A Computational Study on the Mechanical Power Loss of a Spur Gear Pair Under the Thermal Tribo-Dynamic Condition

Author(s):  
Sheng Li

This study proposes a formulation for the description of the gear mesh mechanical power loss under the thermal tribodynamic condition. A six degree-of-freedom motion equation set that models the vibratory motions of a general spur gear pair is coupled with the governing equations for the description of the gear thermal mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication to include the interactions between the gear dynamics and gear tribology disciplines in the modeling of the gear mesh mechanical power loss. The important role of the gear thermal tribo-dynamics in power loss is demonstrated by comparing the predictions of the proposed model to those under the thermal quasi-static condition, and the iso-thermal tribo-dynamic condition, respectively.

Author(s):  
S. Li ◽  
A. Kahraman

A physics-based model is proposed to predict load dependent (mechanical) power loss of spur gear pairs by using a specialized gear elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model. The EHL model includes time variations of all key contact parameters such as surface velocities, radii of curvature and normal load in their continuous forms such that a continuous analysis of a tooth contact from its root to tip can be performed. The EHL model has the capability to simulate any gear contacts represented by condition ranging from full EHL to mixed or boundary EHL conditions. Predicted transient pressure and film thickness distributions are used to determine the instantaneous as well as the overall mechanical power loss of the gear mesh. Correction factors are introduced to account for thermal effects. At the end, capabilities and accuracy of the proposed model are demonstrated by comparing its predictions to experimental data.


Author(s):  
Yanfang Liu ◽  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Peng Dong

An involute spur gear pair meshing model is firstly provided in this study to achieve relevant data such as rolling velocity, sliding velocity, curvature radius etc. These data are needed in a transient, Newtonian elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model which is provided later. Based on these two models, the behavior of an engaged spur gear pair during the meshing process is investigated under dynamic conditions, film thickness, pressure, friction coefficient etc. could be achieved through the models. Then, power loss under certain operating condition is calculated. Relationship between power loss and lubrication performance is also analyzed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Chimanpure ◽  
A. Kahraman ◽  
D. Talbot

Abstract In this study, a non-Newtonian, transient, isothermal, mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model is proposed for helical gear contacts. The model accounts for nonelliptical contacts subject to spatially varying sliding and rolling velocity fields that are not aligned with any principal axis of the contact region, which is the case for helical gear contacts. The time-varying changes pertaining to key contact parameters and relative motion of roughness profiles on mating tooth surfaces are captured simultaneously to follow the contact from the root to the tip of a tooth while accounting for the transient effect due to relative motions of the roughness profiles. Actual tooth load distributions, contact kinematics, and compliances of helical gear contacts are provided to this model by an existing helical gear load distribution model. Measured three-dimensional roughness profiles covering the entire meshing zone are incorporated in the analyses to investigate its impact on the EHL conditions as well as mechanical power loss. Results of a parametric sensitivity study are presented to demonstrate the influence of operating conditions and surface roughness on the EHL behavior and the resultant gear mesh mechanical power loss of an example helical gear pair. The accuracy of the proposed mixed-EHL model is assessed by comparing the mechanical power loss predictions to available experimental results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-340
Author(s):  
Mingyong Liu ◽  
Peidong Xu ◽  
Jinxi Zhang ◽  
Huafeng Ding

Purpose Power loss is an important index to evaluate the transmission performance of a gear pair. In some cases, the starved lubrication exists on the gear contact interface. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanical power loss of a helical gear pair under starved lubrication. Design/methodology/approach A starved thermal-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model is proposed to evaluate the tribological properties of a helical gear pair. The numerical result has been validated against the published simulation data. Based on the proposed model, the influence of thermal effect, working conditions, inlet oil-supply layer and surface roughness on the mechanical power loss and lubrication performance has been discussed. Findings Results show that the thermal effect has a significant effect on the tribological properties of helical gear pair, especially on mechanical power loss. For a specified working condition, there is an optimal oil supply for gear lubrication to obtain the state of full film lubrication. Meanwhile, it reveals that the mechanical power loss increases with the increase of the surface roughness amplitude. Originality/value In this paper, a starved thermal-EHL model has been developed for the helical gear pair based on the finite line contact theory. This model can be used to analyze the tribological properties of gear pair from full film lubrication to mixed lubrication. The results can provide the tribological guidance for design of a helical gear pair.


2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Seetharaman ◽  
A. Kahraman

A physics-based fluid mechanics model is proposed to predict spin power losses of gear pairs due to oil churning and windage. While the model is intended to simulate oil churning losses in dip-lubricated conditions, certain components of it apply to air windage losses as well. The total spin power loss is defined as the sum of (i) power losses associated with the interactions of individual gears with the fluid, and (ii) power losses due to pumping of the oil at the gear mesh. The power losses in the first group are modeled through individual formulations for drag forces induced by the fluid on a rotating gear body along its periphery and faces, as well as for eddies formed in the cavities between adjacent teeth. Gear mesh pumping losses will be predicted analytically as the power loss due to squeezing of the lubricant, as a consequence of volume contraction of the mesh space between mating gears as they rotate. The model is applied to a unity-ratio spur gear pair to quantify the individual contributions of each power loss component to the total spin power loss. The influence of operating conditions, gear geometry parameters, and lubricant properties on spin power loss are also quantified at the end. A companion paper (Seetharaman et al., 2009, “Oil Churning Power Losses of a Gear Pair: Experiments and Model Validation,” ASME J. Tribol., 131, p. 022202) provides comparisons to experiments for validation of the proposed model.


2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingyong Liu ◽  
Peidong Xu ◽  
Chunai Yan

In this study, a comprehensive mechanical efficiency model based on the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) is developed for a helical gear pair. The tribological performance of the helical gear pair is evaluated in terms of the average film thickness, friction coefficient, mechanical power loss, mechanical efficiency, etc. The influence of basic design parameters, working conditions, thermal effect, and surface roughness are studied under various transmission ratios. Results show that the contribution of thermal effect on the tribological performance is remarkable. Meanwhile, the rolling power loss constitutes an important portion of the total mechanical power loss, especially around the meshing position where the pitch point is located in the middle of contact line and the full elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) state with the friction coefficient less than 0.005. The proper increase of normal pressure angle and number of tooth can improve the tribological performance. The influence of helix angle on the mechanical efficiency is less significant. A positive addendum modification coefficient for pinion and a negative addendum modification coefficient for wheel are good for improving the mechanical efficiency. The results provide the tribological guidance for design of a helical gear pair in engineering.


2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaiju Liu ◽  
Caichao Zhu ◽  
Zhanjiang Wang ◽  
Ye Zhou ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang

A thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) model is developed for a coated spur gear pair to investigate the effect of soft coatings and hard coatings on the tribological behavior of such a gear pair during meshing. The coating properties, i.e., the ratio of the Young's modulus between the coating and the substrate, and the coating thickness, are represented in the calculation of the elastic deformation. Discrete convolution, fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) is utilized for the fast calculation of the surface deformation. The variation of the radius of curvature, the rolling speed, the slide-to-roll ratio, and the tooth load along the line of action (LOA) during meshing is taken into account and the transient squeeze effect is considered in the Reynolds equation. Energy equations of the solids and the oil film are derived. The temperature field and the pressure field are solved iteratively. The tribological behavior is evaluated in terms of the minimum film thickness, the maximum pressure, the temperature rise, the coefficient of friction, and the frictional power loss of the tooth contact during meshing. The results show discrepancies between the soft coating results and hard coating results.


2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Dindar ◽  
K. Chaudhury ◽  
I. Hong ◽  
A. Kahraman ◽  
C. Wink

Abstract In this study, an experimental methodology is presented to separate various components of the power loss of a gearbox. The methodology relies on two separate measurements. One is designed to measure total power loss of a gearbox housing a single spur gear pair under both loaded and unloaded conditions such that load-independent (spin) and load-dependent (mechanical) components can be separated. With the assumption that gear pair and rolling element bearings constitute the bulk of the gearbox power loss, a second measurement system designed to quantify rolling element bearing losses is proposed. With this setup, spin and mechanical power losses of rolling element bearings used in the gearbox experiments are measured. Combining the sets of gearbox and bearing data, power loss components attributable to the gear pair and rolling element bearings are quantified as a function of speed and torque. The results indicate that all gear and bearing related components are significant and a methodology such as the one proposed in this study is warranted.


Author(s):  
Sheng Li ◽  
Anusha Anisetti

This study investigates the role of the tribo-dynamic behavior in the contact fatigue crack nucleation for spur gears. To describe this fatigue phenomenon, a six-degree-of-freedom (DOF) lumped parameter dynamics formulation is coupled with a set of mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) governing equations. The former provides the dynamic tooth force to the EHL analysis, and the latter yields the gear mesh damping as well as the friction excitations that are required in the gear dynamics simulation. The converged tribo-dynamic surface normal pressure and tangential shear are then used to determine the multi-axial stress fields using the potential theory based closed-form stress formulation for half space. Lastly, the stress means and amplitudes are implemented in a multi-axial fatigue criterion to assess the fatigue damage.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Ghosh ◽  
G. Chakraborty

The effect of rolling resistance on the power loss during gear transmission has been studied. The resistance has been modeled by a lateral shift of the line of action of the contact force. The effect of this shift on the equivalent friction force has been predicted with the help of a six degrees of freedom (DOF) model of a spur gear pair. The predicted results agree closely with the experimental data available in literature.


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