Numerical analysis on heat-flow-coupled temperature field for orthogonal face gears with oil–jet lubrication

Lubrication and cooling performances of face gears with oil–jet lubrication are closely related to the nozzle layouts. To investigate the influence of the nozzle layouts on the lubrication performance of the face gears, a numerical analysis method based on heat-flow coupling is adopted in this study for predicting the transient temperature characteristics. First, a mathematical model of impingement depth integrating the nozzle spatial layouts, injection parameters, and geometric parameters of the given face gear is presented for determining the nozzle. Then, after accessing the friction heat, the heat-flow-coupled finite element model is built to resemble the oil–jet lubrication process and obtain the temperature field on the tooth surface. Finally, under the same nozzle layouts, the temperature distributions are compared with the oil pressure and oil volume fraction reported in previous studies. The results reveal that the nozzle layouts significantly affect lubrication performance. Specifically, the lubrication performance of the lateral layout parameter near the middle point of the tooth width is better, and there is a certain range for the longitudinal layout parameter and jet elevation angle. This study can provide a reference for further optimizing the nozzle layouts and prolonging the service life of the orthogonal face gear.