Active vibration reduction of ship propulsion systems

Demands on the development of ship propulsion systems are an increase of efficiency and its vibro-acoustic behavior. The paper gives an overview of the development methodology of active measures to reduce torsional and translational vibration of a ship propulsion system. Based on experimental investigation of a ship, a numerical model of the propulsion system is setup and updated by experimental results. The simulation model includes the rotational and translational vibration behavior. The model structure follows an admittance impedance description that is most suitable for the design of active vibration control systems. Different concepts for reducing vibration are evaluated and numerically compared. The realized systems are characterized in a propulsion system testing environment, and eventually implemented in the real ship. Examples of realized measures such as an inertial mass actuator and an energy-harvesting absorber are presented.