Design improvement of a viscous-spring damper for controlling torsional vibration in a propulsion shafting system with an engine acceleration problem

Abstract

In order to cope with strengthened marine environmental regulations and to reduce fuel consumption, recently constructed vessels are equipped with an ultra-long stroke engine and apply engine de-rating technology. This was intended to improve propulsion efficiency by adopting a larger diameter propeller turning at a lower speed but also results in a significant increase in the torsional exciting force. Therefore, it is very difficult to control the torsional vibration of its shaft system by adopting a damper, for ships equipped with fuel-efficient ultra-long-stroke engines, even though previously, torsional vibration could be controlled adequately by applying tuning and turning wheels on the engine. In this paper, the vibration characteristics of an ultra-long-stroke engine using the de-rating technology are reviewed and dynamic characteristics of a viscous-spring damper used to control the torsional vibration of its shaft system are also examined. In case of ships have recently experienced an engine acceleration problem in the critical zone, it is proposed that the proper measures for controlling torsional vibration in the propulsion shafting system should include adjusting the design parameters of its damper instead of using the optimum damper designed from theory in order to prevent fatigue fracture of shafts.