Abstract
With the rising power density and the need for increasingly reliable mechanical geared transmissions, lubrication has become as a primary design focus. An efficient optimization of lubricant supply involves not just minimizing power losses and enhancing system efficiency but also lowering operating temperatures and improving overall reliability. This paper aims at presenting two Finite Volume Eulerian compressible multi-phase approaches developed in the open-source environment OpenFOAM® for the simulation of the windage power losses of a jet-lubricated spur gear pair operating at high speed. The numerical results have been compared with experimental measurements performed by the Ohio State University on a back-to-back test rig under different operating conditions. The analysis has underlined the fundamental role of the droplet concentrations (oil suspension) in the generation of windage power losses.