Development of Closed Loop Power Recirculating Type Test Rig - Higher Torque Ranges

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In the past decades, many impressive progress has been made in the rig development for the gear validation. But, the challenges are to test the entire gear box for the improvement in the single gear alone to ascertain material quality or process improvement, that too with the higher torque range gear boxes, which requires huge investment and power consumption due to high capacity test rig / dynamometer. This paper deals with an experimental validation of the dynamic model for a gear pair test system, representative of a closed loop power recirculating type test rig. Being a closed loop, this system has its own uniqueness, that, it uses the low capacity prime mover, which considers the initial starting loop torque only, to cater the high power requirement in an efficient manner. The key intend of the development of this rig is to reduce the testing from system level to sub component level with low cost operation and more competence for the gears of high torque application. This also includes, based on principle of modular design, adapting various gears of different sizes, Centre distance adjustment, high torque inducing unit. This method is used to detect exact failure modes on the sub component level efficiently and to ensure the life of the component with defined duty cycle and based on the vibration level measured on the test housing. Overall, the closed loop power recirculating type gear pair test rig for the higher torque application is developed with low capacity motor, automatic dynamically torqueing mechanism, automatic controlling of pre-set temperature of oil during testing with heating and cooling arrangement, mechanical fail safe device, back-to-back gear pair arrangement with housing with high torque and versatile couplings. The work investigates the performance of sub components and helps to move on with development for future gains.</div></div>