Experimental and Numerical Study on Stress Distribution Characteristics of Traveling Wave Resonance of High-Speed Bevel Gear in Aero-Engine

Abstract

Gear failure caused by traveling wave resonance (TWR) generally occurs quite suddenly and causes catastrophic results in aero-engines. In this study, the TWR characteristics and stress distribution characteristics of a high-speed bevel gear in an aero-engine are analyzed in detail by means of experiments and simulations. Based on the acoustic waveguide system and dynamic stress test system, the TWR fatigue failure monitoring experiment of the central drive bevel gear in an aero-engine is carried out, and the TWR frequency, dangerous speed, dynamic stress and fatigue fracture characteristics of a driven bevel gear are obtained. Based on the transient dynamic analysis method and Hertz contact theory, the stress distribution characteristics of the driven bevel gear, which cannot be obtained in the test under the condition of TWR, are analyzed. The influence of the changes in the working temperature and the thickness of the spoke on the TWR characteristics and the stress distribution characteristics are discussed. The simulation and test results show that the gear has the problem of stress concentration at the root of the tooth and the back of the spoke plate under the 4th node-diameter (ND) TWR, and the stress distribution form is consistent with the fracture form of the test gear, covering 12 teeth. The relationship between the stress at the test monitoring point and the maximum stress at the tooth root is obtained, and the generality of the relationship is verified. Based on this relationship, the maximum stress of tooth root, which is difficult to monitor in the test, is predicted to be 1271.7 MPa. An accurate and convenient means to obtain the maximum stress at the tooth root of the central transmission bevel gear under TWR is obtained so as to provide a basis for failure cause analysis and central transmission bevel gear design and lay the foundation for future research focusing on the propagation of the gear under TWR conditions.