IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE CYLINDER-PISTON GROUP LUBRICATION SYSTEM OF MARINE ENGINES WHEN USING OILS WITH LOW ALKALINITY CONTENT
Keywords:
lubrication system, cylinder oil, low alkalinity, Alpha Lubricator, adaptive control, system resilience, predictive control, marine engines, automationAbstract
The article addresses a pressing scientific and technical problem of improving the efficiency and reliability of automatic control systems for cylinder oil injection in low-speed marine diesel engines when operating with lubricants of low alkalinity. An analysis of the operation of existing pulse lubrication systems, in particular the Alpha Lubricator manufactured by MAN Energy Solutions, revealed a number of critical issues when using low-alkaline oils. These include: increased failure rates of inductive feedback sensors, insufficient resilience of the control system in the event of component malfunctions, and difficulties in forming a stable lubricating film due to reduced oil viscosity at the operating temperatures of the cylinder liner. All these factors lead to higher risks of emergency modes, reduced service life of the cylinder–piston assembly, and decreased overall availability of the ship’s power plant. The aim of the study is the development and experimental validation of an adaptive automatic control system for cylinder oil injection, implementing two operating modes and a predictive control algorithm. A method of adaptive control with automatic switching between modes depending on operating conditions and dynamic correction of cylinder liner cooling temperature is proposed. To ensure continuous system operation, a redundancy algorithm based on statistical analysis of previous operating cycles has been developed, enabling oil dosing accuracy within ±8% even in the event of inductive sensor failures. Experimental verification confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed system. The technical solution ensures increased reliability and resilience of the lubrication system, reduction of operational risks, and extension of the service life of the cylinder–piston assembly of low-speed marine engines. The obtained results have practical significance for the modernization of ship power plants in the context of the global transition to environmentally friendly fuels and contribute to enhancing the safety and cost-effectiveness of maritime transport.
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