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Systems

GEARS LECTURE
BET 120
Power Systems University
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Objective:
Know and be able to use correct nomenclature when answering
questions or giving information about a gear or gearset.

Identify locations and types of gears on a gas and steam turbine.

Describe and identify the basic function and location of the major
components comprising a gear box assembly.

Recognize and state the various causes of gear tooth distress and
failure.

Identify the equipment and materials required to perform gear

contact checks and non-destructive examinations (NDE).

Demonstrate the ability to perform the contact check and Prussian

blue tape check and be able to report the results to engineering.
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Introduction:
Gears are used to transmit power and/or motion from one
shaft to another.
When multiple gears are meshed together, the arrangement
is called a gearset.
The smaller gear in the gearset is referred to as the pinion,
and the larger gear referred to as the gear.
Power, speed, and torque are transmitted via the following
equation:
Power = Speed x Torque
The relative sizes of the gears in a gearset help determine the
change in speed and torque from one gear to the next. For
example, a small pinion will spin faster and with less torque
than its larger meshing gear.
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Gear Ratio
The ratio of the number of teeth on the pinion to the number
of teeth on the gear is referred to as the Gear Ratio.
The Gear Ratio is expressed as the number of gear teeth
divided by the number of pinion teeth.
For example, if the pinion has 18 teeth and the gear has 54
teeth, the Gear Ratio will be 54:18 or 3:1 and the pinion will
rotate at three times the speed of the gear.
The Gear Ratio across multiple gearsets is obtained by
multiplying the gear ratios of each gearset. If a 3:1 gearset is
combined with a 4:1 gearset, the resulting Gear Ratio is 12:1.
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Torque Ratio
The amount of torque a gear produces is a product of force and the
gears moment arm. The moment arm refers to the distance
from the center of a gears rotation to the point at which force is
applied.
The longer a gears moment arm, the greater the amount of torque.
The torque ratio refers to the change in torque across a gearset,
and is directly related to the diameters of the gears in the gearset.
If the power transmitted across a gearset is constant, any change in
torque must be countered with a change in speed. For example, if
the torque from the pinion to the gear increases, the speed must
decrease.
Gearsets that increase the speed of the prime mover as required by
the load are called speed increasers. Gearsets that step down the
speed of the prime mover are called speed reducers, or
Reduction Gears.
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Gear Nomenclature:
Top Land surface on the top of a tooth
Bottom Land surface between adjoining fillets
Addendum height by which a tooth projects above the pitch circle
Dedendum depth of a tooth space below a pitch circle
Pitch Circle circle on which tooth proportions and tooth spacing is
established
Pitch Line point on a tooth relative to the point at which addendum and
dedendum meet.
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Gear Nomenclature:
Fillet concave portion of tooth profile which joins the bottom of the tooth
space.
Face total area of the addendum.
Flank total area of the dedendum including fillet.
Working Depth sum of the two addendums of meshed gears.
Tooth Surface side of a gear tooth
Backlash amount by which the width of a tooth space exceeds the
thickness of the engaging tooth at the pitch circle.
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Nomenclature:
Circular Pitch: distance from a
point on one tooth to the same point
on the next tooth measured at the
pitch circle.

Diametrical Pitch: the ratio of the

number of teeth on the gear to the
diameter of a specified pitch circle.

Pressure Angle: the angle

between the line of action and a line
perpendicular to the line of centers
for two engaging gears.
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Nomenclature:
Pinion: a gear with a small number of teeth designed to mesh with
a larger gear. In a two gear set, the smaller gear is the pinion and
the larger gear is referred to as the gear.

If both gears are the same size and the set is used only to change
direction, both elements could be called gears.
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Types of Gears
Spur Gears
One of the most common types of gears in the industry.
Has teeth which are machined or cut straight across.
Connects two parallel shafts that rotate in opposite directions,
unless an idler gear or internal gear is incorporated.
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Types of Gears
Idler Gear
Mounted between the pinion
and the output gear
Spins freely and allows both the
pinion and the output gear to
rotate in the same direction.

Internal Gear
The internal gears teeth are
located inside the output gear
The pinion rotates inside the
cylinder of the output gear.
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Types of Gears
Bevel Gears
Used to transmit power from
one shaft to another shaft,
which is usually set at a ninety
degree angle.
Usually noisy
Spiral Bevel Gears incorporate
twisted teeth, which allow
gradual meshing of the teeth to
reduce the noise.
Spiral bevel gears are capable
of handling greater loads.
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Types of Gears
Helical Gears
Similar to spur gears, except
teeth are twisted instead of
straight.
As helical gears mesh, contact
begins at end of one tooth and
extends gradually across width
of tooth.
Allows for quiet and smooth
operation of the gearset.
If teeth are wide enough, several
teeth can be engaged at once,
allowing for higher speeds and
higher loads.
Twisted teeth produce axial
thrust, which must be countered
with a thrust bearing or second
helical gearset on same shaft.
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Types of Gears
Hypoid Gear
Resemble spiral bevel gears,
but are connected to off-set
shafts.
Allows for pinions with as few
as five teeth.
Smaller number of teeth allow
for larger gear ratios to be
obtained.
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Types of Gears
Worm Gears
One of the gears in this gearset
has a screw thread, referred to
as the worm gear or worm
(considered the pinion).
Due to the small number of
threads (or teeth), a worm
gearset has a very high gear
ratio.
Commonly used in applications
requiring a large speed
reduction and a subsequent
large increase in torque.
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Worm Gears
Single-Enveloping Worm Gearset
Gear is throated, so that it wraps
part of the way around the
worm.
Increases contact area, allowing
for greater loads to be carried.

Double-Enveloping Worm
Gearset
Both gear and worm are
throated, further increasing
contact area and amount load
capability.
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Gearboxes
Components include upper casing, lower casing, and
endcaps.
Typical components are shown below.
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Oil Sump
Dry Oil Sump
Oil is under pressure and
commonly sprayed onto gears
with a spray nozzle.

Wet Oil Sump

Larger gears are partially
submerged in the oil sump.
As gears rotate, oil is picked up
from the sump and transferred
to smaller gears and pinions.
Troughs that collect oil slung
from the gears direct the oil to
the bearings for lubrication.
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Mechanical Differentials
Take multiple inputs and supply
a single output, or take a single
input and supply multiple
outputs.
Composed of three bevel gears,
a spider shaft, and a balancing
block.
Any of the shafts can supply
input or receive output.
Mechanical differentials allow
output shafts to move
independently of each other.
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Gear Problems
Common Causes of Gear
Problems:
Bearing Failure
Tooth Breakage
Fatigue Failure
Improper Lubrication
Scoring
Pitting
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Bearing Failure
Because bearing tolerances are typically more critical than
gear tolerances, bearings are more sensitive and may start to
fail before the gears.

Common bearing problems:

Lubrication problems
Overheated gear units
Excessive vibrations
Alignment problems
Failed or malfunctioning couplings
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Tooth Breakage
Fatigue Failure:
Usually results from repeated bending and/or loading of gear
teeth.
Fatigue is accelerated during operation if a defect occurs during
manufacture of the gear or during installation of the gearset.
Failure begins as a break or crack which slowly grows across the
tooth and snaps at point of excessive pressure or vibration.
Could be accompanied by fretting corrosion.
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Tooth Breakage
Fretting Corrosion:
Occurs due to oil seeping into a defect and compressing every
time tooth is loaded.
Combination of oil and high pressure causes the metal in the
crack to erode and break down.
If fretting corrosion occurs, a reddish stain can be detected on the
tooth.
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Tooth Breakage
Overloading
Breaks caused by overloading are rough and may cause
deformation or damage on the adjoining teeth.
In some cases, deformation and damage may be present on all of
the teeth on the gear.
Overloads can be internal or external
Internal overloads occur when one tooth breaks and the adjoining
tooth jumps across the space left by the broken tooth.
External overloads are caused by problems outside of the gearset and
can be detected by signs of fatigue on the teeth.
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Improper Lubrication
Common lubrication problems:
Improper lubricant.
May not have the viscosity or additives necessary for the operation
conditions of the gearset, and can increase friction and amount of wear on
gear teeth.
Excessively high or low lubricant temperatures.
Overheating causes gear components to distort, resulting in severe
misalignment and damage.
Low temperatures will increase the viscosity to the point of restricting flow
to some components of the gearbox.
Lubricant contamination.
Contaminants can damage gear components during meshing or prevent
lubrication of some components.
Insufficient lubricant.
Causes excessive friction and insufficient removal of heat from system.
Can be caused by clogged filters, clogged spray nozzles, or lubrication
system failure.
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Scoring
Scoring is the scratching or tearing of a tooth.
Initially appears as a fine etching pattern on the surfaces, and
is usually associated with a lubrication problem.
If scoring is severe and persists, enough material will be
removed from the tooth over time to cause the tooth to break.
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Pitting
Classified as light pitting and
heavy pitting.
Light pitting will appear as very small
holes or pockets on the face of a gear
tooth, and will eventually appear as
gears age.
Heavy pitting is characterized by
large holes on the surface of the
tooth, and if severe, will cause the
tooth to fracture.
Differing materials in gears can cause
heavy pitting
Misalignment can also cause pitting.
Any signs of pitting that appears more
than light should warrant an
alignment check and inspection.
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Gear Inspections
Every major inspection, the gear box should be disassembled
and given a complete inspection of all components.
Common tests and inspections:
NDE (Non-Destructive Examination)
Visual Inspection
Dye-Penetrant Test
Magnetic Particle Test (if required)
Red and Blue Contact Check
Prussian Blue Tape Check
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Non-Destructive Examinations
(NDE)
Visual Inspection
Signs of wear and damage

Red Dye Penetrant Test

Tests for small cracks not visible to
naked eye

Magnetic Particle Test

Tests for cracks using fluorescent spray
and electric current
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Red and Blue Contact Check
Tooth Contact Check
Paint is applied to active faces of
teeth on both gears in the
gearset.
Gears are rotated in operating
direction, allowing all teeth to
contact.
Contact areas are shown where
two paint colors have mixed

Contact Results Layout

Clear tape used to transfer
results from teeth to layout
sheet.
Layout shows patterns of poor
contact and assists in developing
analysis of contact check results.
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Prussian Blue Tape Tests
Used when pitting, scoring, and
material removal is present on
teeth.

Prussian Blue paint is applied to

tooth surface and Scotch tape
applied on top of paint.

The areas of the tape where blue

paint is not present are areas
where scoring, pitting, or loss-of-
material have occurred.

Commonly used to track the

progression of scoring or pitting.