An Integrated Modeling Method with High-Fidelity for Journal Bearings of Wind Turbine Gearbox

Conventional tribology simulations for planet gear journal bearings (PGJBs) in wind turbine gearboxes often neglect the synergistic effects of PGJB full-lifecycle parameters, making it difficult to precisely simulate PGJB tribological behaviors. To address the issue, an integrated modeling method with high-fidelity based on multi-physics theory for PGJBs, which couples laser cladding (LC) process simulation with service process simulation including mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime and wear evolution, is proposed to characterize the synergistic effects of the full-lifecycle parameters on the tribological behavior of PGJBs. To endow the PGJB integrated model with high-fidelity, an experimental data-based calibration method using NSGA-II algorithm is introduced, with experimental validation achieving an average error within 5% between simulation results and experimental data. Analysis of the influence of key full-lifecycle parameters reveals that increased bearing clearance or external moment leads to degraded lubrication conditions and aggravated wear, whereas a moderate LC coating thickness effectively enhances lubrication performance and suppresses wear accumulation. The proposed integrated model provides an efficient theoretical tool for comprehensive analysis of the synergistic effects of parameters on PGJB tribological behaviors.