Novel dynamic modeling and analysis method of the wind turbine gearbox gear-bearing coupling system considering gear crack and tooth modification with support shaft flexibility

• Published in: Mechanism and machine theory Vol. 212; p. 106058
• Main Authors: Yang, Shuyi, Zhu, Caichao, Li, Chengwu, Zhou, Ye, Wang, Wenxuan, Wang, Shengkai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.09.2025
• Subjects: Dynamic; Gear; Gear modification; Gearbox; Shaft flexibility; Wind turbines; Dynamic; Wind turbines; Gearbox; Shaft flexibility; Gear; Gear modification
• ISSN: 0094-114X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2025.106058

•A novel dynamic model for wind turbine gear-bearing systems with IGA is proposed.•An improved TVMS method is developed considering gear cracks and modifications.•An effective solution is developed to integrate gear contact and system vibration.•The effects of gear defects and shaft deformation on vibration are investigated. Wind turbine gearboxes are subjected to coupled excitations from gear cracks, gear modifications, and flexible shaft deformations. However, most existing studies examine the dynamic behavior under isolated excitation conditions. This study proposes a novel dynamic modeling approach for the wind turbine gear-bearing coupling system, combining isogeometric analysis (IGA) and lumped parameter methods. An improved slice method is developed to evaluate the time-varying meshing stiffness (TVMS), considering the gear crack and modifications. Then, the refined integration method is developed to solve the gear contact analysis integrating the system vibration responses. Subsequently, the dynamic model is validated through bench testing, and system dynamic characteristics are thoroughly investigated. The results indicate that gear cracks may shift contact load distribution away from the cracked region, increase bearing contact load amplitude, reduce the bearing's load area, and induce periodic impacts. Additionally, gear axial crown modification (ACM) is more sensitive to the contact load distribution of gear-bearing and alleviates the impact response of the coupled system. Furthermore, the flexibility of the supporting shaft (FS) may lead to tooth disengagement and exacerbate impact vibrations in the system.