The 16th Israeli Symposium on Jet Engines and Gas Turbines

November 9, 2017

Aero-Engine Fan Gearbox Design

Presented by:
Ilan Berlowitz
BEDEK Aviation Group, Aircraft & Programs Division
Israel Aerospace Industries

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 Introduction 1/2
The most significant difference between a Geared Turbofan (GTF)
engine and conventional Direct Drive Turbofan (DDTF) engine is
that the GTF adopts a reduction gearbox locating in-line between
the fan and the low pressure (LP) compressor/turbine shaft.
For a DDTF engine with high bypass ratio (BPR), the rotational
speed of the fan should be slower than the engine with a
conventional BPR, due to the limitation of the fan blade tip speed,
to prevent efficiency loss, and to lower the SFC and noise levels.
However, the slower speed of the LP shaft would result in LP
compressor/turbine efficiency loss or stages increasing.
Hence, a geared turbofan engine with a reduction gearbox located
between the fan and LP shaft would be able to optimize the
rotational speeds of both the fan and LP shaft to reduce stages of
the rotating parts, and to reduce SFC and noise levels.
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 Introduction 2/2
It has been concluded that the GTF engine has no significant
SFC reduction compared with conventional DDTF engines at
the same BPR <10, but the GTF engine will have a much lower
parts count.
When the engine BPR reaches 10 or above, the conventional
DDTF engine is no longer considered as a design candidate
since it faces high aerodynamic efficiency losses, unacceptable
noise level, and parts count rising - hence weight increasing.
Therefore, the GTF engine is more favored with an ultra-high
BPR, and the most significant advantages of a GTF engine is
that it has a much smaller parts count, and relative low SFC
and noise levels.

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 P&W PW1000G vs. CFM International LEAP

Using in-line gearbox reduces the overall length of the GTF engine as there is less
stages for the compressor or the turbine. The P&W PurePower PW1000G geared
engine has 3 LP turbine stages whereas the LEAP GEnX engine has up to 7 stages.
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 Geared Engines
Honeywell Turbofan LF 507 P&W Turboprop PT6A Rolls Royce Turboshaft GEM
The single stage gearbox The gearbox has two planetary A planetary gearbox,
is a star arrangement with stages, with helical involute gears. epicyclic type with sun
seven planets and is driven The first stage has three planets and and planet gears.
by the LP shaft. The gears the second stage five planets.
are helical.

Honeywell Turbofan TFE 731 Rolls Royce Turboprop TYNE IAE Turbofan V2500
A planetary gearbox with Double reduction gearing by The gearbox is a planetary
involute spur gears. The compound planetary train with helical type with simple helical
fan shaft is linked to the gears. The input is from the LP shaft gears. The speed ratio is
ring gear and the input and the output is the planet carrier 3:1
shaft is attached to the sun linked to the propeller. The annulus is
gear. fixed and the speed ratio is 15.9:1

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 Advanced Prop-fan Engine Technology (APET)
Counter-Rotating Differential Planetary Gearbox

The Advanced Prop-Fan (“Open Rotor”) Engine Technology

(APET) shows that a Prop-Fan powered aircraft can provide a
21% improvement in fuel burn and a I0% advantage in direct
operating costs relative to a turbofan powered aircraft with
comparable technology. However, key engine-related
technologies should be considered:
• The large 12,000 horsepower size reduction gearbox,
• Prop-Fan/nacelle/inlet/compressor interactions,
• The small size high-pressure compressor.
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 In-Line Gearbox Concept

• The star/star and lay-shaft arrangement is large and heavy,

• The compound planetary generates centrifugal loads on the
bearing,
• The planetary/planetary arrangement first stage carrier speed is
too high.
• The split path with the lightest weight and smallest diameter
arrangement is usually selected. The first of two stages is a star
arrangement to reduce the number of planets. Using high strength
materials and limiting the number of gears and bearings improve the
durability and reduce the maintenance costs with a better efficiency.
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 NASA Advanced Gearbox Technology (AGBT)
Gearbox Structural Features

• The AGBT program objective was to design a long-life, low maintenance

gearbox for Allison prop-fan engine. The counter-rotating gearbox had a speed
ratio of 8.33:1, designed to transmit 13,000 hp. The input speed from the
engine was 9,500 RPM and the output speed to the fan was 1,140 RPM.
• The final gearbox is a differential planetary with double helical gears and
four planets, double row cylindrical roller bearings between the planet carrier
and the planets, tapered roller bearing for the prop-fan, and a flexible ring gear
and diaphragm to provide flexible mounting.
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 P&W PurePower PW1000G Gearbox 1/2
• Engine: the engine reduces the fuel consumption by 16% and up to 25% on
next generation aircrafts, and reduces the noise by 31 dB compared with a
Stage-3 noise level. The reduction in CO2 emissions is by 15%, and up to 50%
for NOx emissions.
• Gearbox: the input shaft is coming from the LP compressor/turbine and runs at
9,000 RPM. The output shaft is mounted on the ring and linked to the fan, which
has an average speed of 3,000 RPM. The planet carrier is fixed. The gearbox is
a five planet star gearbox, with a speed ratio of 3:1. The double helical gears
are made from high-strength steels.
• Bearings: selected between the planet carrier and the planet gears are journal
bearings. The sun and the ring are mounted on splines, and a flexible
diaphragm coupling combined with tapered rolling bearings, isolate the gearbox
from any adverse fan load.

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P&W PurePower PW1000G Gearbox 2/2
Airplane Powered
• Mitsubishi Regional Jet MRJ70
• Mitsubishi Regional Jet MRJ90
• Bombardier CSeries CS100
• Bombardier CSeries CS300
• Irkut MC-21
• Airbus A320neo
• Embraer E-Jet E2 Family

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 Aerospace Gearing Design Approach 1/2
• The complete range of power and speed or torque should be
defined including growth capability. A duty cycle definition is
required for calculation of gear and bearing system life, based on
varying flight envelope load and duration.
• Gear ratio should be specified with an indication of allowable
deviation. Input and output directions of rotation are required in
selection of the helix or spiral for thrust direction and lubrication
considerations.
• A value for gear system weight should be specified as “dry”
gearbox weight and “wet” gearbox with lubrication system weight.
• Gear location and maximum dimensions envelope in details
should be defined.
• Reliability requirements specified in terms of mean time between
failures (MTBF).

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 Aerospace Gearing Design Approach 2/2
• Guidelines for maintenance procedures and tool limitations
should be specified.
• Life cycle cost defined as the total cost maintenance of the
system over its operating life, and gearbox efficiently should be
established.
• External loads generated by rotor loads, flight or gravity effects,
hard or crash landing requirements, or vibrations should be
considered.
• Altitude and attitude specifications are required for lubrication
system design.
• Requirements for operation with loss of lubricant, typically
specifying a time and power level of operation.
• Meeting specified internal noise levels in cabin and flight deck.

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 Gear Tooth Nomenclature

The module is a measure of tooth size in mm. The module is defined as the pitch-circle
diameter divided by number of teeth on gear.

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Gear Area of Contact & Boundary Zones

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 Spur, Helical & Double Helical Gears

Spur Helical Double Helical

• Spur gears teeth are parallel to the axis of rotation and have a pressure
angle of 20 to 25 degree. Higher pressure angle results in lower contact
ratio hence higher bending stress.
• Helical gears transmission are smoother and quieter than that of a
comparable spur gear. The helix angle value can be up to 45 degrees.
• Double helical gears are used in the applications with high transmission
loads and rotational speeds.

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 Flow Chart of Gear Design
The gearbox design, and particularly
the gear design, is based on British
Standard ISO 6336 [Calculation of load
capacity of spur and helical gears]

Star Arrangement Epicyclic Arrangement

P&W PW1000G Rolls Royce GEM

Planetary (Epicyclic) Gearbox

American Gear Manufacturers Association

AGMA 911-A94 [Design Guidelines for Aerospace Gearing] Gear Free Body Diagram
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 Gearbox Design
This presentation aims at designing an aero engine gearbox. It focuses on stresses
and tries to have a gearbox as compact as possible. Stresses are determined with
the BS ISO 6336 method and compared with KISSsoft calculation programs for
machine design.
The P&W PurePower PW1000G data is:
• The transmitted power 30,000 hp (22,371 kW)
• Input and output speeds 9,000 RPM and 3,000 RPM respectively
• Speed ratio 3:1
• The gearbox arrangement is star gearbox, with 5 planets. Gears are double
helical as the transmitted torque is huge and the speed is high.
• Planet bearings are journal bearings - no axial load.
Selected materials are case-hardened steel formed by diffusing carbon
(carburization) for the sun and planet (or star) gear. This material has an allowable
bending stress equals to σFlim = 430 Megapascal (Mpa) and its allowable contact
stress is σHlim = 1,500 MPa.
The ring gear is made from nitriding steel (diffuses nitrogen), which has an
allowable bending stress equals to σFlim = 425 MPa and the allowable contact
stress of σHlim = 1,250 MPa.
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 Calculated Gearbox Design

Module 6 mm, Zsun = 40, Zring = 120 Module 5 mm, Zsun = 40, Zring = 120

The root diameter of the ring gear is 833.4 mm and 694.5 mm

→ too large and not compact
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 “Torque Density”

There is a linear relationship between the torque and the

weight and size.
“Torque density” is the torque per unit volume. For a given
set of criteria, the torque density is similar from one gearbox
to another.
By comparing with a double helical gearbox, knowing the
transmitted torque and the dimensions, the “torque density”
can be determined, and so a rough sizing of the gearbox
can be calculated.

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 Gearbox Size Comparison with Rolls Royce GEM 1/3
• Assuming Beam’s theory on a gear tooth, the stress is: σ = (M · y)/I,
where: σ - bending stress (MPa), M - moment, or torque (N-m), y - the
distance from the neutral axis, I - the second moment of area (m4)
• Considering that gear tooth having the same amount of stress is
equivalent as having a constant torque density.
• It is known that the GEM engine has the following characteristics:
o Maximum power P = 1,100 hp (= 820,270 W)
o Gearbox input and output speeds: 27,000 RPM and 6,000 RPM
o Planetary gearbox with a speed ratio of 4.5
• The torque on the sun gear is determined by:
TGEM, SUN = P/ω ≈ 820,270/(π · 27,000/30) ≈ 290 N-m
• Knowing the sun diameter (d) and the face width (b):
o dGEM, SUN = 45 mm
o bGEM, SUN = 2 · 22 mm = 44 mm
• The “torque density” can be estimated as:
Torque/Volume = T/[π · (d/2)2 · b]
Thus, (Torque/Volume)GEM ≈ 4,146,960 N-m/m3
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 Gearbox Size Comparison with
Rolls Royce GEM 2/3

The P&W PurePower PW1000G gearbox can be sized:

• Maximum power at takeoff 30,000 hp (= 22,370,996 W)
• Gearbox input and output speeds: 9,000 RPM and 3,000
RPM respectively
• Star gearbox speed ratio of 3:1
• TorqueP&W SUN = P/ω ≈ 22,370,996/[π · (9,000/30)] ≈
23,746 N-m
• Face width (b) to diameter (d) ratio b/d = 0.8 from P&W
video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgQgEftEd8c
• Volume of the gear approximated V = 0.8 · (π/4) · d3
• Helix angle β = 30°

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 Gearbox Size Comparison with
Rolls Royce GEM 3/3

1
4 𝑇𝑃&𝑊 𝑆𝑈𝑁 3
If the same “torque 𝑑density”
𝑃&𝑊 𝑆𝑈𝑁 = is applied,
⋅ the sun diameter
0.8𝜋 𝑇𝐺𝐸𝑀 𝑆𝑈𝑁
is determined as: 𝑉𝐺𝐸𝑀 𝑆𝑈𝑁
1
4 3
𝑑𝑃&𝑊 𝑆𝑈𝑁 = 23,746 ⋅ ≈ 209 𝑚𝑚
4,146,960 ⋅ 0.8𝜋

Assuming the number of teeth of the sun is equal to Z = 35

from P&W video, the module can be determined by the
reference diameter formula, see BS ISO 21771 [Gears -
Cylindrical involute gears and gear pairs]:
• d = Z · m/cos(β)
Thus, m = [cos(β) · d]/Z ≈ [cos(30) · 209]/35 ≈ 5 mm
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 Gearboxes Size Comparison

m5, Zsun 35, Zring 105 m4, Zsun 45, Zring 135 m4, Zsun 35, Zring 105
External diameter 641 mm 651 mm 513 mm
SH Safety Factor for Contact 1.37/2.33 1.50/2.36 1.02/1.50
Stress (min/max)
SF Safety Factor for Bending 3.95/5.60 3.65/5.27 1.63/3.03
Stress (min/max)
σHP KISSsoft (sun/ring) MPa 1,315/1,059 1,228/977 1,213/965
σFP KISSsoft (sun/ring) MPa 729/724 701/747 700/740
Weight (kg) 238.5 274.3 122.4
Efficiency 0.995 0.996 0.993
Power loss (kW) 120.5 92.1 145.7
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 BS ISO vs. KISSsoft

Module 5 mm, Zsun 35, Zring 105 ISO Calculations KISSsoft

SH Safety Factor for Contact Stress Sun/Ring 1.65/1.37 1.63/2.33
SF Safety Factor for Bending Stress Sun/Ring 5.60/4.54 4.05/3.39
σH Contact Stress Sun/Ring MPa 586/588 807/454
σHP Permissible Contact Stress Sun/Ring MPa 969/807 1,316/1,059
σF Bending Stress Sun/Ring MPa 128/133 180/214
σFP Permissible Bending Stress sun/ring MPa 717/602 730/724

Notes:
• KISSsoft is an industrial tool, therefore, permissible stresses are much
higher.
• Stresses calculated with the ISO standard are close to the required
value.
• Differences concerning bending can be explained by the fact that the
ISO 6336 is not initially made to design planetary gearboxes.

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 Summary & Conclusions
• Two aero planetary gearboxes have been examined in details, the P&W
PurePower PW1000G which is a very large civil gearbox and the Rolls
Royce GEM which is a very small military gearbox.

• KISSsoft has been used to model these gearboxes in accordance with the
BS ISO 6336.

• Based on the model of the military gearbox and the civil gearbox data, a
gearbox have been designed for a BPR 15:1 turbofan.

• All BS ISO 6336 and KISSsoft results have been realized to converge toward
a safe design for the gears, bearings, splines, and shaft, in agreement with
the aero criteria.

• The designed gearbox is close to the P&W PurePower PW1000G when

comparing the CAD model and the real gearbox.

• It has been demonstrated that the process of calibrating KISSsoft with a

known gearbox provides a useful tool for the definition of the gearbox for a
new application.
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KISSsoft (example)

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