Numerical Analysis of Fluid and Temperature Field of an Accessory Gearbox
Authors: Qinjie Lin, Liangliang Gong, Yongqiang Xu, Caichao Zhu, Huaiju Liu, Zehua Lu
The accessory gearbox is a vital component of aviation engines, and its power loss, flow characteristics, and temperature distribution significantly influence engine performance, particularly under high-temperature and high-speed conditions. However, research on the thermal and flow characteristics of entire transmission systems remains limited. This study presents a mathematical model designed to evaluate power loss and heat generation within the transmission system of an accessory gearbox. The Moving Particle Semi-Implicit (MPS) method, a Lagrangian numerical technique for fluid dynamics, was utilized to calculate the flow field of the gearbox and determine the surface convective heat transfer coefficient under stable flow conditions. Subsequently, a three-dimensional finite element thermal network method was employed to calculate the gearbox temperature distribution. This method captures detailed temperature fields of key components while estimating other components using lumped parameters, effectively balancing accuracy and efficiency in temperature field calculations. The results indicate that rotational speed has a greater impact on total power loss than the oil inlet temperature. The bevel gears, which are responsible for power input, along with the input shaft bearings, are the primary contributors to power loss, collectively accounting for nearly 50% of the total power loss. This research introduces a predictive method for examining the thermal and flow characteristics of aviation transmission systems, facilitating rapid forecasting of the flow field, temperature distribution, and power consumption.
