Study on quenching deformation of large heavy-duty gears based on thermal-fluid-solid coupling simulation
PEI Bang
ZHANG Haibo
CHEN Shengchao
ZHANG Jianwei
YU Feipeng
WEI Chaozhang
SHI Lubing
Abstract：[Objective]This study investigates the influence of stirring rotational speed and fixture position on quenching outcomes in the context of large heavy-duty gear quenching processes,which are characterized by uneven cooling,severe distortion,and susceptibility to thermal stress cracking,with the aim of improving gear heat treatment quality.[Methods]Firstly,a thermo-fluid-solid coupling simulation model was established for 42CrMo large gears.Then,the medium flow field,temperature field,and deformation distribution under three propeller speeds(400,500,and 580 r/min)and six-piece series tooling positions were analyzed.The inlet velocities were equivalent to 0.9,1.2,and 1.5 m/s based on user-defined function(UDF)and dynamic mesh pre-calculations.[Results]The results indicate that increasing the stirring speed from 400 to 580 r/min significantly improves cooling uniformity,with the maximum flow velocity at the gear teeth reaching 0.605 m/s and the maximum deformation decreasing from 0.54 mm to 0.42 mm(a reduction of 22.2%).However,excessively high speeds may increase the temperature difference between the core and the surface(up to 516℃),potentially inducing thermal stress cracks.Gears at the top and bottom of the tooling exhibit better cooling performance than those in the middle due to higher turbulence and proximity to the medium inlet.It is recommended that the optimal stirring speed be maintained between 500 and 550 r/min to balance deformation control and crack prevention.
Keywords：Large heavy-duty gearQuenching processThermal-fluid-solid couplingDeformation analysisProcess optimization
Publication Date：2026-05-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-09-12(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：8( 97-104 )