Mechanical research of the planet carrier in wind turbine gear increaser based on co-simulation of ADAMS-ANSYS

Abstract

As one of the most important parts in the wind turbine gear increaser, the planet carrier plays a role that is irreplaceable in the whole machine equipment. Co-simulation technology is one kind of new method which owes the characteristic of higher accuracy than the traditional safety coefficient method. Because the planet carrier has the features of irregularly shaped and working in alternating dynamic environment, co-simulation technology of ADAMS-ANSYS is applied to the mechanical research of the planet carrier in wind turbine gear increaser. The dynamic simulation of the whole gear increaser system is conducted based on the ADAMS platform in which the compact force, friction force and step driving are taken into consideration, with the maximum forces which are forced on the planet carrier calculated out. In the process of finite element analysis, there are three important steps which are modeling, meshing process, force application and result calculation. Strength check of the planet carrier with all kinds of dynamic elements into consideration is completed by taking the calculated maximum forces as the load inputs in the force application process. The planet carrier designed through the co-simulation method is lighter and more material-saving than it is through the safety factor method. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.