Construction Details of Fluid Coupling

Fluid Coupling
• Fluid coupling is a device which is used to transmit torque from engine to gear box with
fluid as working medium.
• The purpose of fluid coupling is to act as flexible power transmitting coupling.
Construction Details of Fluid Coupling: -
A diagram showing the typical components of a torque converter is shown in figure. The input drive
shaft through which the input power enters the device is connected to the pump impeller (vanes not
shown) which drives the oil circulation within the device. That oil flow then drives the turbine which
is connected to the output drive shaft through which the power emerges from the device. Those are
the two basic components of a fluid coupling. However, the coupling may have other fluid flow
components to improve or change the performance of the device. For example, the device in figure
1 also includes a non-rotating stator whose purpose is to change the inclination of the flow emerging
from the turbine so that the incidence angles on the pump vanes improves the hydraulic
performance of the device. Another example in the reversible fluid coupling shown in figure 2. When
the stator vane in this device is withdrawn the coupling performs like a conventional fluid coupling
and the turbine shaft rotates in the same direction as the pump shaft. However, insertion of the
stator vane reverses the direction of rotation of the turbine shaft. That particular device was
designed for the drive train of a ship propeller and thus the stator insertion was designed to reverse
the thrust produced by the propeller.
Working Principle of Fluid Coupling: -
The working principle of fluid can be easily explained by the taking two fans in which one is
connected to the power supply and other is not. When the power switch is ON, the air from
the first fan is starts to blow towards the second fan (which is not connected to the power
source). Initially when the first fan is blowing at lower speed, it does not able to drive the
second fan. But as the speed of the powered fan increases, the speed of air striking the
blades of second fan also increases and it starts to rotate. After some time it acquires the
same velocity of that of the first fan.
On the same principle the fluid coupling works. In that the impeller act as first fan and the
turbine act as second fan. Both impeller and turbine enclosed in an oil tight housing. The
impeller is connected the input shaft of the prime mover and the turbine with the output
shaft. When the impeller is moved by the prime mover, the fluid in housing experiences
centrifugal force and due to curved vanes of the impeller the fluid directed towards the
turbine blades. As the fluid strikes the turbine blades it starts rotating. With the increase in
the speed of impeller, the velocity of the turbine increases and becomes approximately
equal to the impeller speed. The fluid after passing through the turbine blades again return
to the impeller.
Working of Fluid Coupling:-
1. As the prime mover moves, it rotates the impeller of the coupling. The impeller acts as a
centrifugal pump and throws the fluid outward and directs it towards the turbine blade.
2. As the high moving fluid strikes the turbine blades, it also starts rotating, after striking on
the blades, the direction of the fluid is changed and it is directed towards the impeller again.
The blades of turbine are designed in such a way that it can easily change the direction of
the fluid. It is the changing of direction of the fluid that makes the turbine to rotate.
3. As the impeller speed increases, the speed of the turbine also increases. After sometime the
speed of both impeller and turbine becomes equal. In this way power is transmitted from
one shaft to another by the use of fluid coupling.
4. In same way torque converter works but the difference is that it has stator placed in
between impeller and turbine for torque multiplication.
Efficiency and Torque Capacity: -
The fluid coupling efficiency is defined as the ratio of the power available at the turbine to
the power supplied to the impeller. The difference between input and output power,
besides the power lost by fluid shock, friction and heat, is mainly due to the relative slip
between the input and output members . The percentage slip is defined as the ratio of the
difference in input and output speeds, (N-n) to the input speed, N multiplied by 100.
Fig. 24.27. Relationship between torque capacity, efficiency and speed ratio for fluid
coupling.
The percentage slip is greatly dependent on the engine speed and load condition of the
output turbine . A percentage of slip must always be present to create sufficient rate of
vortex circulation necessary to impart energy from the impeller to the turbine. The
maximum coupling efficiency is about 98% under light load high rotational speed conditions,
and this is considerably reduced with increase, in turbine output or decrease in impeller
speed. As the output torque demand increases, more slip occurs, which increases the vortex
circulation velocity so that more kinetic energy is imparted to the output turbine member,
thereby raising the torque capacity of the coupling.
The torque transmitting capacity of fluid coupling, T for a given slip varies as the fifth power
of the impeller internal diameter, D and as the square of its speed, N.
Additionally, torque transmitting capacity also depends on the amount of fluid circulating
between the impeller and turbine. Raising or lowering the fluid level in the coupling
increases or decreases the torque, which can be transmitted to the turbine (Fig. 24.27). An
additional feature to these types of coupling is that if the engine tends to stall due to
overloading when the vehicle is accelerated from rest, the vortex circulation immediately
slows down, preventing further torque transfer until the engine’s speed has recovered.
Advantages of Fluid Coupling: -
1. No wear of power transmitting elements

2. Motor always starts unloaded. So, it accelerates quickly to its optimum speed at
which it delivers its peak torque.
3. The torque multiplication at start-up, enables a motor to be selected for running
power of a machine, instead of its starting power required. Thus, acceleration of high
inertia load is possible by a comparatively low powered motor. The rate of
acceleration can also be controlled by varying the oil filling quantity. The shock free,
smooth load take up is of great importance in some application.
4. Maximum torque capacity of a coupling can be adjusted and limited to
predetermined value to suit the motor or the machine, by adjusting the oil filling
quantities.
5. Simple, robust and more reliable, squirrel cage motor with simple star-delta starters
combined with fluid couplings, can be employed for applications - which otherwise,
require costly, special motors with even more complicated starting gears.
6. The coupling, effectively dampens the shocks and torque fluctuations. Also protects
motor from sudden jamming of machines. A fusible plug allows the oil to escape out
and isolates the motor in case of prolonged delay in clearing the obstruction.
7. Automatic load sharing and synchronization is achieved in case of multi-motor
drives.
8. Braking of a running machine can be effected by reversing the rotation of motor. The
opposite torque developed by the reverse rotation of motor stops the machine.

Construction Details of Fluid Coupling

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Fluid Coupling

Construction Details of Fluid Coupling: -

Efficiency and Torque Capacity: -

Advantages of Fluid Coupling: -

1. No wear of power transmitting elements

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