Engine Balancing

Overview
Engine balancing is one of the important aspects for
smooth
operation of diesel engine.
Balancing helps in reducing engine vibration to an
acceptable
limit.
Unbalanced engine is liable to excite severe vibration and
cause damage to engine components and ship structure.

Learning Objectives

Meaning of Balancing

Static Balancing

Dynamic Balancing

Partial Balancing of Engine

Complete Balancing of Engine

Introduction
Engine Balancing

Balancing of Gas Pressure

Balancing of Moving Parts

Balancing of Moving
Parts
Force & moment Balancing
Static Balancing
Dynamic Balancing

Static Balance
When a shaft carries a number of eccentric
masses
and if the sum of the moments of all the masses
about the axis of rotation is equal to Zero for all
angular positions,
the shaft assembly is said to be in Static
Balance

Static Balance
Any multi cylinder crankshaft will be statically balanced, when the cranks are equally spread
through out the cycle.

If it is out of balance statically, it will have its centre of gravity off the polar axis.
The crank spread is determined from the standard formula:
number of degrees in cycle
Crank spread =
number of cylinders

Hence, a 6 Cyl 2-stroke engine has a crank spread of 360 60 o

6
1

5
3

2
5

The closed polygon

indicates static balance

Dynamic Balance
Any multi-cylinder crankshaft that is statically
balanced may generate an out-of-balance couple or
moment when rotating, causing dynamic imbalance.

To achieve dynamic balance, balance weights may

be added to eliminate the out-of-balance couple

Dynamic Balancing

Dynamic balancing is a way of controlling vibrations by

arranging the overall summation of out-of balance forces
and
couples cancels out or reduced to more acceptable value

There are two groups of forces and couples - related to:

revolving mass
reciprocating mass

Rotating mass balance is quite easily obtained by choice of

crank sequence and balance weight

Reciprocating mass balance is more complicated.

Disturbing Forces in
Engine

Inertia force due to reciprocating motion

Reciprocating motion of piston creates out-of-balance forces
acting
along the cylinder

Inertia force due to rotating motion

Centrifugal force of the crankpin rotating about the main bearing
centre creates a rotating out of balance force

These forces create objectionable vibration and

noise in
engine foundation and to the ship structure

Inertia Force Revolving Mass

Inertia force of rotating mass,
F = Mrot x f = Mrot x 2 r
This force acting on the crankpin will act
radially outwards at all times and has two
components:
Vertical component

= Mrot x 2 r cos

Horizontal component = Mrot x 2 r sin

These components are first order force
and will act at a frequency of engine RPM

Inertia Force Reciprocating Mass

Inertia force of reciprocating mass,
F = Mrec x f
Piston acceleration, f = 2 r (cos + cos 2)
n
The inertia force is split up into:
Primary disturbing or 1st order force,
Fp = Mrec x 2 r cos
Secondary disturbing or 2nd order force,
Fs = Mrecx 2 r cosn 2
F = F p + Fs

n
First order & Second order forces are
generated by acceleration of reciprocating
masses of the running gears.

Free
Moments
From
Engine

Controlling of First Order

Moment
First order moments, arising out of primary
disturbing
forces, act in both the vertical and horizontal
directions.

First order moment is controlled in the following way

Standard
Counterweights / Balance weights

Option
1st order moment compensator

Counterweight / Balance weight

Its an integral part of crank web or separate piece

bolted to the web

Counter-balances out of balance forces / moments

Prevents vibration

Causes smooth running

Reduces load on main bearing

Balancing
Primary Inertia
force
by
Balance Weight

Partial Balance of Primary Reciprocating Force

by Revolving Counterweight

Primary Force Balancer

The primary reciprocating

force cannot be balanced
by a single counter weight

It is possible to balance by
two such weights rotating
in opposite directions

Secondary Force Balancer

Secondary reciprocating forces
can only be precisely balanced
by two counter weights rotating
in opposite directions at twice
the crankshaft speed.
Secondary force is much smaller
in magnitude than primary and
proportional to crank throw
con-rod length ratio (1/n)

Second Order Moment Compensator

This eliminates the out-of-balance second order moment

The forces from the unbalanced reciprocating masses are

the only forces that generate second order moments.

These forces act only in the vertical direction

The Lanchester balancer is a second order moment

compensator and it consists of two counter rotating
masses running at twice engine RPM

These counter rotating masses can be fitted at

the aft end of the engine, driven by the camshaft chain

the forward end of the engine, driven by auxiliary chain

both ends of the engine driven by gears

MAN B&W
Second
Order
Moment
Compensator

Action of fitting Lanchester secondary

balancer
to both ends of engine, where engine is
installed at a node of hull vibration

Single Lanchester secondary balancer

fitted at one end of engine,
when node of hull vibration is near
the other end of the engine

Electrical
Balancer

Combined Balancer arrangement for Sul

RTA-series low speed engines to counter

both first and second order free couples

1.

Define the terms static balance and "dynamic balance.

2.

List the forces and moments which may come about in a vertical
multi cylinder engine.

3.

Explain how the reciprocating motion of the piston and the

revolving motion of the crank effect the balancing of a diesel
engine.

4.

Explain how the effect due to out of balance forces is controlled

within acceptable limit.

5.

State what do you understand by primary and secondary

disturbing forces.

6.

Explain how the primary and secondary forces are balanced in a

multi-cylinder engine.

7.

Explain what do you understand by the statement : an engine

is in good balance .