Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Great question, Supton, I honestly don't know. I do know that the shaft is the limiting factor. The reactor can make far more steam, and the turbines more torque, than the shafts can handle.
The top speed is limited by that torque.
Though, I have to say, I've seen phenomenal acceleration from a Nimitz-class carrier when a simulated torpedo attack took place directly astern during training. The speed difference alone (from before the flare in the wake simulating the attack to final speed) was greater than the top speed to which the Navy admits.
We added nearly 30 knots to our speed in just a few minutes. The prop wash coming from the stern was amazing as well...a huge swell of whitewater. You could feel vibration from the ship itself, which I'm told comes from cavitation of the props. Just think about the torque needed to make props that size cavitate...
My dad was on a boomer and he said at least in the sub world cavitation is what limits your speed.
They spent a lot of time tuning their prop.
On a surface ship it doesn't really matter, everyone already can see/hear you.
Cavitation (and the ensuing vibration) breaks parts. Old liners would, at full power, actually move up & down 3-4" at the stern from it. And this is a 30,000+ ton liner! It chewed up propellers, and could damage shaft bearings.