Improving the mathematical model of a fiber-optic inclinometer for vibration diagnostics of elements in the propulsion system with sliding bearings

Abstract

The operational capacity of a vessel’s propulsion system (VPS) has an exceptionally large impact on the safety of the ship and shipping as a whole. This requires constant long-term technical diagnostics of VPS elements in order to determine their real resource. First of all, this refers to the bearing units of VPS. The practical use of the concept of continuous diagnostics requires the introduction of the latest means of monitoring the technical condition of VPS, which can significantly increase the reliability of the measurement results. That is why solving the scientific problem of creating diagnostic tools invariant to operating conditions and adapted for continuous, long-term, and reliable monitoring, namely fiber-optic inclinometers (FOI), is relevant. In order to solve the problem, the object of research has been determined – fiber-optic measuring devices for monitoring changes in the geometric position or damping conditions of oscillations in bearing units of VPS elements. The task to improve fiber-optic means was to increase the accuracy of measurement results. The results are in the form of an improved mathematical model of FOI. The difference of the model is the calculation of actual properties of each material layer of the multilayer structure of real fiber-optic waveguides. A distinctive feature of the proposed solution is that the description of the optical-mechanical process in FOI using an improved mathematical model is more accurate and closer to the parameters of the actual process, which are determined experimentally. The results of the research belong to the field of systems and means of technical diagnosis of VPS elements and can be applied primarily on ships, submarines, and vessels of large displacement