TRANSIENT LUBRICATION ANALYSIS OF COUPLED JOURNAL-BIDIRECTIONAL THRUST-BEARINGS FOR PLANET GEARS IN WIND TURBIN EGEARBOX DURING START-UP PHASE

Li Hao; Tan Jianjun; Zhu Caichao; Fei Wenjun; Sun Zhangdong; Wang Hongxia

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1785

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Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (2) : 486-497. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1785

TRANSIENT LUBRICATION ANALYSIS OF COUPLED JOURNAL-BIDIRECTIONAL THRUST-BEARINGS FOR PLANET GEARS IN WIND TURBIN EGEARBOX DURING START-UP PHASE

Li Hao¹, Tan Jianjun¹, Zhu Caichao¹, Fei Wenjun¹, Sun Zhangdong², Wang Hongxia²

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Abstract

Considering the effects of dynamic rotational speed and meshing load of the planet gear during start-up, a 5-degree-of-freedom frictional dynamics model of coupled journal and bidirectional thrust bearings is established to investigate the lubrication performance during the start-up phase. The equivalent boundary conditions for the planet gear during start-up are derived from a multi-body dynamics model of the wind turbine gearbox. The impacts of pressure coupling boundaries, thrust bearings, and axial clearance on the lubrication performance of the coupled bearings are analyzed and validated through experiments. The results indicate that, under the influence of dynamic meshing load from the planet gear, the journal bearing experiences slight asperity contact at the conclusion of the start-up phase, with film pressure alternating between single and double peaks. The maximum film pressure is enhanced by the pressure coupling boundary. The bidirectional thrust bearing can mitigate misalignment and eccentricity in the load direction, while potentially increasing them in the non-load direction. Insufficient axial clearance can lead to a significant increase in maximum film pressure and fluctuation of the thrust bearing, as well as a reduction in the load balancing performance of the thrust pads.

Key words

wind turbines / gearbox / journal bearing / bidirectional thrust bearings / transient lubrication / tribo-dynamic

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Li Hao, Tan Jianjun, Zhu Caichao, Fei Wenjun, Sun Zhangdong, Wang Hongxia. TRANSIENT LUBRICATION ANALYSIS OF COUPLED JOURNAL-BIDIRECTIONAL THRUST-BEARINGS FOR PLANET GEARS IN WIND TURBIN EGEARBOX DURING START-UP PHASE[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2026, 47(2): 486-497 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1785

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