Wear, 61 (1980) 143 - 156 143

0 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in the Netherlands

AN ANALYTICAL METHOD TO CALCULATE MISALIGNMENT IN THE

JOURNAL BEARING OF A PLANETARY GEAR SYSTEM

PRALAY KWMAR DAS and SHIAM SUNDER GUPTA

Pratt & Whitney Ailwaft of Canada, Longueuil, Quebec (Canada}
(Received July 9, 1979)

Summary

A general theory is developed whereby the effect of the ~di~du~

component stiffnesses of an epicyclic gear train can be considered in order
to determine the misalignment in the planet journal bearings and the load
distribution at the sun gear and the ring gear meshes.
The epicyclic gear train considered consists of a free sun gear, a free
carrier and a fixed ring gear. The twist in the planets, which contain the
journal bearings, is governed by the stiffnesses of the sun gear and the ring
gear. The twist in the journals, which are supported by the carrier and
which effectively act as a cantilever at the carrier output plate, is dependent
on the stiffness of the carrier itself and the stiffness of the hydrodynamic
oil film in the journal bearing. The relative twist of the journal with respect
to the bearing constitutes the misalignment in the bearing. This mis~i~ment
generates non-uniform pressure distribution along the journal causing
moments in the hydrodynamic film both in the tangential and the radial
planes and it significantly increases the peak pressure and decreases the
m~imum oil film thickness. These moments are balanced by the generation
of reacting moments at the sun gear/ring gear meshes and this causes the load
distribution to peak towards one end which consequently augments the gear
tooth stresses.
In this paper the various gear train components are idealized by rota-
tional springs. Compatibility and force equilibrium equations are used to
develop the expressions for the misalignment moments.
A computer program has been written and general curves developed to
show the variation of the mis~i~ment moment as a function of individual
component stiffnesses. To cover a practical range of stiffnesses the compo-
nent stiffnesses for a small turbo-prop gearbox were determined by using
finite element computer programs based on isoparametric shell and solid
~reedimension~ elements.
This study showed the changes to the carrier stiffness to be most effec-
tive and the changes to the ring gear stiffness to be the least effective in
achieving a reduction in the misalignment in the range and the ratios of the
parameters considered. The use of the method developed will result in a
more realistic analysis of both the journal bearing and the gear stresses.
144

1. Introduction

In an aircraft engine the power turbine rotatesat over 30 000 rev min-.
The speed is reduced to approximately 1800 rev min- at the propeller
_
end through a reduction gearbox employing a planetary gear system. The
planetary gearbox for a typical turbo-prop engine (Fig. 1) uses a hydro-
dynamic journal bearing. The successful operation of the reduction gear-
box depends heavily on the smooth and efficient performance of the hydro-
dynamic bearing. It has been demonstrated by several authors [ 1 - 51 that
the efficiency of the hydrodynamic bearing is deteriorated significantly
by the misalignment between the bearing and the journal. Misalignment
increases the hydrodynamic peak pressure and reduces the minimum film
thickness in the bearing. To ensure that the peak pressure does not exceed
the allowable maximum limit and the minimum film thickness does not fall
below a minimum value the amount of misalignment in the bearing should
be known.

Governor drive

Second stage run ga.r

quemeter cylinder I pirlon

Flnt stage planet g.ar

Rear case assembly

First stage ring gear

lransler housing

Second stage ring gear

Fig. 1. Cross section of PT6 gearbox.

In the planetary gear system misalignment usually occurs owing to the

differential elastic response of the individual components comprising the
gear train. The gear system consists of a ring gear, a planet gear, a sun gear
and the carrier. The hydrodynamic bearing is usually inserted into the bore
of the planet. The planet gear rotates about a supporting shaft (the carrier
pin) that itself rotates about the engine axis (Fig. 2).
These components in the gear train undergo an amount of twist under
the transmitted torque load which depends on their rotational stiffnesses.
The differential twist between the planet gear bore and the supporting shaft
introduces misalignment in the hydrodynamic bearing. The misalignment in
the bearing can be reduced by suitably adjusting the stiffnesses of different
elastic components in the gear train.
In this work a method of analysis has been developed to calculate the
misalignment in the hydrodynamic bearing of a planetary gearbox when the
 145

Ringg.ar(flxed)
Ring gear tooth mesh

Hydrodynamic film

Sun gear /
Sun gem tooth mash
X

Fig. 2. Planetary gear in a reduction gearbox.

rotational stiffnesses of the different elastic components in the gear train are
known. A computer program has been developed to solve the problem
numerically. A parametric study has been done to investigate the effect of
stiffnesses of individual components on the misalignments of the bearing.

2. Method of analysis

2.1. Assumptions
The following assumptions are made in the method of analysis developed
to calculate the misalignments in the bearing.
(1) The centrifugal force on the gear caused by the orbital motion
about the engine axis is resisted by the fluid film. The frictional resistances
at the gear teeth mesh are negligible. Hence the part of the centrifugal force
which is resisted at the gear teeth meshes is negligible.
(2) The full length of the shorter of the two teeth in the gear tooth
mesh is in contact.
(3) The loading distribution on the tooth can be represented by a tri-
angular load.
(4) The individual component in the gear train is made of isotropic
homogeneous material obeying Hookes law.
(5) The carrier is very stiff in resisting loading in the radial plane so the
differential displacement in the radial plane between two ends of the carrier
pin (journal) is negligible. Therefore the radial misalignment in the bearing is
equal to the rotation of the planet in the radial plane.
(6) The planet hub is assumed to be rigid.
The moments on the journal in the journal coordinate system can be
expressed in terms of the tangential misalignment (Y, and the radial mis-
146

alignment a y as

M,, = -Kxxax -Kwyay (1)

Myj =-Kyx(~,--Kyyc~y (2)

The moment in the gear (bearing) in the gear coordinate system is given by
(Fig. 3)
M,,+M,j=O (3)

M yb -My,=0 (4)

Fig. 3. Equilibrium of moment in planet gear.

For equilibrium of moments in the gear (Fig. 2)

M,+M,+Mxb =o (5)

~M~-M=)t~~+~~b=o (6)
For compatibility of rotation between the sun gear mesh, the ring gear mesh
and the carrier (Fig. 4)
ff, =(Yc --(IL, +cY,tana (7)

CY, = a, -ff, -azytancY fs)

The total twists CY,and 01,in the sun gear mesh and the ring gear mesh respec-
tively are caused by (i) the uniform torque load F, (ii) the moment load at
the tooth mesh and (iii) the initial misalignment caused by manufacturing
tolerances :
ffs = aSM + QSF + %o = %M + WK,, + Qso (9)

% = @RM + aRF + h-0 = &R&f + F/&u, + %O (10)

 147

Undl~tortad centw llne 01

carrier pin and planet gear

Planet gear bore

Mhtlgnment In film
Dlrplaced center the

Twist Of planet Q*ar (a J

Fig. 4. Rotation of the planet gear and the carrier (tangential plane).

The moments M, and M, on the sun gear mesh and the ring gear mesh are
caused by twists (Ye and eRM respectively. Therefore

M,= QISMKS (11)

M,=~RM& WV

Collecting like terms in eqns. (l), (3), (5), (7), (9) and (11) gives

ox(-Kx + K, + K,) + aY {-KY - (K, - K) tan a)

= MG + K,) -- F(WL, + &IL,) - K,e,o - Kre,o (13)

Collecting like terms in eqns. (2), (4), (6), (8), (10) and (12) gives

OL,{K, +(K,-K,)tancu}
+aY{KYY-(KS +K,)tan%}
=cu,(K,
-K,)tana -F(K,/K,,,
-K,/K,,)tana-
-(Ksaso-KAo) tan~ (14)
In eqns. (13) and (14) the carrier twist (II, is unknown. (Y, is produced
by (i) the moment load M,jon the journal, (ii) the transmitted torque load
2F and (iii) the initial misalignment (Y,~ caused by manufacturing and
assembly tolerances. Hence the carrier twist (Y, can be written as

2F
=---+ (15)
K,
148

cy, can be replaced by eqn. (15) in eqns. (13) and (14). Finally the journal
misalignments (Y, and Q,, can be related by
clcxy, + cpffy = ca (16)

c4a, + c5a, = C6 (17)

where

Cl =--K,, + K, + K, + -> (K, + Kr)

CP

C2 = -K,, - (K, - K,)tana + > (K, + K,)

CP

c = 2(Ks+KdF_
3 + Kraro) +
Kc

+ (KS + Krbco

c4 = K,, + (KS - K,)tan (II+ K (Ks - K,)tm 0~

CP

C5 = K,,
-(KS + Kr)tan2a + g (KS -K,)tancr
CP

---KS K, WG -&I
cs=-
i K SUP K rUP 1
Ftancu +

KC
Ftana-

- K&so - K,a,,)tan a + (KS - K,)a,,,tan a

Once the stiffnesses of the individual components are known the coefficients
Cr, C2, C3, C1, C6 and Cs can be determined using eqn. (18), and the tan-
gential misalignment (Y, and radial misalignment czYcan be calculated using
eqns. (16) and (17).
The tangential moment M,j and the radial moment M,j on the journal
are calculated by substituting the calculated values of Q, and cxYin eqns. (1)
and (2). The carrier twist OLD,the sun gear mesh twist 01,and the ring gear
mesh twist Q, are calculated from eqns. (15), (7) and (8) respectively. The
ring gear moment M, and the sun gear moment M, are calculated from the
following equations :

M, = Ksas - F (19)

M, =K+, -F
 149

2.2. Non-linearity in the stiffness of the fluid film

The rotational stiffnesses I&, K,.., K,, and K,, of the hydrodynamic
fluid film are not constant quantities but vary with the misalignment (Y,
and (Ye. From eqn. (18) coefficients CI, Cs, C4 and Cs are functions of mis-
alignment 01, and (Y,,.Hence (IL,and cyy in the bearing are related by the fol-
lowing non-linear algebraic equations:

G(Qx)% + Cd%Jby = c3 (21)

C4(% 1 ax +C~(%J)% =c6 (22)

An iterative technique based on the Newton-Raphson method of

finding roots for non-linear algebraic equations [6] can be used to solve for
(Y, and CQ,from eqns. (21) and (22).

3. Method of solution

An iterative technique has been used to solve for (Y, and (Ye from
eqns. (21) and (22). Equations (21) and (22) can be written as

F(X, Y) = &(X)X + C,( Y)Y - c3 (23)

G(X,Y)=c4(x)x+c~(Y)y-ccg (24)

where (Y, and (11,are replaced by X and Y respectively. F(X, Y) and G(X, Y)
are residual functions for eqns. (21) and (22) for any values of X and Y. Let
X, and Y, be the roots of eqns. (21) and (22) obtained after n iterations
such that
X, =Xn-l +h

Y, = Y,_l +k
Hence
F(X,_l + h, Y,wl + k) = 0

G(X,_l +h, Y,_l +k)=O

When higher-order terms of h and k are neglected

F(X,_l + h, Y,ml + k) = F(X,-I, Y,-1) + +1(X,-,) +

+x2-1 & C,(X,-I) I k 1CAY,-1) + Yn-I +yG(y.-,)

+
I= 0

(25)
150

Similarly

1
GWn-I, Yn-I) + h C,tX,-1) +X-I & C,tX,-1) i+
+h
i
C5(Yn_1)+ Y,-, f-.
ay CdYn-1)
10 =

Equations (25) and (26) can be solved to obtain h and k.

The process is repeated n times until the residual functions F(X,, Y,)
and G(X,, Y,) become sufficiently small.

4. Results of analysis

The method of analysis given in Section 3 has been used to calculate

the misalignment in the bearing of a reduction gearbox of a small turbo-
prop engine which has a planetary gear system, The calculation consists of
two parts:
(1) determine the mis~i~ment at the maximum power level;
(2) determine the effect of stiffnesses of individual components on the
misalignments in the bearing at the maximum power level.
The gearbox has a fixed ring gear. The power input was at the sun gear
and the output was the carrier (Fig. 1). The engine has two reduction stages.
The engine has an output of 850 hp (634 kW) with a propeller speed of 2000
rev min- and a turbine speed of 30 145 rev min- (502 Hz). The parameters
of the bearing for the two reduction stages are given in Table 1. Only the
bearing in the first stage is considered in detail here (Fig. 5).

TABLE 1
Reduction gear planet bearing parameters

First stage p&net bearing Second stage planet bearing

Length (in (cm)) 1.33 (3.378) 1.14 (2.895)

Diameter (in (cm)) 1.039 (2.639) 1.039 (2.639)
Radial clearance (in (cm)) 0.001875 (0.00476) 0.001375 (0.00349)
Planet speed (rev min- (Hz)) 14625 (244) 8842 (148)
Orbital speed of planet (rev mine1
(Hz)) 5625 (94) 2000 (33)
Torque load Py on planet (lbf
(kgf)) 1685 (766) 1648 (749)
Centrifugal load P, on planet
(lbf (kgf)) 1677 (762) 239 (109)
Type of lubricant MIL-L-23699 MIL-L-23699
Power transmitted (hp (kW)) 850 (634) 850 (634)
 151

Planet gear bore

Orbital peth

Carrierpill
(journsl)

Fig. 5. Load on the hydrodynamic bearing of the planet gear: P, = 1677 lbf (762 kgf),
load due to centrifugal force on the planet; P, = 1685 lbf (766 kgf), load due to trans-
mitted torque; TDC, top dead center.

TABLE 2
Rotational stiffnesses of individual components

Component Loading type Rotational stiffness

Sun gear Uniform (lbf rad- (kgf rad-) 0.3437 (0.15E7)

Triangular (lbf in rad-l (kgf cm rad-l)) 0.4436 (0.50636)
Ring gear and Uniform (Ibf rad-l (kgf rad-l)) 0.37738 (0.171E8)
housing Triangular (lbf in rad-l (kgf cm rad-l)) 0.14236 (0.16E6)
Carrier Uniform (lbf rad-l (kgf rad-)) 0.30537 (0.13837)
Triangular (lbf in rad- (kgf cm rad-)) 0.12737 (0.14337)
Planet Uniform (lbf rad-l (kgf rad-l)) Infinite
Triangular (lbf in rad-l (kgf cm rad-l)) 0.13837 (0.15937)

Uniform load Forward triangular load

4.1. Stiffness of the elastic components

The stiffnesses of the elastic components (ring gear and housing, sun
gear, carrier and planet gear tooth) were determined by three-dimensional
finite element analysis. Stiffnesses determined in this way are given in
Table 2 for the first reduction stage.

4.2. Stiffness of fluid film

The stiffnesses of the fluid film were determined at the operating load
by a computer program for the hydrodynamic analysis of the bearing. The
program solves a finite difference formulation of Reynolds equation to
determine film pressures over the bearing grid that is used to represent the
bearing area. Reynolds equation is solved by the implicit non-iterative matrix
column inversion method [ 71.
152

3.2 2.8

3.1 2.7

3.0 -KYY YSLY Y /2.6

2.9
2.5
2.8
-2.4
2.7
-2.3
2.6
-2.2
& 2.5
7 2.4 -2.1 5

3 2.3 -2.0 ;,
$ 2.2 -1.9 2e

. 21 Kxyvsa
Y rt.a 3
B'
2.0-1
1.9- -1.7 l

1 .a- -1.6 $

-1.5

-1.4

-1.3

-1.2
Kyx v.ta ,,
-1.1

-K,,VSCY x -1.0

r I I
0 5 10 20 30 40 50 x10-5
Mlsallgnment radlans (Yx, cr y

Fig. 6. Stiffness of the hydrodynamic fluid film. Bearing parameters: length, 3.378 cm
(1.33 in); diameter, 2.639 cm (1.04 in.);radial clearance, 0.004763 cm (0.001876 in);
speed, 244 Hz; torque load, 766 kgf (1685 lbf), centrifugal load, 762 kgf (1676 lbf);
lubricant, MIL-L-23699.

The stiffnesses of the fluid film calculated using the program are given
in Fig. 6. These stiffnesses were used to calculate the misalignments in the
bearing by a computer program based on the method of analysis given in
Section 3.

4.3. Misalignment at the niaximum power level

The theoretical misalignments have been calculated for the two stages
of planet bearings using the proposed method. The results of this analysis are
given in Table 3.
The analysis shows that the first stage planet bearing has a tangential
misalignment of 0.0002680 rad and a radial misalignment of 0.0001304
rad at the rated power of 850 hp (634 kW). The corresponding peak pressure
and the minimum film thickness are 10 260 lbf in- (722 kgf cm- ) and
77 pin (196 pcm) respectively. Owing to the misalignment there is a 10%
increase in the hydrodynamic peak pressure and a 10% reduction in the min-
imum film thickness compared with a non-misaligned bearing. Misalignment
TABLE 3
Effect of misalignment on bearing performance

Description Peak pressure (lbf ine2 (kgf cmb2)) Minimum film thickness @in @cm)) Remarks

Aligned Misaligneda Indrease in Aligned Misaligned Reduction

C&=0 CU,= 0.000268 peak cw, =o a, = 0.00011 in Hmin
ay =o uy = 0.00013 pressure (%) uy = 0 ay =o (%)

First stage 9265 10250 10 77 10 Misalignment does not affect

reduction (655) (722) (196) the bearing performance signi-
ficantly
Second stage 8200 15200 85 53 Misalignment has significant
reduction (578) (1071) ;:9) influence on the bearing per-
formance

The misalignments in radians were calculated using the present technique.

154

has a marginal effect on the performance of the first stage planet bearing.
However, in the second stage planet bearing with misalignment the
peak pressure and the minimum film thickness are 15 200 lbf in2 (1071
kgf cmm2) and 35 pin (89 pcm) respectively. In this bearing misalignment
causes an 85% increase in the hydrodynamic peak pressure and a 53%
reduction in the minimum film thickness. Both these factors can reduce the
bearing life significantly.

4.4. Effect of the stiffness of individual components on the misalignment

A parametric study has been carried out to investigate the effect of the
stiffness of individual components on the bearing misalignment at the maxi-
.mum power level for the first stage bearing. The results of the parametric
study for the reduction gearbox are as follows.
Ring gear stiffness: Fig. 7 shows that as the stiffness of the ring gear is
increased, tangential and radial misalignments in the bearing increase.
Carrier stiffness: Fig. 8 shows that as the rotational stiffness of the
carrier is increased the misalignments in the bearing decrease in both the
radial and the tangential planes.
Sun gear stiffness: Fig. 9 shows that as the rotational stiffness of the
sun gear is increased the misalignments in the bearing increase in both the
tangential and radial planes.

110
stiflnen rat10 KrKF2.0
Fig. 7. Effect of the ring gear stiffness on bearing misalignment: K,, ring gear stiffness of
the existing gear box (Table 1).

5. Conclusion

An analytical method has been developed to calculate misalignments in

the hydrodynamic bearing of a planetary gearbox.. A computer program has
been developed to solve the formulation numerically.
The program has been used to calculate the misalignment in the hydro-
dynamic bearing of the reduction gearbox of a small turbo-prop engine
(850 hp, propeller speed 2000 rev min-). A parametric study of the effect
 155

100-l

60-

zp 70-

:
5 60- so-
5
c
Y
j 60-
z 40.

:
g 40- s
9 = 30.
c
5
30- C
misalignment)
E
; 20.
20-

lo-
(R4dlal mlrallgnmant) b
1 I
.6 1.0 1.6 2.0 .5 1.0 1.6 2.0

Stillness ratlo Kc/Kc Slllfness ratio KS/K;

Fig. 8. Effect of carrier stiffness on bearing misalignment: K& carrier rotational stiffness
of the existing gear box.
Fig. 9. Effect of sun gear stiffness on bearing misalignment. K,*, sun gear rotational
stiffness of the existing gear box.

of rotational stiffness on the misalignment in the bearing for this particular

turbo-prop engine reveals the following.
(1) Carrier rotational stiffness has the strongest influence on the mis-
alignment in the planet bearing. The misalignment can be reduced by
increasing the rotational stiffness of the carrier.
(2) The rotational stiffnesses of the ring gear and the sun gear have a
marginal influence on the misalignment in the planet bearing. However,
misalignment in the bearing can be reduced by using a flexible ring gear and
a flexible sun gear.
(3) Misalignment has an adverse effect on the performance of the planet
bearing. For the reduction gearbox planet bearings presented here the mis-
alignment has an insignificant effect on the first stage, but in the second
stage misalignment causes the peak pressure to go up by 85% and the
minimum film thickness to go down by 53%.

Nomenclature

cl, . . . . c6 coefficients defined in eqn. (18).

F tangential load in the gear tooth mesh due to transmitted torque, kgf
Kxx, Kxy rotational stiffness of the hydrodynamic film about the X axis due to mis-
alignment about the X and Y axes respectively, kgf cm rad-l
156

rotational stiffness of the hydrodynamic film about the axis due to mis-
alignment about the X and Y axes respectively, kgf cm raddl
equivalent torsional stiffness for moment loading at the sun gear and the
ring gear meshes respectively, kgf cm raddl
equivalent torsional stiffness for uniform load at the sun gear and the
ring gear meshes respectively, kgf rad-l
torsional stiffness of the carrier for uniform load, kgf raddl
torsional stiffness of the carrier for moment load, kgf cm rad-l
torsional stiffness of the sun gear tooth including support for moment
loading (kgf cm rad-) and for uniform loading (kgf rad-l) respectively
torsional stiffness of the planet tooth for moment loading (kgf cm rad-l)
and for uniform loading (kgf rad- ) respectively
torsional stiffness of the ring gear tooth including housing structures for
moment loading (kgf cm rad-l) and for uniform loading (kgf rad-l)
respectively
Mxj 9 MYj moment on the journal about the X and Y axes respectively, kgf cm
M MYb moment on the bearing about the X and Y axes respectively, kgf cm
M;,bb, tangential moment at the sun gear mesh and the ring gear mesh respec-
tively, kgf cm
(Y pressure angle of the gear tooth
%,QlY misalignment of the journal centre line with respect to the bearing (gear
axis) centre line about the X and Y axes respectively, rad
%P% total twist in the sun gear mesh and the ring gear mesh respectively, rad
%,%o~%J initial misalignment in the sun gear mesh, ring gear mesh and the carrier
pin respectively.
%M, %M twist in the sun gear tooth mesh and the ring gear tooth mesh respectively
caused by moment loading, rad
%F, %F twist in the sun gear mesh and the ring gear tooth mesh respectively caused
by a uniform load F, rad

References

1 T. A. Pafelias, Solution of certain problems of viscous laminar flow with application in

engineering problems, Ph.D. Thesis, Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.,
1974.
2 D. V. Singh, R. Sunhasan and H. N. Singh, Analysis of hydrodynamic journal bearing
with axes skew, J. Mech. Eng. Sci., 15 (2) (1973) 123 - 131.
3 G. B. Dubois, F. W. Ocvirk and R. L. Wehe, Properties of misaligned journal bearings,
Trans. ASME, 79 (Aug. 1957) 1205 - 1212.
4 A. Mukherjee, An analytical solution of a finite bearing with an inclined journal, Wear,
29 (1974) 21- 29.
5 A. J. Smalley and H. McCallion, The effect of journal misalignment on the perfor-
mance of a journal bearing under steady running conditions, Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng.
London, 181 (3B) (1966 - 67) 45 - 54.
6 W. S. Dorn and D. D. McCracken, Numerical Methods with Fortran IV Case Studies,
Wiley, New York, 1972, pp. 39 - 40.
7 V. Castelli and W. Shapiro, Improved method for numerical solutions of the general
incompressible fluid film lubrication problem, J. Lubr. Technol., 89 (April 1967)
211- 218.