Study on the design parameters of a low speed coupling of a wind turbine

This research is for the design of a low speed coupling having a taper structure connecting the main shaft and the gear box of a wind power turbine. The low speed coupling transmits torque by radial direction force generated by the taper effect. For the design of the low speed coupling, which is a multi-layered compound structure, the equations of pressure and movement under an axisymmetric plain strain condition were derived and applied. The pressure on each rings was calculated by the finite element method under a 3°, 5°, 7°, and 9° tapered condition and was compared with the analyzed results. Additionally, the design rules of the low speed coupling were verified by comparing the stress distribution on 7 cross sections along the taper direction and the calculated results yielded by the developed equations. Finally the correlation between design variables, taper angle, bolt tension and relative sliding movement, was analyzed by the equation.