Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris W.
The propeller shaft on a ship with a 6700 HP engine will be something like 12" diameter or more, can you imagine the weight and bearing(s) issues with a 12" metal shaft 100 meters long in a vertical position? Carbon fiber shafts would be possible, I suppose, but the cost is probably prohibitive.
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Exactly. It's certainly possible to support a 12" shaft for that distance, but the cost is significantly more than just putting the generator at the top of the tower.
Although the shaft is heavy, the weight of the generator at the very top of the tower probably requires a similar structure to support it.
Additionally, there is lost energy in operating the gear train down to the generator.