🔍 Key Concepts

• Axial vs radial forces acting on turbine rotors • The function of a thrust bearing in a main propulsion shafting system • How turbine rotor movement is limited and transmitted to the hull/ship’s structure

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: does a thrust bearing deal mainly with forces along the shaft (end-to-end) or sideways to the shaft? Match that to the choices. • Consider what would happen to the turbine rotor if there were no thrust bearing when ahead or astern power is applied. • Which component in a turbine system is responsible for actually taking the propeller’s push/pull and passing it to the ship’s structure?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which options refer to axial (along the shaft) versus radial (around/sideways to the shaft) functions. • Recall that thrust in marine propulsion is created along the shaft axis by the propeller and turbines. • Verify which component is normally associated with maintaining radial clearances (hint: that’s usually another type of bearing).