Admiral W L Capps (AP 121) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 25 text:

nperatures mation of ntircly rf- Cfllilmly 0 the fiff' 7333, ,Maw I H.. ,awbm Hvuiil ,aan -B DIVISIDN Burners must be cut in and out and the fuel oil pressure varied .ts the ship changes her speed. The air supply must be adjusted to provide for proper combustion in the furnace, and the supply of water must he regulated to keep the Water in the boilers at a constant level, Since boilers cannot be secured for any length of time while underway, the majority of repair work must be done in port. Valves and piping must be repaired, gages calibrated, soot and scale accumulations removed, etc. In addition to this, the ship must be fueled for the next trip - a tricky operation if it is to be done at top speed and without allowing the oil to over- flow or the ship to take on a list. ln addition to the above, further credit reflects on the men of SMB Division when it is realized that their Work was done in the withering heat of the fireroom where temperatures were seldom less than IOOO F. and reached I2OO F. in hot climates, such as. the Panama Canal Zone. The firemen and watertenders of the ADMIRAL CAPPS, who, with little or no sea experience, stepped aboard a strange ship and operated the boilers throughout the vsar without a single major fireroom casualty, have good reason to be proud of a difficult job well done Check man adjustzn g fcedwatcr supply

Page 24 text:

5-B DIVISION Deep down in the machinery spaces the firemen and water- tenders of 5-B Division stood watch on the four, 600 p. s. i., 8400 boilers. Two watches were stood, one in each machinery space. The watches in each Hreroom consisted of either two or three firemen and a watertender in charge. Theirs was the job of sup- plying steam at the proper pressure and temperature in accord- ance with the varying demands of the turbines, heating systems, and miscellaneous auxiliary equipment. Under steady steam- ing conditions the Hreroom watch maintained constant vigilance over the various gages, indicating the supply of fuel oil, air, and water, and the temperature of this supply. The watertenders work was greatly reduced by the installa- tion of the Hagan Combustion Control board which automati- cally regulated the amount of fuel oil, air and water going into I Changing burner: in thc fire room Oil King fueling ship the boilers. However, due to the extremely high temperatures and pressures employed in boilers and the rapid fluctuation of steam demands, mechanical control could not be entirely re- lied upon and, the watertender on watch had to keep constantly alert to avoid damage to the equipment or injury to the fire- room personnel. The monotony of a fireroorn watch under steady steaming conditions is broken by the changing of burners, shifting of fuel oil strainers, injection of soot reducing chemicals, the addition of boiler water compound, and the blowing of tubes. When the ship is maneuvering, the normal routine of watchful waiting becomes one of quick thinking, tenseness, and rapid action. Burner, 2.2 the Qhgj. to pro 'fzfif of Tffiiffli ffjfsilr time wg: is af 1.. 0 .. SOG? EL the eiii ., f. 1-. r af i E f.,-. ,-,-4 :.,, C,.i L T Ts. T., :SS 1 7 . ', ,c vg-1'---Lv. LAL., fl' .I ,am -A - 4 . . SCCCK fx if as, the Para ADINTYRAL Q aboard a ra war '-fl-'Ii to be lfffffjf, A

Page 26 text:

5-E DIVISICN Operating, maintaining, and repairing electrical equipment, from truck lights to shaft revolution counters in the bilges, was the task of 5-E Division and its electrician's mates. The ship's main propulsion equipment was largely electri- cal, and in addition, there were four auxiliary generators to supply power for auxiliary machinery and lighting. Members of this division learned to operate and stand watch on two, 30 ft. switch- boards. The operation of the generators and switchboards was largely automatic due to voltage regulators on the switchboard and hydraulic governors on the generators. The maintenance work included routine upkeep of two of the largest marine motors in existence--the 9,000 h. p. main propulsion motors. This division was subdivided into three sections-lighting, power and interior communications. The lighting section had, among other duties, the job of keeping over 3,500 lights burning and the maintenance of adequate ventilation throughout the ship. This section also maintained and repaired all deck machinery since 'Q ff S ynelzronizin g generators on the electrical control panel 6,592 l Y Testing equipment in the light shop all cargo Winches and the anchor windlass were electrically driven. Other equipment handled from the light shop included carbon arc searchlights, running lights, signal lights, anchor lights, and storage batteries. The power shop section was responsible for the maintenance of all the various electrical machinery and apparatus in the two 2 f I ba y 4 f Fseff engine rooms of room auxiliaries many electrizaf riffs be kept operatisg fri