DEVELOPMENT OF A CYLINDER WATER SEAL TO PREVENT DIESEL ENGINE CRANKCASE CAVITATION EROSION

The U. S. Naval Engineering Experiment Station's experience with cavitation-erosion failures of several engine crankcase designs are described. A unique test procedure involving the use of soft test plugs was developed for rapid evaluation of possible corrective measures required for a naval 600-horsepower aluminum crankcase design. A wide-band cylinder water seal, designed and developed to prevent crankcase cavitation-erosion failures, is described. In both laboratory and Fleet tests, the new seal prevented cavitation-erosion in the critical water seal areas of the aluminum crankcases of these engines.