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Marine Engineering Northrop Grumman Readies New Gas Turbine For Market As the use of gas turbines as main ship's propulsion power continues to grow in popularity, particularly in the niche vessel segments of cruise shipping and rapid transport, Northrop Grumman recently announced that its WR-21 Intercooled Recuperated (ICR) advanced- cycle gas turbine ship propulsion engine has begun final development tests for the market which has most widely used the product in ship propulsion applications — naval. The engine, which is being developed for naval war- ship applications through a team led by Northrop Grumman, is being put through its final paces at a naval facility in Philadelphia. England's Rolls-Royce is designing and developing the gas generator and power turbines, while AlliedSignal's Aerospace Sys- tems & Equipment Group in Los Angeles is providing the Intercooler and Recuperator Heat-Exchanger Cores. The WR-21 is touted particularly for its fuel efficien- cy, as it will reportedly reduce both operation and sup- port costs significantly while keeping the naval ships it serves battle ready. To date, it is a candidate for the U.S. Navy's DD-21 program and for European advanced combatants. "In initial tests, the WR-21 has already demonstrated a 25 percent annual propulsion fuel savings, compared to the existing gas turbine engines on a typical Navy destroyer," said Jim Hupton, vice president, Northrop Grumman Marine Systems. "The WR-21 is now pre- dicted to deliver a 27 percent propulsion fuel savings in its initial mechanical drive production configuration. An additional benefit from the newly developed gas turbine is a lower exhaust temperature, which can help to reduce the infrared signature of the vessel. Also, the system is designed to reduce airborne noise by 70 per- cent over current marine gas turbine models. The WR- 21 is designed with ease of maintenance in mind, as well, and individual modules of the unit can be removed and replaced aboard the ship. Circle 60 on Reader Service Card %fiefrUnu££yJ(dBn HEAD OFFICE: MARINA TOWERS, 204, NEWTOWN BARRACKS BELIZE CITY, BELIZE - CENTRAL AMERICA Tel: 501-2-35031 / 35047 - Fax: 501-2-35048 / 35070 immarbe@btl.net DESIGNATED OFFICES: PANAMA TOKYO KOBE SINGAPORE ZURICH NEW YORK ROTTERDAM HOUSTON PUSAN, KOREA CONSTANZA MALMOE, SWEDEN LUXEMBOURG BANIAS, SYRIA CAIRO, EGYPT ISTANBUL LAS PALMAS,CANARY Is. ARGENTINA ECUADOR HONG KONG YOKOHAMA PIREAUS LONDON GENEVA MANILA MADRID BANGKOK KARACHI LIMASSOL TAIPEI, TAIWAN ANTWERP SHANGHAI, P.R.C. NEW DELHI, INDIA VALLETA, MALTA MOMBASA, KENYA URUGUAY ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA KX( KU.r.M K ISOl KSTANDAIil) IN Sill IN UVAl ISTKATIOX • Dependable common law sys|em • Fast and efficient ship registration and related services • International conventions requirements • Bareboat Charter registration (Charter in — ( barter out) • Special registration lor deli very or scrap purpose • I lettable system lor recordation of ownership titles, morti>aj4es and Iiens • Competitive fees and taxes IXTUn\ATIO\AL MKIM'IIANT MAMNE mwisTnv or nruzr 'I .M M A III',I f CCOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS >rized by IMMARBE to perform statutory certification) American Bureau of Shipping Belize Maritime Bureau Bureau Veritas China Corporation Register Det Norske Veritas Hellenic Register of Shipping Inspeccion y Clasiflcacion Maritima Lloyd's Register of Shipping Panama Maritime Documentation Serv. Polski Rejestr Statkow Registro Italiano Navale Registro Cubano de Buques Associated Consultants Bureau Belize Register Corporation China Classification Society Class NK Germanischer Lloyd Korean Register of Shipping Isthmus Bureau of Shipping Panama Bureau of Shipping Panama Shipping Registrar R. J. Del Pan & Co., Inc. Registro Internacional Naval Maritime Register of Shipping Ferriby Marine - Authorized for ISM certification 28 Circle 235 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
