Spline coupling in the rotor dynamics problems of a gas turbine engine

Abstract

Involute spline couplings are widely used in the aircraft gas turbine engine rotors. In the rotor dynamics problems, they are usually simulated by a link connecting the shafts. Rigidity characteristics of such a connection depend on a set of factors: forces acting from the connected shafts section leading to the shafts distortion in the spline coupling; torque transmitted by the splines; gaps between the splines; friction forces in the contact pairs. Taking into account all these factors is quite labor-intensive even in the finite element formulation. In addition, spline coupling is a nonlinear element, which characteristics depend on the engine operating mode. The paper presents an analytical model making it possible to account for all operating factors of a spline coupling. The model was verified using the finite element calculations.

Design Method and Teeth Contact Simulation of PEEK Involute Spline Couplings

“…[18][19][20][21]. Ting-Yue Wang et al investigated the contact stiffness of spline connection structures and the vibration characteristics of the rotor systems and then analyzed the inherent characteristics of the spline [22,23]. Faidh-Allah et al used the finite element method to conduct numerical research on the induced design parameters of the internal and external spline shafts and compared them through experiments to obtain the stress variation rule.…”