Combustion and Resilient Mounting Condition Diagnostics thru Structural Vibration Monitoring of a Diesel Generator Set

Abstract

Diesel engine real time condition can normally be depicted by its operational parameters. Condition management, on the other hand, can keep track of the machines’ status on a long term approach utilizing vibration amplitude and resonance. The mounting support condition along with cylinder combustion pressure excitation influences the diesel engine structural vibration dynamics that may lead to component damage and misalignment. As such, engine mounting condition-based monitoring as a tool can be applied to continuously check on its damping limitations brought by material deterioration. In this paper, a global vibration measurement in accordance  with ISO 13373-1 with the measuring points and direction done in accordance with ISO8528-9 was carried on a large diesel generator set installed in a power plant. The test engine is coupled on a generator and fitted with a torsional damper. Vibration analysis established the occurrence of engine structural vibration phenomena at lower frequency range (<200Hz). It was also confirmed that the actual state of the resilient mount can be verified by the structural vibration natural frequency of the engine.