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VOL. 10, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Calculation method and performance optimisation of a Silicone Oil Damper for a high‑power Diesel Engine Shaft System
Authors
Md Mehedy Hasan Tanvir, Zhongxu Tian
Abstract
The torsional vibration of crankshaft
continues to be a significant hindrance to enhancing the reliability of
high-powered diesel engines. The common practice to suppress crankshaft
vibration in high powered diesel engines is through the use of silicone oil
dampers. However, there is currently a large gap in the understanding of the
synergy from the coupling of the non-Newtonian fluid behaviour, thermal
dissipation, and structural dynamics of the engines during extreme operational
loads. Because of the high degree of variability of environments in which
marine vessels operate, it is essential to develop simulation models that are
not only representative of the real world, but also account for the dynamic
response of dampers to varying loads. Most traditional approaches ignore the
effect of “viscosity fade” (or viscosity return) due to thermal and viscosity
decay, which occurs as silicone is forced through a small orifice. To fill this
gap in knowledge, this study proposes a methodology for the development of a
fourteen mass, lumped parameter model of a Ruby 7.0 diesel engine (an inline
six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine) using a bidirectionally-coupled
Multiphysics framework. The methodology combines Computational Fluid Dynamics
and Multibody Dynamics for the simulation of the complex interactions between
silicone oil shear and crankshaft motions and was validated against bench tests
with an error of less than 5% between the actual and predicted data. Systematic
single-factor analyses (SFA) and locally orthogonal (L18) analyses were used to
quantify the effects of viscosity, inertia, and stiffness on the damping
performance of silicone oil dampers. The study found that the optimal parameter
combinations (viscosity: 1500-1800 mm²/s; inertia: 0.7-0.9 kg·m²) reduced the
amplitude of the torsional vibrations by more than 38% in the speed range
between 600-2300 rpm. Furthermore, this optimized SOD-R70-6C damper, when
tested for a 1000-hour period at 56P and with a temperature increase of less
than 33.6°C, met the 42CrMo fatigue strength requirements (i.e., with a safety
factor greater than 3.0). This design has provided both a validated
computational methodology and a reliable engineering reference for the control
of HPD engine shafting vibration.
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Pages:87-96
How to cite this article:
Md Mehedy Hasan Tanvir, Zhongxu Tian "Calculation method and performance optimisation of a Silicone Oil Damper for a high‑power Diesel Engine Shaft System". International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology, Vol 10, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 87-96
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