Reporter Zhang Shiying learned from Harbin Engineering University that a research team at the university has successfully developed China’s first integrated high-load intake waterproofing and filtration device for marine engines. The device can efficiently filter salt mist aerosols in marine environments and withstand high-pressure seawater impact, providing key technical support for solving the long-standing problem of salt mist corrosion in marine engines.

Salt mist aerosols formed by seawater spray, dust, salt particles, and other substances in the marine environment pose a serious threat to the intake systems of marine engines. Professor Wang Zhongyi from the Purification and Separation Technology Team at the College of Power and Energy Engineering of Harbin Engineering University explained, “Calculations show that under an average intake salt mist concentration of 100 ppm, without protective equipment, a high-power engine would ‘ingest’ about 0.75 kilograms of salt in just one day of operation, significantly reducing its service life.” After entering the engine, salt mist can cause deposition and corrosion, leading not only to performance degradation but also to persistently high maintenance costs.

To address this industry challenge, the research team, through the efforts of three generations of researchers including Cheng Yuanlong, Sun Hai’ou, and Wang Zhongyi, spent more than 30 years tackling key technical problems. They conducted in-depth studies on the flow and separation mechanisms of salt mist aerosols and successfully achieved breakthroughs in several core technologies, including static centrifugal separation, inertial turning separation, and coalescence-based salt mist separation.

The newly developed integrated high-load intake waterproofing and filtration device can remove more than 99% of salt mist aerosols from intake air, significantly improving engine reliability.

Through structural optimization, the team also enabled the device to provide both waterproofing and filtration for large-flow engine intake under extreme conditions such as heavy rain, while ensuring ease of maintenance and good economic performance. According to Wang Zhongyi, the device reduces operation and maintenance costs by more than 50% compared with existing technologies. It has already been installed and applied on more than 1,000 sets across 11 types of vessels, demonstrating strong potential for wider application and promising market prospects.

Original Link: https://app.gmdaily.cn/as/opened/n/87f0f8769e744f5cb4803e349a85bd5f