Lubrication Capacity of Gears of Circular-Arc Tooth-Profile

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out at Mansoura University Laboratories aiming at studying the effect of change of speed, oil viscosity, and helix angle on the load carrying capacity of the oil film. A three pairs of test gears of 6 DP, 91.5 mm pitch diameter with 22.3, 33.6 and 42.25 deg helix angles were run in power circulating test rig at 100 to 3000 r.p.m. speeds and transmitting tooth load ranging from 185 to 1090 Kp. The test gears were lubricated with oils of 200, 462, and 653 cSt at 40°C kinematic viscosities. The oil film thicknesses between contacting teeth were measured by measuring the changes in capacitance between test gears and transferred to linear dimensions by calibration curves drawn by knowing the changes in capacitance through the gaps between teeth of values known through the amount of backlash. The experimental results show that; Oil film thickness decreases with tooth load, while increases with speed and viscosity of the lubricant. Oil film thickness versus helix angle give an inversed parabola for the smallest and medium tooth loads, while oil film thickness decreases with increasing the helix angle under increased tooth loads. Load carrying capacity increases with speeds and viscosity of the lubricant while decreases with increasing the helix angle.