MATEC Web of Conferences 95 , 04009 (2017) DOI: 10.

1051/ matecconf/20179504009
ICMME 2016

Design of Gear Churning Power Loss Measurement Device

1 2 1
Bin Wang , Ya Jie Zhou and Ping Wang
1
Yancheng Institute of Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, 224051 Yancheng, China
2
Jiangsu University, School of Mechanical Engineering, 212013 Zhenjiang, China

Abstract. To explore the impacts of gear churning power losses, a research was conducted to achieve the internal
causes of power losses of churning gear by designing a gear churning power losses measurement device. The gear
churning power losses could be influenced by different gear modules, the number of teeth and the axial position of
gear. Finally, the impacts of gear churning power losses were discussed by comparing experimental data and
theoretical data.

1 Introduction Power losses are generated by lubricating oil splash in the

pool; 4) When the lubricating oil come into meshing gear
At present, there is a complex relationship between position, power losses are generated by bending
gear churning power losses and some factors which lubricating oil. Changenet et al [8, 9] pointed out that
include gear speed, the level of lubrication oil, lubrication most of the current gear churning losses formulas can be
oil viscosity and temperature. In addition, it is difficult to more precise calculate the churning losses that were
directly determine by theoretical analysis in which most generated in meshing gear or single disk, Petry-Johnson
of them are empirical formula. Thus, it is usually et al [10] obtained same calculation results by analysing
confirmed by carrying out experiments. the experimental data which is measured under different
Research methods of load-independent power conditions. Kahraman et al. [5] claim that the churning
consumption were described by Seetharaman et al [4]. losses is mainly divided into two parts: 1) When the gear
Furthermore, Seetharaman et al state that most of the is rotated, the power losses were caused by the movement
previous calculation formulas are derived from the semi- of the lubricating oil stuck on the gear (This part includes
empirical formula or the basis of the disk. Moreover, three aspects: power losses were generated by interaction
Seetharaman et al [5] claim that gear speed, the level of of the periphery of gear and lubricating oil; power losses
lubrication oil and tooth thickness can mostly influence were generated by interaction of the face of gear and
churning power losses as a result of the method of gear lubricating oil; Scroll power losses were generated by
churning experiment on a pair of spur gears which are lubricating oil in gear cavity); 2) When the gear is
submerged in oil bath. Also, they established the meshed, the gap between the two gears is changed and
theoretical model and calculation formula of the churning makes the oil being sucked and extruded which cause
losses of a pair of spur gears. The overview of classical power losses. At present, the researchers are only
literature on the power consumption of gear transmission conducted about the power consumption of single-stage
was conducted by Valerity Stavytskyy et al [6]. They gear or disk [11]. Boness [12, 13] has measured the drag
listed calculation formulas of spur gear, helical gear and torque of different size disks which stir in different level
bevel gear churning losses and windage losses, which of the lubricating oil, compared to Karman's formula [14,
were established by scholars during nearly half a century, 15] for calculating the churning losses and summed up
so as to provide reference for future generations to the formula and method for calculating the drag torque of
understand and master the research content and direction churning losses. In recent years, the churning power
of the load-independent power consumption. Yasutsune losses are concentrated by foreign countries in the helical
et al [7] conducted a research by using a flash frequency gears, bevel gears and circular arc gears in the high speed
detector which aims to analyze and discuss the transmission gear box [16, 17]. There is no relevant
characteristics of churning losses. They indicated that the literature at home and abroad for the problem of churning
churning losses mainly consists of four parts: 1) Power losses of spur gears and helical gears in medium and low
losses are generated by the lubricating oil which is in speed drives. The churning losses of gear transmission
accelerating gear; 2) Power losses are generated by [18, 19, 20] mainly includes friction power losses,
lubricating oil which move in the meshing gear cavity; 3) meshing gear power losses, friction power losses of


© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
MATEC Web of Conferences 95 , 04009 (2017) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/20179504009
ICMME 2016

bearing, lubricating oil power losses and so on. They are meshing churning gears (2) and a single-axis actuator (3)
interacted which makes it impossible to draw a separate which is fixed on the side of rectangular track grooves in
assessment of the churning losses. Churning losses are tank, One of the churning gear (2) is fixed on gear shaft
also known as the load-independent losses. Because of (4) which is fixed on bearing block in single-axis actuator,
the uncertainty of the reasons for the churning losses, it is another churning gear (2) is fixed on the tank (1) by gear
difficult to discuss it. shaft (5) and bearing block. A gear shaft (4) is connected
In response to these problems, a measuring device for to the output of drive motor (7) through coupling (6), the
churning losses will be designed and tested to infer the gear shaft (5) is connected to the output load motor (9) by
defect of the theory research. In addition, the churning coupling (8), while coupling (6) and coupling (8)
losses can be measured. The aim of this research is to respectively provided with speed and torque sensor (10),
explicit the relationship between the churning losses and speed and torque sensor (11), it installs locking device
the gear modulus, the number of teeth and the axial inside of the rotation wheel on the ball to make that ball
distance of the gear and find ways to reduce the power screw is not rotating while churning gear is rotating, drive
consumption which in turn improve the energy efficiency. motor (7) installs in the carriage which is moved with the
moving of bearing block. A temperature sensor is fixed
on the upside of the tank, which extends deeply into the
2 Overall design oil of the tank. Oil port 1-4 is also fixed on the upside of
In order to discuss the influence of internal spur gear the tank, and there is a port 1-5 on one side of the box,
on the churning power losses, a measuring device for which is controlled by the valve. It sets a transparent
churning power losses is designed. As shown in Fig.1, 1 surface on side of the tank (1) to observe the movement
is oil tank, 1-3 temperature sensor, 1-4 oil inlet, 1-5 oil of the two churning gear. Single-axis actuator (3) is
outlet, 2 churning gear, 3 single-axis actuator, including installed in the rectangular slot which is provided in the
ball, guide bar, bearing block which fixes gear shaft, transparent surface of the tank (1) by four nuts.
bearing block displacement monitor and rotation wheel. 4
gear shaft (1), 5 gear shaft (2), 6 coupling (1), 7 drive
motor, 8 coupling (2), 9 motor load, 10 speed and torque
sensor (1), 11 speed and torque sensor (2), 12-1 drip tube,
12-2 valve, 12-3 drums, 13-1 stents, 13-2 ball screw (2),
13-3 guide bar (2), 13-4 slider (1), 13-5 rotation wheel (2),
14-1 oil-dripping device, 15 cross-shaped mouth.
The rotational speed of drive motor is adjusted and
controlled by a controller. A coupling is used to connect
the drive motor to speed and torque sensor. It measures
speed and torque of the drive gear by speed and torque Figure 2. Overall device.
sensor, a coupling is used to connected the load motor (9)
to speed and torque sensor, it calculates the power losses Temperature sensor measures the changing values of
by the parameters of the input and output speed and churning gear temperature, it injects lubricating oil
torque sensor. Under the same conditions of other though the oil inlet on the upside of the tank. The level of
parameters, through single-axis actuator changes the axial lubricating oil is adjusted by oil outlet on the side. It is
distance of two gear, it calculates the churning losses by easy to adjust the position of the oil pipe by the cross-
the parameters of speed and torque sensor and bearing shaped mouth which is installed on the upside of tank.
block displacement monitor to research the gear churning Effect of axial distance on power consumption of gear
power losses on different axial distance. can be measured by applying a single-axis actuator to
adjust two axis distance of gear, measuring its change
distance and calculating the power consumption of
multiple sets of center distance of the meshing gear pair.


Figure 1. Measurement device.
Figure 3. Single shaft drive.

3 Design of the tank

4 Design of oil-Dripping device
This gear churning power losses measurement device
is mainly composed of gear, box, single axis actuator. As Oil-dripping device is installed above the meshing
shown in Figure 1, the device comprises tank (1), two gears, the oil-dripping device includes a drip tube 12-1

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MATEC Web of Conferences 95 , 04009 (2017) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/20179504009
ICMME 2016

which controls the speed of drip oil by a valve 12-2, the Tin-j, the output torque of the dynamometer motor is
drum 12-3 is connected to the top of drip tube, the X, Y Tout-1 ... Tout-i ... Tout-j;
direction moving device adjust the position of drip tube Finally, gear churning losses of the test point pi is:
12-1 with the change of the meshing gear position. At the
(Tout  i  Tin  i )  ni
same time, the position of drip tube is adjusted with the Pi  (i=1…m) (1)
change of the gear meshing points though the cross- 9550
shaped mouth which was installed on the top of the tank.
the X-direction moving device comprises a stent 13-1
which includes ball 13-2 and guide bar 13-3, the slider 5.2 Theoretical calculation
were provided on the ball 13-2 and guide bar 13-3, on the
The oil-churning power losses PC consist of three parts:
side of ball 13-2 was installed a rotation wheel 13-5 while
Pc1 expresses stirring loss related to the outer diameter of
a slider 13-4 is fixedly connected to the top of the tank
the optical axis; Pc2 expresses the churning losses with
12-3; The Y-direction moving device includes a base,
the two side of gear; Pc3 expresses the churning losses
ball and guide bar which are installed in the bottom, the
related to the tooth surface (the outer surface of the two
slider (2) is installed on the ball screw (3) and guide bar
gears). It can be expressed by the following formula.
(3), a pillar is vertically installed on slider (2), one side of
PC  PC1  PC 2  PC 3 (2)
the ball (3) installs a rotation wheel (3) while pillar and 3
ball 13-2 are connecting to guide bar 13-3, the base is 7.37 f g vni Do 4.7 L
PC1  (3)
installed on the table by four nuts. Ag 1026
Gear meshing position is changed when measuring
1.474 f g vnt 3 DO 5.7
different gear modulus. Common churning device can not Pc 2  (4)
adjust the position of the drip tube. The device changes Ag 1026
the X, Y direction position which is correspond with the Rf
7.37 f g vnt 3 D0 4.7 B( )
change of meshing gear position by two drive devices, it tan  (5)
PC 3 
reduces friction in meshing gear to reduce churning Ag 1026
power losses.
where f g is gear submergence coefficient (under oil-
injecting condition, f g is set as 0; under full immersion
condition, f g is set as 1; under other circumstances, f g
has a value between 0~1 according to the height of
immersion.); v is the kinematic viscosity of lubricating
oil under working temperatures; ni is the rotational
speed of the ith gear; Do is the size of the outer diameter
L is the length of shaft; Ag is a constant;
of the ith gear;
B is the width of big gear or small gear; R f is
 roughness factor, it is related to tooth size, it can be
Figure 4. Oil-dripping device. obtained by approximate formula:
4.648
R f  7.93  (6)
mt
5 Testing principle of gear churning
where Mt is Gear transverse module;  is helical gear
power losses measurement device
spiral Angle, when   10 ,  =10 D .
5.1 Experimental test methods
5.3 Experimental data analysis method
Controller adjusts the drive motor torque, motor load is
adjusted by the speed controller. - When the meshing gears are of same modulus,
The specific steps are as follows: different tooth thickness and the other working conditions
Power test points are respectively setting as p1…pi…pj, (working temperature, the level of lubricating oil, etc.)
the speed of drive motor is setting respectively as keep unchanged, the power losses of oil churning can be
n1…ni…nj; calculated by the following process:
At measurement point p1, the speed of drive motor is The parameters used for calculating gear power losses
setting as n1, it maintains the drive motor which runs for Pi can be attained from speed and torque sensor (1), speed
some time at this speed to make that the input power of and torque sensor (2) and temperature sensor. Thus the
drive motor and the output power of the dynamometer value of gear power losses Pi can be easily calculated by
motor keep stability. The input torque of drive motor is Formula 1 and 2.
Tin-1, the output torque of dynamometer is Tout-1; then - The modulus of the meshing gears are different
testing the input torque and output torque of the next while the other parameters are equal.
point p2, until all testing points p1 ... pi ... pj are measured. Under this condition, the equation of centre distance of
Then, the input torque of drive motor is Tin-1 ... Tin-i ... the meshing gear pair can be written as:

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MATEC Web of Conferences 95 , 04009 (2017) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/20179504009
ICMME 2016

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