Abstract Currently, energy efficiency represents one of the main requisites in mechanical design. Gearboxes play an important role in several industrial applications and, even if they are already characterized by high efficiency, their performance can still be improved, leading to energy saving and the reduction of pollutant emissions. The possibility to investigate different gearbox geometries and operating conditions in the preliminary stages of design represents a clear advantage for engineers and can significantly contribute to the achievement of these objectives. However, analytical formulations that are able to accurately describe gear losses, especially those due to the interaction with the lubricant, are not available or are not accurate enough. Furthermore, the analytical models are typically not suitable for novel gearbox designs. In the present work, a numerical approach based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for the prediction of lubricant fluxes and power losses of gearboxes is presented. The presented methodology utilizes a meshing strategy that reduces the computational effort of the simulations and enables parametrical studies. The numerical approach is validated both with torque measurements and data regarding the oil flow obtained by the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Thus, the validation of the numerical approach is performed not only qualitatively with respect to the oil distribution but also quantitatively with respect to the torque and velocity field in the oil sump. Good agreement of the CFD and experimental data was observed for the torque, oil distribution and fine flow details including the vorticial structures and recirculation areas.

中文翻译：

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齿轮箱的油分配和搅拌损失：实验和数值分析

摘要 目前，能源效率是机械设计的主要要求之一。齿轮箱在多个工业应用中发挥着重要作用，即使它们已经具有高效率的特点，它们的性能仍然可以提高，从而实现节能和减少污染物排放。在设计的初步阶段研究不同齿轮箱几何形状和运行条件的可能性对工程师来说是一个明显的优势，并且可以显着促进这些目标的实现。然而，能够准确描述齿轮损耗的分析公式，尤其是那些与润滑剂相互作用造成的损耗，是不可用的或不够准确。此外，分析模型通常不适用于新型齿轮箱设计。在目前的工作中，提出了一种基于计算流体动力学 (CFD) 的数值方法，用于预测齿轮箱的润滑剂通量和功率损失。所提出的方法利用了一种网格划分策略，可减少模拟的计算工作量并实现参数化研究。数值方法通过扭矩测量和通过粒子图像测速 (PIV) 获得的油流数据得到验证。因此，数值方法的验证不仅在油分布方面进行定性，而且在油槽中的扭矩和速度场方面进行定量。在扭矩、油分布和精细流动细节（包括涡流结构和再循环区域）方面观察到 CFD 和实验数据的良好一致性。提出了一种基于计算流体动力学 (CFD) 的数值方法，用于预测齿轮箱的润滑剂通量和功率损失。所提出的方法利用了一种网格划分策略，可减少模拟的计算工作量并实现参数化研究。数值方法通过扭矩测量和通过粒子图像测速 (PIV) 获得的油流数据得到验证。因此，数值方法的验证不仅在油分布方面进行定性，而且在油槽中的扭矩和速度场方面进行定量。在扭矩、油分布和精细流动细节（包括涡流结构和再循环区域）方面观察到 CFD 和实验数据的良好一致性。提出了一种基于计算流体动力学 (CFD) 的数值方法，用于预测齿轮箱的润滑剂通量和功率损失。所提出的方法利用了一种网格划分策略，可减少模拟的计算工作量并实现参数化研究。数值方法通过扭矩测量和通过粒子图像测速 (PIV) 获得的油流数据得到验证。因此，数值方法的验证不仅在油分布方面进行定性，而且在油槽中的扭矩和速度场方面进行定量。在扭矩、油分布和精细流动细节（包括涡流结构和再循环区域）方面观察到 CFD 和实验数据的良好一致性。