D2G reactor
The D2G reactor was a naval reactor used by the United States Navy from 1962 to provide propulsion and electricity generation on warships.[1] Ships powered by the reactor were decommissioned at around the end of the 20th century. The D2G designation stands for:
- D = Destroyer platform
- 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor
- G = General Electric was the contracted designer
History
[edit]Two of these nuclear reactors were installed on each of the Bainbridge, Truxtun, California, and Virginia classes of guided missile cruisers. The only nuclear-powered cruiser in the United States Navy not equipped with a D2G reactor was the world's first nuclear cruiser, the USS Long Beach (CGN-9), which used two C1W reactors.[1]
It is known that USS Bainbridge's reactors were refueled three times, and USS Truxtun's were refueled twice.[1]
Operation
[edit]Each D2G reactor was rated for a maximum thermal output of 148 megawatts (198,000 hp), with two steam turbines which drove two shafts, each generating between 30,000 and 35,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 and 26,000 kW).[2][1] Each reactor was 37 feet (11 m) long, 31 feet (9.4 m) wide, and weighed 1,400 tonnes (1,400 long tons; 1,500 short tons). One reactor was located in the aft of the hull, the other in the fore. The reactors of the California class ships were replaced by 165-megawatt (221,000 hp) D2W reactors[clarification needed] in the early 1990s.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Lobner, Peter (December 2015). "60 Years of Marine Nuclear Power: 1955 – 2015, Part 2 - United States" (PDF). Lyceans.org.
- ^ "US Nuclear Propulsion". 18 August 2000.