Integrated Structural and CFD Analysis for Performance Optimization of Gear Pumps

Abstract

Gear pumps are extensively utilized across various industries, including fluid power transmission systems, automotive applications, agricultural machinery, and aerospace, owing to their durability and efficient performance. External gear pumps, in particular, are valued for their robust design, ease of manufacturing, and relatively low production cost. Ongoing research aims to enhance the performance and reliability of these pumps. The primary objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive analysis procedure to evaluate the flow characteristics and pressure performance of an external gear pump. Analytical calculations were conducted based on a flow rate of 25 liters per minute (LPM) and an operating pressure of 150 bar. Using these parameters, a detailed 3D model of the gear pump was created in Creo Parametric CAD software. This model was then employed in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to analyze fluid behavior within the pump. The CFD results were compared with the analytical calculations to assess the accuracy of the proposed methodology. Additionally, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) can be performed to investigate the structural integrity of critical components, such as the shaft, gear teeth, and casing, thereby providing further validation of the analytical results.

Introduction

The pump is a critical component of a hydraulic system, often called its "heart," as it generates fluid flow at required pressure and volume. The external gear pump is a basic type of hydraulic pump known for its simple, robust design, ease of manufacturing, compact size, high reliability, and performance. These qualities have made it popular in mining, agriculture, and engineering industries, especially due to its low manufacturing cost.

Working Principle:
An external gear pump has two rotating gears inside a closed housing. One gear is driven by a motor, and the other rotates through meshing teeth. As the gears rotate, they create a vacuum when teeth disengage, drawing fluid into the pump through the inlet. The fluid is trapped between the teeth and housing, then pushed toward the outlet.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD):
CFD is an essential modern tool in gear pump design, simulating internal fluid flow dynamics that are hard to analyze experimentally. It helps improve design accuracy, reduce development time, and optimize pump performance. Originally used in aviation and nuclear industries, CFD has expanded to many engineering fields. By eliminating the need for costly physical prototypes and tests, CFD accelerates and enhances pump development.

Conclusion

The integration of the steering pump and hydraulic steering gear is a significant development in the automotive industry, offering a range of technical and operational benefits. In hydraulic systems, particularly in automotive power steering mechanisms, the steering gear pump plays a crucial role in ensuring that the hydraulic fluid moves with adequate pressure and flow to assist with steering movements. The data provided for the pump\'s inlet and outlet areas, flow rates, and velocities allows us to analyse the performance of the steering gear pump and its impact on system efficiency. This report evaluates these parameters, discusses their implications, and suggests areas for system improvement. Important performance metrics in hydraulic systems consist of flow rate, velocity, and the cross-sectional area of the pipes that carry the fluid.. These factors directly impact the efficiency, responsiveness, and longevity of the pump and the overall system. In this analysis, we focus on how the system operates, based on the given flow rate, velocity, and area data at the pump\'s inlet and outlet. Data Overview and Observations

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Ashis Ranjan Panigrahi, Sasank Shekar Panda. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.