Diagnostic aspects of a crankshaft torsional oscillations monitoring by IAS measurement

Continuous monitoring of diesel engine performance under its operating is critical for prediction of malfunction development and subsequently functional failure detection. Analysis of Instantaneous Angular Speed (IAS) of the crankshaft is considered as one of non-intrusive and effective method of detection of combustion quality deterioration. The article contains presentation of attempt of monitoring of piston engine’s crankshaft torsional vibrations by measurement of Instantaneous Angular Speed at free, and power output ends of the engine’s crankshaft. The angular speed measurements was done using two optical sensors for reading the IAS, mounted at shaft line’s opposite ends, one at free end of the crankshaft and second at end of generator’s shaft. In the article is presented description of the measurement system and explanation of its mode of work. Experiments were based at two kinds of malfunction possible to be simulated at test bed. First one was simulation of a leak of fuel injection pump, the second one relayed on mounting of sets of injection valves with different nozzles characteristics (spraying nozzle angle), giving different parameters of fuel injection. Presented results of experiment derives from test cycle carried out using laboratory stand of Gdynia Maritime University equipped with 3- cylinder self − ignition engine, powering electric generator.