Zhuang Jianye’s words are not exaggerated at all.

Take the brothers of the USS Varyag aircraft carrier, which is now being modified in a large shipyard in the north, and the Russian Navy's USS Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, as an example. It has a displacement of 60,000 tons, a four-axis propulsion system, equipped with 8 high-pressure boilers, and promotes the drive of four steam turbines.

The total power is 134 megawatts, equivalent to 180,000 horsepower.

It can promote the Kuznetsov aircraft carrier with a 30-kit aircraft carrier and a range of 8,500 nautical miles in 18 knots.

The performance of the "Varyag" aircraft carrier is quite different from the "Kuznetsov". At most, the quality of the high-pressure boiler is better, but overall it can only maintain a power output of about 200,000 horsepower, and ensure that the aircraft carrier has a maximum speed of 32 knots.

However, the proportion of huge high-pressure boilers and steam turbines has not changed; the high fuel consumption and low efficiency of this traditional power have not improved.

It would be a completely different situation if you use a D-71M gas turbine.

The maximum output of a single unit is 35 megawatts, equivalent to 46,935 horsepower, and the parallel connection of four units is 140 megawatts, equivalent to 187,000 horsepower.

Although the powertrain composed of the new domestic high-pressure boiler and steam turbine used by the modified "Varyag" aircraft carrier is slightly worse than the 200,000 horsepower.

But it is stronger than the 134 megawatts of the Russian Navy's USS Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its 180,000 horsepower power.

At least, it is no problem to maintain a speed of 30 knots for such a big guy with a displacement of 60,000 tons.

However, the most important thing is not the issue of speed and power, but the issue of space share and usage efficiency.

The total weight of a single D-71M gas turbine is only 27 tons, and the four units are only 108 tons together, which is less than half the weight of the power combination of the high-pressure boiler and steam turbine used on the "Varyag". As for the space utilization, it goes without saying, it is compact and exquisite.

The space and weight saved, whether it is to increase the number of carrier-based aircraft or to equip more fuel and ammunition, is the most direct improvement of aircraft carrier combat effectiveness.

What's more, the fuel economy and flexibility of gas turbines are much stronger than that of steam turbines. At least when starting, there will be no long preheating of the steam turbine, so that after the aircraft carrier arrives, at least four boilers cannot be turned off to maintain the aircraft carrier's combat capability to quickly start the departure port.

This is equivalent to burning money every day for no reason.

The gas turbine is different. It starts very fast and does not need to maintain operation when you are in the port and can be completely shut down. This is also very friendly to the daily maintenance and cost maintenance of the ship. At least you don’t have to do anything, and the funds flow with the fuel.

Of course, to achieve this effect, the power of the gas turbine must be increased, at least 30 megawatts to barely meet the threshold of aircraft carrier drive.

If you have a 20 MW level, don’t even think about it. After all, an aircraft carrier has a speed of less than 25 knots, so it is not an aircraft carrier, but a real and live target wandering on the sea.

Fortunately, China's take-off D-71M gas turbine has reached the level of 30 megawatts. Because of this, the executive deputy team leader can no longer be described as happy, but is completely excited.

Originally, even the power of mass-produced destroyers was so worried that they lost their hair. Now, the power units on the aircraft carrier have fallen out again.

The sudden sense of happiness made the executive deputy team leader faint.

Of course, although the executive deputy team leader was excited, he was also very clear that although the D-71M gas turbine as an aircraft carrier is not a problem in theory, it requires a series of adjustments and running-in to achieve it.

After all, the power of an aircraft carrier is very complex, and coupled with the update and iteration of supporting equipment, the demand for power is very different from the past.

Although domestic steam turbines are behind, they are not a problem for driving large aircraft carriers. In addition, the technology is mature and the manufacturing cost is also advantageous, which is enough for a modified aircraft carrier.

But for the next generation of large aircraft carriers that are ready to use DC motor-pushing and electromagnetic catapults, this powertrain achievement is somewhat unsatisfactory.

It was very clear to this that the executive deputy team leader who once served as the leader of the Navy's equipment department that the Navy's plan for the new generation of aircraft carriers was to use nuclear power, and it was directly in place.

However, this plan is very controversial within the Navy.

The main reason is that the technical requirements for nuclear power are too great and there is no relevant experience in China. If it becomes one step, there is nothing to say. If it gets involved in a sudden, it will be more than worth the loss.

Just like the French "Charles de Gaulle" aircraft carrier, it is called the world's second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, but it uses a reactor on a nuclear submarine, so the speed of the "Charles de Gaulle" is only a pitiful 25 knots. It is a little faster, either the nuclear reactor shell is cracked or the powertrain is directly trapped.

Anyway, I'll just show you my death.

As a result, the world's second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier can only use 25 knots. This speed that cannot even be blown by the deck wind demonstrates France's slow and fast vigor.

It made the men in Paris feel silent, and the women cry when they hear it!

Because of this, many knowledgeable navy people hope to have a transition between the steam turbine and the nuclear power, so as to drive the integrated power system and drive the aircraft carrier at a high speed, while also providing sufficient electrical energy to the electromagnetic catapult device.

However, when the discussion was held, there was not even a decent high-power gas turbine in China, so the transitional theory seemed reasonable, but it was not practical.

So the issue of power of the next-generation aircraft carrier has been debated since the return of the "Varyag" to the present.

The executive deputy team leader is a typical backbone of the aircraft carrier power transition faction. According to his understanding, the most important thing about a large offensive weapon platform such as an aircraft carrier is the stability of the platform. If something goes wrong every few days, it is not good equipment, but hard work.

Therefore, he felt that he should give the nuclear industry more time to mature the nuclear power, and even learn from Russia, use one or two types of nuclear-powered icebreakers to put the ship into use with nuclear power, and accumulate enough experience, and it is not too late to board the ship.

However, there was no suitable transition model between the steam turbine and the nuclear power at that time, and even if the executive deputy team leader's opinion was pertinent, it would not be feasible to implement it.

But now, China's take-off D-71M gas turbine has filled the gap between the steam turbine and nuclear power well, giving the executive deputy team leader a hope for transitional power of a large aircraft carrier!

Because of this, the executive deputy team leader was bluntly speaking to Zhuang Jianye and asked directly: "Mr. Zhuang, does your D-71M gas turbine still have room to increase its power? It would be even better if it could reach the level of 40 megawatts. You should know that some large surface ships with a displacement of about 80,000 tons have very high power requirements, especially the new integrated power push system. At this stage, the D-71M gas turbine can only barely meet the passing line!"
Chapter completed!