An Application of Multicriteria Optimization to

the Wind Turbine Power Transmission

Jelena STEFANOVI-MARINOVI, Boban ANELKOVI, Milo MILOVANEVI and Milan BANI
Department of mechanical constructions, development and engineering, University of Ni, Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering, Aleksandra Medvedeva 14, 18000 Ni, Republic of Serbia
jelenas@masfak.ni.ac.rs, bandjel@masfak.ni.ac.rs, milovancevic@masfak.ni.ac.rs, banicmilan@hotmail.com

Abstract The objective of this study is the determination of

the diferential planetary gear train which is a part of the
new concept of the wind turbine power transmission. This
concept of wind turbine power transmission anticipates
differential power transmission and power transmitters
with variable transmission ratio (CVT) instead of
multiplicators with constant transmission ratio. By
application of multicriteria optimization in order to increase
efficiency and decrease mass and volume in the same time,
design parameters for differential planetary train are
chosen. Since in this optimization task all objective functions
have the equal priority, weighted coefficients is adopted for
optimal soluiton choosing from the set of the Pareto optimal
solutions.
Keywordsplanetary gear train, multicriteria optimization,
mathematical model, design parameters, Pareto optimal
solutions

I. INTRODUCTION
Wind turbine as energy source became competitive to
classic energy sources, not only due to costs but also to
produced energy quality. Basic problem regarding wind
generators construction is in fact that intensity and wind
direction is constantly changing over time. The wind
turbine impeller should always use maximum of the wind
power potential, i.e. to operate in its optimal regime,
which only depends on current speed of the wind.
Generator work regime is the function of induced electric
power. To connect wind turbines with power distribution
network, it is necessary that deviation of voltage and
frequency lie in narrow boundaries. Since the number of
revolutions developed by wind turbine can be insufficient
for generator work, power transmission-multiplicator is
necessary.
In order to exceed multiplicators with constant
transmission ratio disadvantages, new concept of wind
turbine power transmission anticipates differential power
transmission and power transmitters with variable
transmission ratio (CVT) is determined.
The differential planetary gear train (PGT) is the
subject of the paper. A model of multicriteria
optimization is applicated to PGT in order to determine
design parameters.

II. NEW CONCEPT OF WIND TURBINE POWER

TRANSMISSION
Basic elements of wind power plants are wind wheel
(turbine), current generator, wind power plant pillar and
power transmission-multiplicator. For determining
transmission ratio of multiplicator part of wind turbine, it
is necessary to have number of rpm of impeller and
generator.
Power transmission with variable transmission ratio
are predicted for usage in wind turbine for adjusting
turbine impeller work with generator work in wind
turbine development researching.
Design parameters for wind turbine transmitters are
based on criteria laid out to system as a hole. Turbine
transforms the mechanical energy with relatively small
number of rotors rpm. Main goal is to maximally utilise
the available power of the wind. Turbine must work in
the optimal regime which depends on the current wind
speed.
Transmission ratio and regulation range are in
correlation with turbine speed, turbine diameter, number
of blades, number of generator poles pairs and frequency
of induced electrical energy.
Modern wind turbines can sustain wind speeds up to
80 m/s but the operating range is restricted to 425 m/s.
Limiting of power begins from wind speed of 16 m/s.
The important values for transmission are interval
boundaries Vmin = 4 m/s and Vmax = 16 m/s.
During development and verification of the wind
turbine transmission the basic development criteria are:
transmission power, transmission ratio, regulation
boundaries, efficiency, transmission ratio change time
and specific power of transmission [1]. Beside these
development criteria, transmission has to be very
compact and reliable. The connection between turbine
and transmission shaft needs special attention because of
elastic deformations of shaft supports and transmitter.
Beside previously noted, the operating temperature
changes, cold start, difficult availability of transmission
components and unloaded operation state must be also
considered.

Perspective concept solutions of power transmission

in wind turbine are given in [1]. The author team came to
idea to replace the hydrostatic or hydrodynamic CVT in
known concept of power transmission in wind turbine
with metal belt CVT, which has much greater efficiency
then perspective concepts. The new concept of wind
turbine power transmission is shown in Fig. 1.

III. MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR PLANETARY

GEAR TRAIN OPTIMIZATION
The differential planetary transmission is a basic type
of a planetary gear train (PGT), i.e. a design which has a
central sun gear (external gearing - 1), central ring gear
(internal gearing - 3), planets (satellites - 2) and carrier
(h), shown in Fig.2. Planets are in simultaneous contact
with the sun gear and the ring gear.
A mathematical model of planetary gear multicriteria
optimization is presented in [3]. An optimization task is
defined by the variables, objective functions and
conditions required for the proper functioning of a system
determined by the functional constraints.
A. Variables
In this paper, the following variables are considered:
the number of teeth of the central sun gear za , the
number of teeth of planets z g , the number of teeth of the

Fig. 1 Scheme of new concept of power transmission of wind turbine

ring gear zb , the number of planets nw , the gear module

mn and the facewidth b . The optimization variables are
of the mixed type: the numbers of gear teeth ( za , z g , zb )

As metal belt CVT currently have limitations in

torque transfer capacity of 480 Nm it is necessary to
divide the flow in the transmission to two separate
branches - power and control one. The power branch
transfer most of the torque (80-90%) and it is based on
classical spur and/or helical gears which have high torque
carrying capacity and efficiency. The control branch
transfers 10-20% of the input torque and is processed by
a mechanical variator - metal belt CVT. Based on fact
that a power split is necessary, transmission incorporates
a differential transmitter which performs the power split.
The torque branches are connected again before the
generator [2].
Based on the above, the preliminary design of wind
turbine transmission which consists of planetary gear
transmission with constant transmission ratio, singe stage
planetary gear differential transmission and metal belt
CVT is adopted, Fig 2.

are integers, positive and negative, the number of planets

( nw ) is a discrete value, the module ( mn ) is a discrete
standard value (acc. to DIN 780), while the facewidth ( b )
is a continual variable. The numbers of gear teeth and the
number of planets are non-dimensional values, while the
module and the gear width are given in millimeters.
B. Objective functions
In this model, the following characteristics are chosen
for objective functions of a planetary gear train: volume,
mass, efficiency and production cost of gear pairs.
The volume of gear pairs is used as an overall
dimension expression and the approximation of the gear
by the cylinder volume with the diameter equal to the
pitch diameter and the height equal to the facewidth. The
fact that planets are inside the ring gear makes it possible
for the gear volume to be expressed by:

m z
cos t
V=
b n b

4
cos cos wt 23

(1)

where t is the transverse pressure angle, wtgb is

the working transverse pressure angle for the pair g-b and
is the helix angle at the pitch diameter.
Mass is determined as a sum of all gear masses in
transmission. Since the mass of a particular gear is
determined as the gear volume multiplied by the density
of gear material, mz= Vz , the final expression of this
function is:

m= 0.25 b
Fig. 2 Differential transmission with variator concept

In this study design parameters for differential

planetary transmission are determined using multicriteria
optimization.

mn2
cos 2

[ ka za2

cos 2 t

cos 2 wtag
cos 2
cos 2
nw k g z g2 2 t + kb zb2 2 t ]
cos wtgb
cos wtgb

(2)

To determine the gear mass, the factor of deviation of

the real gear shape from the cylinder (k) has to be taken

into account also. For the purposes of optimization, i.e.

the comparison of gears with different parameters, this
factor does not have great significance, since it is given in
advance due to the hub gear form and it is a constant in
the process of optimization.
Efficiency is one of the most important criteria for the
design and evaluation of the construction quality. Power
losses in planetary transmissions consist of losses in the
gear contact, losses in bearings and losses due to oil
viscosity. The calculation of the gear transmission
efficiency is generally confined to losses depending on
friction on tooth sides, i.e. on the calculation of contact
power losses. According to the previous efficiency
remarks and having in mind the fact that the subject of
optimization is limited to gear pairs, we consider the
following expression for efficiency [4]:

1
=

0.15 0.35 0.20

+
+

zb z a z a
zg
zb
zb

(3)

Economic demands must also be taken into

consideration in the techno-economical optimization.
First, these demands are related to production costs.
These costs consist of the production material and the
production process costs. The time needed for the
production of gears is taken as a measure of the
production costs and as an economic factor. This
function is then determined as a sum of time periods
needed for the production of the central sun gear ( Ta ),
the planets ( Tg ) and the ring gear ( Tb ), i.e.
FT = Ta + nw Tg + Tb

(4)

Production times are determined according to the

technologies of Fette [5], Lorenc [6] and Hfler [7].
C. Functional constraints
Planetary gear trains represent a specific group of
gear trains. Therefore, there are numerous exceptions
that need to be taken into account for these transmissions
to function correctly compared with classical gear
transmissions. The exceptions presented in this article
are related to mounting conditions, geometrical
conditions and strength conditions and they represents
functional constraints [3].
A mathematical model of the nonlinear multicriteria
problem can be formulated as follows:
max { f1 ( x ), f 2 ( x ), f3 ( x ), f 4 ( x )}

subject to x S

These variables must satisfy given constraints which

are expressed as the inclusion x S where S is a set of
feasible solutions (or feasible set).
Pareto optimality concept is used criterion for
selecting "equally good" solutions from the set S .
Determination of the Pareto optimal solutions set is a first
step in optimal solution finding. Solution x S is Pareto
optimal if there is no solution y S such that holds

fi ( x) fi ( y ) for all i = 1, , n and for at least one

index i holds strict inequality, i.e. fi ( x) < fi ( y ) [3].
Next step is optimal solution choice from Pareto
solutions. In this paper optimal solution finding is
considered in the case of equal priority functions. Since
that, the weighted coefficients method is applicated. In
this method the following scalarized problem is
constructed
max f M ( x) = w1 f10 ( x) + w2 f 20 ( x) + w3 f30 ( x) + w4 f 40 ( x)

s.t. x S
where the weighted coefficients (or weights) wi are
0
positive real numbers and f=
i ( x)

f i ( x ) are

IV. DESIGN PARAMETERS OF DIFERENTIAL

PLANETARY GEAR TRAIN
Design input data must be in accordance with
standards for wind turbines, available wind speed and
adopted generator type. For these reasons the application
factor of KA = 1,67 was adopted according to BS 436 and
ANSI/AGMA standards
Since that the project prototype production is
necessary, it is assumed that all gear pairs have the same
module (mn=2 mm).
For the same reasons, due to technological constrains
case-hardening steel is adopted for external gearing,
while for ring gear the nitriding steel is presumed.
Geometry calculation for all gears is according DIN
3960, while strength calculation is according DIN 3990.
The solution obtained in this way and using the
PlanGears software developed on this mathematical
model is presented in the table I.
Calculation data for differential planetary gear train for
the chosen solution, as well as the input data (input
number of revolution, input power, service life in hours,
application factor, accuracy grade (Q-DIN3961), minimal
safety factor - flank, minimal safety factor - root, gear
materials) can be seen in the table II.
TABLE I
Solution obtained by weighted coefficients method

f1 ( x ) =
V ( x ), f 2 ( x ) =
m( x ),

Variable values

f3 ( x ) = p ( x ), f 4 ( x ) = T ( x )

vector of decision variables.

0 1

normalized objective functions [8,9].

Functions f1 ( x ), , f 4 ( x ) are objective functions

Vector x (=
=
x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , x5 , x6 ) ( z a , z g , zb , nw , mn , b) is the

(f )

za

zg

zb

nw

mn

16

15

-47

26

TABLE II
Calculation data for differential planetary gear train
Dimension

Index

Unit

Transmission ratio

Surfice life

Number of revolution

min-1

Nominal power

kW

za

zg

zb

4.00

Number of teeth
Face width

mm

Centre distance

mm

Helix angle at Pitch diameter

Addendum modification coefficient

Reference diameter

Base diameter

20000
1854,1

-1497,7

5
16

15

-47

26

26

26

32

-32
0

0,2793

0,2757

-0,2757

mm

32

30

-94

db

mm

30,070

30,070

-88,331

Operating pitch diameter

dw

mm

33,032

30,968/30

-94

Root diameter

df

mm

28,117

26,103

-100,103

Tip diameter

da

mm

36,897

34,883

-91,103

Transverse contact ratio

Overlap ratio

Total contact ratio

1,307
1,307

Accuracy grade [Q-DIN3961]

Face load factor (contact stress)

1,705

1,705
6

KH

Gear material

1,47

1,57

16MnCr5

16MnCr5

31CrMoV9

Safety factor - flank

SH

1,62

1,58/2,44

2,26

Safety factor - root

SF

6,8

4,84/5,12

8,72

Safety coefficient for scuffing

SSint

V. CONCLUSION
The paper proposes the new transmission concept in
wind turbine power transmission. This concept is based
on metal belt CVT that in combination with planetary
differential gearbox increases the maximum output torque
of CVTs, and thus the power of wind turbine. The
concept was optimized with a goal of increasing the
maximum power output by lowering the power flow over
the CVT and wind turbines.
The planetary differential gear train is a vital part of
this concept. Design parameters of the PGT are
determined by application of multicriteria optimization in
order to increase efficiency and decrease mass and
volume in the same time. An original mathematical
model is developed and implemented in the software for
multicriteria optimization of PGTs
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper is a part of the project TR35005 at the
University of Ni, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
and was supported by Ministry of Education and Science
of Republic of Serbia.

4,3

5,46

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