Random Brittania Electricity Question

[wowzz]

On another forum, a poster has stated that Britannia can produce enough electricity to power the whole of Southampton. 

I'm a dunderhead on things like this, but it seems a pretty far fetched claim. 

Any experts out there that can shed some light on the matter.

[Harry Peterson]

That's a fascinating question, wowzz (well it is to a saddo like me with a love of statistics!).

 

I does seem very far fetched at first glance, and I'm no expert on ships or the way they're powered, but there may be some grain of truth in it on this basis:

 

Southampton electricity consumption 2015:  (https://liveablecities.org.uk/sites/default/files/outcome_downloads/littlebookofenergyandthecity.pdf)

 

Industrial/Commercial:        553GWh
Domestic:                               398GWh

 

Britannia (https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/britannia-cruise-ship/)

 

"The engines have a total power capacity of 62,400kW and allow the ship to cruise at a speed of 22k."

 

62400kW  =  .0624 GW

 

Convert to theoretical GWh by assuming 365 days/24 hours, so:  .0624 x 365 x 24 = 547GWh

 

That calculation assumes 365/24 running of the engines, and it also assumes that there are no other generation sources beyond the engines.  The first is plainly impossible, though they could run for some time.  The second?  I have no idea.

 

But it could, if the calculations are correct, cover the domestic consumption.

 

Caveat:

 

1  I am no mathematician.

2  I know nothing about energy consumption.

3  I know nothing about ships' power output sources.

4  Someone else is more than welcome to pull these figures apart - it was just a little exercise and it may be completely wrong in every respect!

 

[wowzz]

Harry - thanks for taking the time to do the calculations. Looks like the guy on the other forum could be right.

[Harry Peterson]

23 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Harry - thanks for taking the time to do the calculations. Looks like the guy on the other forum could be right.

Not at all. I was curious too. Just the sort of point that gets analysed on Radio 4's 'More or Less' every week.

 

Seemed extraordinarily unlikely but maybe sort of possible. 

 

My calculations may be completely wrong though in every respect!

[Pennbank]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton_District_Energy_Scheme

 

Southampton also has its own District energy scheme, which also supplies Carnival House and West Quay Shopping Centre and the Council Offices and more.

[InVelvetSlumber]

On 5/4/2020 at 7:48 PM, Harry Peterson said:

That calculation assumes 365/24 running of the engines, and it also assumes that there are no other generation sources beyond the engines.  The first is plainly impossible, though they could run for some time

 

Out of the 5 engines, I would have thought there would be least one running at all times, with more added when needed for speed etc. But I imagine it's rare to have all 5 going at once, so Britannia wouldn't consume as much as the domestic consumption.

Edited May 6, 2020 by InVelvetSlumber
spelling

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, InVelvetSlumber said:

 

Out of the 5 engines, I would have thought there would be least one running at all times, with more added when needed for speed etc. But I imagine it's rare to have all 5 going at once, so Britannia wouldn't consume as much as the domestic consumption.

No, but if Britannia ran all 5 engines at once, whilst in port, could she generate enough electricity for Southampton?