Spring dampers of torsional vibrations in modern marine diesel engines: advantages and disadvantages

The article presents analysis of the advantages and disadvantages in assembling the spring dampers of torsional vibrations in modern marine diesel engines. There are considered the urgent problems of using spring dampers in the marine propulsion systems: lack of the systematized scientific data about the spring damper design, statistics of their prevalence in the marine diesel engines, analysis of breakdowns. It has been stated that today there is no methodology for assessing the technical condition of spring dampers, except for the methods recommended by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping in relation to the silicone dampers. Disassembly diagnostics of the technical condition of spring dampers is extremely difficult and costly for a shipowner. Most of the vessels that are currently being operated in Russia are found obsolete, and there has started a gradual process of modernization and replacement of morally and physically obsolete main engines G60,G70 (6CPH 36/45), SKL NVD, 6ChH18/22, 3D6 (6ChH 15/18) etc. by new foreign diesel engines manufactured by Wartsila (Finland), Caterpillar (USA), Volvo - Penta (Sweden), Scania (Sweden), Henan Diesel Engine Industry Co., Ltd (China) etc., which have new dampers of such companies as Geislinger (Germany), Hasse & Wrede (Germany), STE - Schwingungstechnik (Germany), Holset (England), Caterpillar (USA) etc. Diagnostics of dampers of modern diesel engines is a new direction for the domestic marine industry; it requires a revision of both the technological processes of working with such equipment and training the qualified specialists. The study of the structural and operational features of spring dampers of modern diesel engines will allow to accumulate the necessary amount of scientific and technical information to create in Russia the foundations of production of efficient structures and the development of engine building in general.