Analyzing operability of silicone dampers of torsional vibrations in marine internal combustion engines based on results of Testing Center Marine Technology Service

The article presents the analysis results of changes in the operability of silicone dampers of torsional vibrations of marine diesel engines on the basis of practical measurements carried out by the Testing Center Marine Technology Service under the Astrakhan State Technical University (TC MTS). TC MTS is accredited by the Russian classification society - the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) in the field of calculation and measurement of torsional vibrations. During its functioning (2001 – to date) the TC MTS has conducted torsiographing procedures of the machine-propulsion systems (MPS) of more than 200 vessels. The large amount of data obtained makes it possible to assess the dynamics of changes in the parameters of torsional vibrations, including amplitude and frequency, according to the results of periodic torsiographing the ship MPS. A change in the technical condition of the torsional vibration damper (a decrease in the efficiency of its operation) and the lack of its constant monitoring lead to the increasing stresses in the ship shaft line and, as a result, to a growing risk of its breakdown, which confirms the urgency of the study. There are given the images as real examples of ship operation failure: Aratere ship shaft fracture, damper mass wedging due to silicone fluid leakage, silicone fluid viscosity increasing to suspension state due to wear products, wear of silicone damper flyweight surfaces, silicone damper body wear. The Hasse & Wrede damper cap fastening with bolts is illustrated.