Numerical Simulation on Windage Power Loss of High-Speed Spur Gear with Baffles

Windage power loss (WPL) is significant and cannot be neglected in a study on transmission efficiency and reducing the energy consumption of high-speed gear. The influence mechanism of the baffle on the reduction of WPL needs to be further studied. Based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology, this paper puts stress on analyzing the influence of axial and radial baffles on viscous and pressure effects in WPL and the influence of baffles with groove structures on reducing WPL. The numerical calculation model of windage torque considering the baffle’s regulation is established, and the calculation results of WPL with different baffle configurations are obtained. The results indicate that the radial baffle mainly reduces pressure loss, while power loss caused by the viscous effect is mainly affected by the axial baffle. The baffle with the smallest clearance achieves the most significant suppression effect on windage. On this basis, adding groove structures to a smooth baffle can have a positive or negative impact on reducing WPL, and the baffles with circular grooves can further promote the reduction of WPL by 8.2%, compared with smooth baffles. This paper provides a reference for the optimal design of baffles in engineering applications.