Modal Analysis and an Experimental Study Into a Marine Gearbox Featuring Confluence Transmission

An approach to calculating vibration modal characteristics of a marine gear system featuring confluence transmission based on the theoretical and the experimental modal analysis is given in view of the fact that it is difficult to accurately determine the modal data of the system because of its complex vibration mechanism. Firstly, a dynamic finite element model of a coupled gear-rotor-bearing-housing system is developed by combining the gearbox transmission model with the gearbox housing model using the modal parameter identification data. Then, the modal frequency and the mode of vibration can be obtained. In fact, the proposed model can provide a faster approach to analysing the mode of the gear system vibration. Finally, experimental testing of the mode of vibration is performed on the experimental prototype to verify the rationality of the theoretical analysis. A comparison of the two sets of results shows that the experimental results are in good agreement with the computational results, with a maximum error of 6.3%.