Reducing Gear Windage Losses From High Speed Gears

Abstract

Abstract Windage losses in gearboxes account for a large portion of the total power loss in high-speed drive trains. Very little actual data has been collected specifically quantifying these losses. Traditional techniques to measure the effects of baffles in high speed gearing applications have been done by trial and error on very complex systems. This trial and error technique is used throughout the gearing industry to solve problems without isolating each individual gear windage effect. These solutions are usually sub-optimum. They cause time-consuming delays and cost overruns in many programs. This paper describes a gear baffle test rig that was built to quantify and minimize the gear windage losses in high-speed drive trains. These tests were conducted at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth Texas Facility. The intent of the gearbox baffle test rig was to isolate and measure the windage effects on a single high-speed bevel gear with various baffle configurations. Results of these tests were used to define a basic set of ground rules for designing baffles. Finally the set of ground rules was used to design an optimum baffle configuration.