Research on the calculation method of windage power loss of aviation spiral bevel gear and experiment verification

Abstract

This paper proposes a method for calculating windage power losses of spiral bevel gears by dividing the losses into the sum of windage effects on tooth surface, toe/heel, conical surface, and circumferential surface, according to the gear structure. A calculation model for each component of windage losses is established based on the basic equation of fluid dynamics. Subsequently, a windage loss measurement test bench is developed, and a windage moment measurement method is proposed for experimental spiral bevel gears. The individual contributions of each windage loss component are calculated. The results of the calculations indicate that the gear speed is the primary factor that impacts windage losses, with the windage power loss being proportional to the 2.96th power of gear speed. Gear geometry parameters and the jet flow impacting the tooth surface are also significant factors, followed by the hub and spoke values in the wheel body parameters. The findings also show that an increase in lubricating oil content in oil-gas two-phase flow can significantly increase windage losses. Finally, a comparison between the dimensionless windage calculation values and the experimental measurement values demonstrates good agreement. This paper provides theoretical guidance for future research aimed at reducing windage power loss and improving the efficiency of aviation gear transmission.