Keywords: JSC Kolomna Works, crisis control, middle-speed high-powered engines, backwardness in technologies, development of foundry and auxiliary facilities, engineering manpower development.

A review of middle-speed high-powered engines produced by JSC Kolomna Works for railway and marine applications, navy and nuclear power plants: current state and issues. Sustainable development of engine building in Russia calls for elaboration and implementation of state programs targeted at the enhancement of machine tool building industry, foundry facilities and blank production. The urgent measures are proposed, such as state control over private suppliers for strategic sectors and radical improvements in manpower development system, as far as power plant engineering is concerned.

Keywords: Moscow State Bauman Technical University, Reciprocating Engine Department, fundamental theory of reciprocating engine, scientific schools.

The role of Moscow State Bauman Technical University (Reciprocating Engine Department) in the development of fundamental theory of reciprocating engine up to present time is shown. The authors review investigations carried out by the Department at consequent stages of progress in reciprocating engine building. The works in question have primarily been focused on problems of gas exchange, supercharging, fuel supply, thermal strength etc., and their influence on combustion process.

Keywords: high-speed engine, crank assy, honed surface, polished surface, oil supply arrangement, reduction of friction losses.

The authors compared polished and rough-finished cylinder wall surface from the viewpoint of efficiency and friction pair lubrication conditions. They measured friction losses in type 1CH8,5/8,0 (TMZ-450D) diesel engine with varying versions of crank assembly parts, taking account of measurement errors. Finely polished cylinder wall surface, combined with modernized piston and connection rod, is shown to reduce friction losses by 12 to 25 % due to better lubrication conditions.

Keywords: locomotive diesel engine, valve timing, Miller cycle, performance indices, reduction of noxious emissions.

This is a brief review of Miller cycle use in various engine classes. Results are presented of numerical modelling and stand tests of locomotive diesel engine type 8CHN21/21, whose fuel and environmental performance was improved due to Miller cycle with optimum valve timing. Stand tests confirmed gain in fuel economy by 3,26 % and in noxious waster by over 30 %. This means that emission level in engines powering up-and-coming locomotives may be reduced to limits set forth by legislation in force.

Keywords: W-engine, crank gear, kinematic and dynamic analysis, slave connecting rods, equal piston strokes, design of crank pins.

The article discusses principal approaches to designing W-engine with slave connecting rods. The idea behind the proposed arrangement lies in its geometry, which would provide equal strokes of main and slave pistons. Kinematic and dynamic analysis of the crank gear in question is carried out with Creo-Parametric software package, which allows evaluation of pros and cons of the design. Graphic materials for designing crank pin and bottom end bearing have been yielded.

Keywords: tool steel, cutting tools, treatment with pulsating gas stream, enhancement of productivity, cost savings.

The article discusses treatment of cutting tools from carbon and alloyed high-speed steels with subsonic gas flow as a means to enhance their wear resistance. As shown by the experiments, thermal treatment of metal parts combined with treatment with pulsating subsonic gas stream allows to reduce total treatment duration by 2 to 4 times, which results in cost saving, higher wear resistance and hardness.

Keywords: diesel-generator, speed measurement, Hall-effect sensor, speed droop curve, power supply quality.

The authors describe a method to measure engine crankshaft rotational speed based on Hall-effect sensor. The measurement results were registered with software code DisCo and oscilloscope type ВМ8020. Error of measurement did not exceed 1 %, which is much better, as compared with native electromechanical frequency meter. The experiments confirms that measurement method in question is simple and easy. As a result, end user gets reliable and heavy-duty energy supply.

Keywords: middle-speed marine engine, forged crankshafts, numerical design methods, fatigue strength, non-metallic inclusions, fatigue cracks.

Life time of a modern high-powered engine largely depends on reliability and fatigue strength of its crankshaft. As far as middle-speed marine engines are concerned, Wartsila has used verified Virtual Engine Models for years in the product development projects. The mathematical models are verified during representative field test. Any forged crankshaft inevitably contains non-metallic inclusions, which have been generated in steel making and casting process of ingot. It is well known that the fatigue strength of steel is significantly influenced by such non-metallic inclusions in steel which cause the fatigue crack initiation. Kobe Steel Ltd (Japan) in collaboration with Hiroshima University carried out investigation into the influence of the amount and size of such non-metallic inclusions on fatigue strength of forged crankshaft of high-powered marine engine.