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FLUIDCOUPLING
LUID COUPLINGS HAVE been used for almost one hundred years for the transmission of torque through fluid flow. The
constantfillcouplingisahydrodynamicfluidcouplingworkingontheFottingerprinciple.Thetorquedevelopedbytheelectric
motorisconvertedbytheprimarysideofthecouplingthatisdirectlyconnectedtothemotorshaft,intokineticenergy.Itisthen
convertedbackintomechanicalenergybythesecondarysideofthecoupling.Nowearoccursnomechanicalcontactofthepower
transmitting parts occurs. The fluid coupling behaves according to the propeller law. The torque transmitted increases with the
squareandthepowertransmittedwiththecubeoftheinputspeed.Thestartingconditionsofthecouplingallowtheelectricmotor
tostartupundervirtuallynoloadbecausetheloadcharacteristicatstartupisparabolic.Themotorisonlyloadedwiththefull
couplingtorqueafterreachingitspulloutspeed.Afterrunupofthemachine,themotorisjustloadedwiththerequiredtorqueof
thedrivenmachineatalowcouplingslip.

PrinciplesofOperation
There are three essential parts to a fluid coupling: the driving (input) section known as the impeller the driven (output) section
knownastherunnerandthecasingwhichboltstotheimpellerenclosingtherunnerprovidinganoiltightreservoir.Bothimpeller
andrunnereachrepresentshalfofahollowtoruswithflatradialvanes.Attheinnercircumferenceaconicalbaffleisattachedto
theimpellerandaflatbaffleisattachedtotherunner.Thesecomponentscomprisetheworkingcircuit.
Theoperationofthefluidcouplingrequiresmechanicalinputenergy,normallyprovidedbyastandardNEMABelectricmotor
which is connected to the impeller and casing. The runner, which has no mechanical connection with the impeller, is directly
connectedtothedrivenload.Avarietyofmechanicalconnectionscouplings,sheaves,andhollowshaftmountings,areavailable
to provide the mounting configuration best suited to the application. Finally the fluid coupling must be initially charged by
removingthefill(fusible)plugandaddingtherecommendedamountofoilbasedontherequiredtorque.

Starting
Standard NEMA B motors are recommended when using fluid couplings and will start virtually unloaded. Since the motor is

mechanicallyconnectedtotheimpellerandcasing,thelowinertiaofthesecomponentsandtheoilaretheonlyloadsimposed.As
theelectricmotoracceleratestorunningspeed,theimpellerbeginstocentrifugallypumpoiltothestationaryrunner.Transmission
ofoilisdiffusedbytheconicalimpellerbaffle,producingagradualincreaseintorque,allowingthemotortoacceleraterapidlyto
full running speed. When all the oil is pumped into the working circuit, continuous circulation of oil will occur between the
impellerandrunnerformingaflowpathlikeahelicalspringformedinaring.
Assoonasthetransmittedtorquereachesthevalueoftheresistingtorque,therunnerstartsrotatingandacceleratesthedrivenload.
The time required to reach full speed is dependent on the inertia of the driven load, the resistive torque, and the torque being
transmittedbythefluidcoupling.

Running
Theoperationofafluidcouplingisbasedonthehydrokineticprinciplesandrequiresthattheoutputspeedbelessthantheinput.
Thisdifferenceinspeediscalledslip.Furtherthisprincipleprovidesthattheoutputtorqueisequivalenttotheinputtorque,since
windageandoilcirculationlossesarenegligible.Therefore,efficiencyequals100%minusthepercentofslip.
Atfullrunningspeedfluidcouplingswillnormallyslipbetween1%and4%.Theoilcirculationbetweentheimpellerandrunner
hasformedavortexattheoutsidecircumferenceoftheworkingcircuitandisnolongerdeflectedbytheconicalbaffle.

Advantages:
TheuseofaFluidCouplingoffersthefollowingadvantagesoverthedirectcouplingofadrivesystem:
1.Motorsoftstart:standardmotorsofanyvoltageorcharacteristiccanbestartedwithverylittleload.Thisallowsthetimeofthe
currentinrushtobereducedandalsoforthemotortohavethemaximumspeedandtorqueavailableforacceleratingtheload.
2.Shockdampeningandoverloadprotection:thereisnomechanicalconnectionbetweenmotoranddrivenmachine.Thetorqueis
only transmitted by a fluid flow. The level of fluid can be adjusted to limit starting and overload torque. Fluid couplings also
provideexcellentshockdampening.
3.Maximumtorquetransmission:thefluidcouplingoilfillingcanbetailoredtosuitthemotorcharacteristic.Itispossiblefora
fluidcouplingtotransmitthefullmotorbreakdowntorqueforupto20seconds.

APPLICATIONS:
1)TorqueLimitationBeltConveyors
2)SoftStartforHighInertiaMachines:Crushers,Chippers,Centrifuges,Fans
3)MaximumTorqueTransmission:ChainConveyors,Sizers,DoubleRollCrushers,Bucketwheels
4)LoadSharingEquipmentwithMultipleDriveMotors