

 

They said the automatic fire suppression system put out the fire, that system using chemicals could also have damaged all the electronics in the engine room. Electronics that are used for control as well as used to make the power.

 

Just a shot in the dark, FWIW.

[bunnyman]

Reading the replies, I agree, they do have generators that are part of the propulsion system, which obviously with an engine room fire they go down as well. I was talking about independent standby generators that could be brought online in such an emergency. Heck, they make them that are trailer sized that can be brought in to power hospitals, emergency services centers, etc., which we saw quite a bit in the Northeast during the extended power outages following Superstorm Sandy. Just a shot in the dark, but why can’t Carnival reach out to the Navy/Coast Guard to see if some systems could be helicoptered to the deck of the ship to at least get the water/waste system flowing? I just can’t believe that in this day and age you have 4,000 people basically floating around in the Gulf on a giant barge without much power.

[SadieN]

There was a Norweigen ship, few years back, that the eletrical panel itself went out. A backup of that isn't readily available.

[shof515]

Reading the replies, I agree, they do have generators that are part of the propulsion system, which obviously with an engine room fire they go down as well. I was talking about independent standby generators that could be brought online in such an emergency. Heck, they make them that are trailer sized that can be brought in to power hospitals, emergency services centers, etc., which we saw quite a bit in the Northeast during the extended power outages following Superstorm Sandy. Just a shot in the dark, but why can’t Carnival reach out to the Navy/Coast Guard to see if some systems could be helicoptered to the deck of the ship to at least get the water/waste system flowing? I just can’t believe that in this day and age you have 4,000 people basically floating around in the Gulf on a giant barge without much power.

there is not enough room with at least 50 feet of open space for these trailers. Most ships dont even have a helipad any more either, so where can you put everything?

[Aquahound]

…why aren’t cruise lines forced to install true back-up generation capabilities?

 

The generators are actually more than ample. The problem is this. Once the fire suppression system is exhausted, remaining working generators cannot be restarted. Some reports I have seen ref Triumph say there are still working generators and physically, the engines can be engaged. However, with the fire suppression exhausted, they can't start them.

[Earthworm Jim]

The generators are actually more than ample. The problem is this. Once the fire suppression system is exhausted, remaining working generators cannot be restarted. Some reports I have seen ref Triumph say there are still working generators and physically, the engines can be engaged. However, with the fire suppression exhausted, they can't start them.

 

When you say the working generators cannot be restarted, do you mean for safety reasons without a working fire suppression system? That makes sense I guess. Would it be plausible to have a bulkhead separating half the engines from the other half, so if the fire suppression system was used on one side, the other side could still be used?

 

I'm sure if it was that simple a fix, they'd already be doing it.

[Aquahound]

When you say the working generators cannot be restarted, do you mean for safety reasons without a working fire suppression system?

 

Yes, that is exactly why. If they were to start those generators without a working fire suppression system and, God forbid, there was a fire and people died, not only would CCL be party to one heck of a lawsuit, but they would also be criminally negligent.

[bunnyman]

I have to say, that given the comment from the Cruise Critic news section:

"Update, 11:47 a.m. EST: According to Carnival Cruise Lines the generator that was flown in by the Coast Guard is up and running and providing additional limited hot food service for passengers."

 

Which I first saw via a posted picture of the drop-off at another site, I'm not buying all about the fire suppression system, etc. Obviously, this could have been done many days earlier, but it was not…why? If one generator could be flown out, while not a couple to get the waste/water systems running?

[Aquahound]

Which I first saw via a posted picture of the drop-off at another site, I'm not buying all about the fire suppression system, etc. Obviously, this could have been done many days earlier, but it was not…why? If one generator could be flown out, while not a couple to get the waste/water systems running?

 

There's a big difference between the generator flown out to the ship and the generators that power the ship. Also, distance is a big factor, which is why it didn't happen earlier.

[bunnyman]

There's a big difference between the generator flown out to the ship and the generators that power the ship. Also, distance is a big factor, which is why it didn't happen earlier.

 

I agree with your comment completely, however, my original post said regarding generators the following: "I understand that they have limited capabilities already, but wouldn’t it make sense to have more robust capabilities to power the water, waste systems, some elevators, food storage/prep, etc?" No one could expect them to be able to have back-ups to power the ship, but what I can't understand is why they can't have in place (or deliver as was evidenced here way too late in the process) the means to provide back-ups for food and sanitation?