How do you turn on an aircraft carrier?

Question

There can't just be a key you turn to turn on the engines. Who would keep them? its so giant, is there just some big circuit that someone flips to turn on the power, and then the engines are automatically turned on?

Answer 1

The nuclear power plant is running all the time. Other systems control the heating of water to make steam and the use of that steam to turn the props.

Answer 2

you talk dirty to it?

Answer 3

The ships key is usually kept in the engine room.   Its usually 8-10 feet long and weighs  too much.   On my first job I was told to bring the ships key to the chiefs office.   Wasn't he pissed when I actually did!

Answer 4

You just push the start button, silly......

Answer 5

A whole long check list that I couldn't even start to name because it a huge job to do.

Answer 6

you should see the size of the key dude... you need a flat bed to carry it around..

Answer 7

Most large vessels are actually powered by steam, usually steam turbines.

The means of raising that steam may vary, in a modern aircraft carrier it would be produced by a nuclear reactor.

So, it's not just a question of "turning it on"....  starting up a nuclear reactor is a long and complex process, and once it's running, it's kept running for several years...  though it can be closed down to an "idle" state. Usually, though, it's occupied in providing electrical power for the ship, via yet another steam turbine.

"Starting the engines", though, requires directing steam to the propulsion turbines, balancing the reactor output against the load, and controlling the propulsion output in response to command from the bridge.

It's not quite as simple as just flipping a switch, turning a key, or even shouting "all ahead full! " down one of those fine old brass voice-pipes... it involves quite a large team of very carefully trained technicians, each doing a different job.

Answer 8

The last one I served on had a jammed start button so we had to push start it (tip: it's easier downhill).

Answer 9

They use steam turbines.  Older ones used oil as fuel, but over the years they've been replaced with nuclear power ships.  The only thing really different about them is the method they use to boil the water for the turbines.

Answer 10

on/off switch

Answer 11

modern aircraft carriers are nuclear powered. The propeller shafts are driven by steam turbines. To engage the propellers, the rods Inside the nuclear reactors, are raised out of their protective sleeves and exposed to water, the super hot rods cause the water to turn into steam which turns the turbines which turn the propeller shafts. SO, to answer your question, they use an electrical circuit to computers, to raise or lower the rods to the correct height to produce the proper amount of steam to create the speed they need. In an emergency of course, the rods can be raised or lowered by manual cranking.