Dynamic modeling and failure mechanism study of herringbone gear planetary transmission system for wind turbine under gear cracks

The herringbone gear planetary transmission system (HGPTS) is a common component in the gearbox of wind turbines. Studying the dynamic performance of gear systems is the key to improving their stability. To reveal the influence of cracks on the dynamic characteristics of the HGPTS, using slicing method, we explore the influence of different crack factors on the time-varying meshing stiffness (TVMS) of the system. A 55-degrees of freedom bending torsion axis pendulum dynamic model was constructed using the centralized mass parameter method; in the model, factors such as TVMS of cracks as well as receding groove and errors are considered. The Runge–Kutta method was used to solve the dynamics, and the evolution diagram of the vibration and load distribution characteristics of the system under crack changes was obtained. Vibration tests were conducted on the system studied in this work. The results show that under the influence of cracks, the TVMS of the external and internal meshing pairs of the system will decrease, and as the cracks intensify, the fluctuation of the TVMS will decrease. Cracks can lead to regular impact behavior in the system. A modulation sideband centered on the meshing frequency appears in the vibration response, and the vibration trajectory of the gears will also become disordered, at the same time, under the influence of cracks, there are significant excitation factors in the load-sharing characteristics of the system. As the cracks continue to intensify, the vibration of the system becomes increasingly evident, and the load-sharing characteristics show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The vibration test results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The correctness of the established model is verified. The research results can provide reference for the reliability research of wind turbine HGPTS.