Atavus
Introduction
The Atavus is an airship of the Anser class, build by the Areal Steam Carriage company. The Anser class airships are designed for long distance cruising, and carry both cargo and passengers.
Power generation
The Atavus is a second generation Anser class, and therefore it carries six coal fired single furnace boilers. The boilers are positioned in three boiler rooms located forward, midships, and aft. With coal bunkers placed to the side of them. The boilers produce super-heated steam at a pressure of 23 at, at a combined maximum rate of 42 standard pounds of steam per minute.
The funnels of the boilers combine in a single smoke stack from each boiler room. The smoke stacks pass up through the balloon and extend about three meters above the balloon. This serves a dual purpose of expending the smoke far from the airship's hull, away from passengers and crew, and the radiant heat of the rising smoke helps heat up the gasses in the balloon, increasing the lifting capacity.
The Anser class is equipped with two vacuum condensers, placed in the hull aft of the middle boiler room. They condensate the used steam back to liquid water. The condensers draw air through them for cooling by natural ventilation. Openings in the bottom of the hull allow air in, this opening is angled in such a way that the forward motion of the ship helps push air trough, and an opening on deck lets the now warm air out.
Propulsion
Lift
Lift is generated by the rigid balloon suspended above the balloon, it is filled with a lighter than air gas. And in addition, this gas is heated, partly by radiant heat from the smokestacks. But primarily by the steam coils placed inside the balloon. These coils are supplied with steam from the boilers. And throttling valves are used to control the temperature of the gas in the balloon.
Forward motion
Forward motion is achieved with the wings. Over the length of 100 paces, on each side of the hull, 24 moveable arms stick out. A fabric is stretched in between these arms. The arms are moved up and down. With the arm directly aft of another being just a bit later in the motion. Creating a waving effect, pushing air backwards and moving the airship forwards.
The stroke, distance the arm moves up and down, as well as the speed of the arms can be controlled. On this ship, designed for long voyages, the wings cannot move independable of each other. Some smaller ships can, making them more manoeuvrable.
Engines
The wings are driven by two triple expansion steam engines, made by the Engine building Guild, one placed forward, the other aft. The engines are placed transversely and directly drive both shafts that operate the wings. When cruising, the Atavus can close the steam to either one of the engines and skysail on one.
Steering
Steering is done by the air rudder on the aft of the balloon. The rudder is moved to port or starboard by means of a steam powered steering gear. On the aft of the main deck of the hull, long linkage arms connect the steering gear with the actual rudder.
Trim
Angling the ship in its longitudinal plane. i.e. pushing the bow done or up. Is done by moving water around in the hull of the ship with pumps. The feed water for the boilers is used for this purpose.
Accomodation
Crew
The Aviators live in the bow of the airship, right below the steering deck. The engineers live just aft of that in front of the forward boiler room. The sailors and stokers live in the stern.
Passengers
The Atavus is layed out to carry passengers. Their accomodations are spread over the three decks the hull is deep, around the center of the airship. Starting aft of the forward engine room. With the center boilers in the middle, and stopping before the aft engineroom.
All passenger cabins have windows facing out trough the steel hull. Where from they can see the ground below them and the wings moving above.
In the center deck in the forward passenger compartment the messroom is placed, crossing the whole deck.
The crew and passengers can freely roam the weather deck as they like.
Hull: 20 paces
Maximum beam at wing tips: 66 paces
Hull: 185,6 paces
Fame
The Atavus is famous for it's expeditions to the winter lands, for this she is equiped with larger coal bunkers then regular Anser class airships. And where others have three passenger decks, the Atavus only has two, the bottom deck is converted to storage. in addition the void between the interriour planking and outer steel hull, which is normally empty is packed with insulation material. but by far the biggest difference is that normally the airships from Areal Steam Carriage company are painted morning cloud white, but the Atavus is bright orange.
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