Area Under the Torque vs.

RPM Curve: Average Power

 Some Basics
• What is torque?
– Consider a wrench on a nut, the torque about the nut is
Force, F F

=
r
T = rF sin(θ )

Torque, T

– If F is at a right angle to moment arm r then T=rF

How does the Tire apply torque
to the road?

Car of mass M

F=Ma, a is the acceleration of the car

Then
T=rF=rMa
 ω
V

The linear velocity of center of the wheel

(and the car’s velocity) Is given by V=rZ

Where Z is the angular or rotational speed of

the wheel in radians/sec or

Z=2*S*RPM/60
 Now for a bit of Calculus and
basic Formulas
dV
a= eqn.1 Where :
dt a = acceleration
Using v = rω T = Torque
dω V = velocity
a=r eqn. 2
dt r = radius of wheel
T = rMa eqn. 3 ω = angular speed of wheel
V = rω eqn. 4 P = power, Force times velocity
P = FV eqn. 5
 Average Power Over a Given
Time Interval
t2
∫ Pdt I will later relate this to average
P = t1
t2
Acceleration and final velocity

∫ dt
t1
It would be useful to have the average power equation in terms of
the corresponding Shift points or ω1 and ω2. Then we could relate
a dyno curve (Torque vs. ω or RPM) to the average power &
acceleration. Then:

Combining eqns 2 and 3 gives :

dω T
= 2
dt r M
 Average Power in Terms of ω
Or RPM
ω2
⌠ P Now recall that :
P = FV = Frω
 dω
 dω And :
⌡ F = Ma
P = ωω12 dt Then :
⌠ 1 dω dω
P = Marω , a=r , P = Mr 2 ω
 dω
 dω
dt dt
Using T = rMa
⌡
ω1 dt dω P 1 Mr 2
T = r 2M , = Mr 2ω , =
dt dω dω T
dt dt
 The final result is Then
ω2
⌠ P
 dω
 dω ω2
⌡ ∫ ωdω
P = ωω12 dt , P = ωω21
⌠ 1 ⌠ 1 dω
 dω 
⌡T
 dω ω1
⌡
ω1 dt
Now for an assumption-
Assume that the torque is given by some average torque
and a small term which varies with ω or RPM
(I will later show that this assumption is not that restrictive):

T (ω ) = Ta + δT (ω )
Where :
ω2
∫ Tdω
δT (ω )
Ta = ω1
ω2
, and Ta
<< 1
∫ dω
ω1
 Graphically This Is

δT(ω)
Ta

δT(ω)
Torque

ω or RPM
 ω2
∫ ωdω
P = ωω21
⌠ 1 dω
 To examine this term….
⌡T
ω1
 ω2
ω2
ω2
⌠
⌠ 1 dω =⌠ 1
dω =
1  1
dω
 
⌡T ⌡ Ta + δT (ω ) Ta  1 + δT (ω )
ω1 ω1 ⌡
ω1 Ta
ω2 ω2
⌠ ⌠  δT (ω )  δT (ω ) 3 
 1 −  − .... dω
1  1 1
dω ≅ + 
Ta  1 + δT (ω ) Ta  Ta  Ta  
⌡ ⌡ 
ω1 Ta ω1

1
Where the series expansion is used for when x is small :
1+ x
1
≅ 1 − x + x 2 − x 3 + ........
1+ x
And the ≅ symbol means " approximately" or " close enough"
 2
δT (ω )  δT (ω ) 
Because is small, then   is very small
Ta  Ta 
that is a small number squared is very small - think about it .12 = .01
2
 δT (ω ) 
I will retain terms only larger than  
 Ta 
ω2
ω2
⌠
1  1 1 ⌠  δT (ω ) 
dω ≅  1 − dω
Ta  1 + δT (ω ) Ta ⌡  Ta 
⌡ ω1
ω1 Ta
 ω2 ω2 ω2
∫ ωdω ∫ ωdω Ta ∫ ωdω
P = ωω21 ≅ ω 2 ω1 = ω1
ω2
⌠ 1 dω 1 ⌠  δT (ω )  ω2
⌠ δT (ω )
  1 − dω ∫ dω −  dω
⌡T Ta ⌡  Ta  ω1 ⌡ Ta
ω1 ω1
ω1

 ω2 
 ⌠ δT (ω ) 
ω2 ω2 ω
Ta ∫ ωdω  
d 
Ta ∫ ωdω ⌡ Ta
 ω1 
= ω1
≅ ωω21  1 + ω2 
 ω2

 ⌠ δT (ω )  ∫ dω  ∫ dω 
  dω  ω1  ω1 
⌡ Ta  
ω2
 ω1   
∫ d ω  1 − ω2 
∫ dω
ω1
 
 ω1 
 
1 1
Again using the series expansion for or for small x
1+ x 1− x
  ω2 
 ⌠ δT ( ω ) 
ω2
 dω
Ta ∫ ωdω  ⌡ Ta 
 
P ≅ ωω21  1 + ω1
ω2 
∫ dω  ∫ dω 
ω1  ω 1 
 
 
ω2
ω ω  ω 2T + δT (ω )dω  ω 2ωdω  ω 2Tdω 
∫ d  ∫ a  ∫ ∫ 
= ω2
ω1  ω 1
ω2
 = ω2
ω 1  ω2
ω 1  Recalling that T = Ta + T (ω )
   
∫ dω  ∫ dω  ∫ dω  ∫ dω 
ω1  ω1  ω1  ω1 
ω2 ω 2 + ω1 ω 2 ω2
Now ∫ ωdω = ∫ d ω = ϖ ∫ dω
ω1 2 ω1 ω1

ω 2 + ω1
Where ϖ is the average of ω 2 + ω1 or
2
 ω2 
 ∫ Tdω  ϖ ω2
P ≅ ϖ  ωω12  or P ≅ ∫ Tdω
 dω  ω 2 − ω 1 ω1
 ∫ 
 ω1 
ω2
This is the desired result, the average power over a given time interval is P ≅ Constant ∗ ∫ Tdω
ω1

ϖ
because is a constant once the shift points are determined, say 2000RPM and 6000 RPM
ω 2 − ω1
 ϖ ω2
P ≅ ∫ Tdω
ω 2 − ω1 ω1
To get an expression for the average acceleration, a note that :
T
F = Ma, T = rF = rMa, then a =
rM
ω2
∫ Tdω
a = ω1
ω2
rM ∫ dω
ω1
ω2
This shows that the average acceleration over a time interval is a = Constant * ∫ Tdω
ω1

So for a given car with a given mass, wheel geometry and fixed shift points,
the average Power and the average acceleration is proportional to the AREA UNDER
THE TORQUE CURVE.
Maximize the area under the torque vs. RPM curve and
you Will maximize acceleration and final speed.
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT vs.
CENTRIFIGAL BLOWERS
• It is clear from the graphical example that positive
displacement blowers have a very small δT(ω) term
because they tend to produce a relatively flat torque
curve over the RPM range.
• However, it is not clear that for Centrifugals having a
torque curve building linearly with RPM that the
preceding derivation is valid….So lets check it with an
example- (Hint: This is where I will show that the
assumption that torque is given by some average torque
and a small term which varies with w or RPM) is not
restrictive and the Area Under the torque rule curve
applies even for the Centrifugals
 An Example Centrifugal Torque
Curve
• This example is taken from real dyno data posted on
modularfords.com, probably a mustang GT (from the cutoff RPM of
6000)

Fitted Torque function: 400

Actual Data
T2 − T1
T( RPM) := ⋅ (RPM − RPM 1) + T 1 300
RPM 2 − RPM 1

RPM1 := 2000 RPM2 := 6000 Torque

200
(ft-lbs)
T1 := 125 T2 := 373

100 Fitted Data

Ratio of T2/T1=2.98

R|3 0
2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
RPM
• With an exact equation, I can calculate the difference between the
exact expression for average power and the approximate equation
based on the area under the toque curve:

ϖ ω2
P Approx = ∫ Tdω T2 + T1
ω 2 − ω1 ω1 P Approx = RPM
2
ϖ (ω 2 − ω1)
P Exact = ω2 T2 − T1
⌠ 1 dω P Exact = RPM
 T 
⌡T ln 2 
ω1
 T1 
Recalling that :
RPM RPM 2 + RPM 1
ω= 2π RPM =
60 2
ω + ω1
ϖ= 2
2
 T2 + T1 T2 − T1
P Approx = RPM P Exact = RPM
2  T2 
ln 
 T1 
T2
Using R = gives :
T1

R +1 R −1
P Approx = T1 RPM P Exact = T1 RPM
2 ln (R )

• These do not look like the same thing but

are they close?....YES! Need to show
(R+1)/2 ~(R-1)/ln(R) for reasonable values
of R (say R=1-4
• Need to look for a series expansion for
(R-1)/ln(R):
R−1 1 1 2 1 3 19 4
:= 1 + ⋅ ( R − 1) − ⋅ ( R − 1) + ⋅ ( R − 1) − ⋅ ( R − 1)
ln( R) 2 12 24 720

• For reasonable values of R this can be

approximated by:
R −1 R +1
= 1 + (R − 1) =
1
ln( R ) 2 2

• So that (R+1)/2 ~(R-1)/ln(R) for

reasonable values of R
• Same result! Exact and approximate
answers are very close ~15% Even for
torque ratios of 4! At torque ratios of
373/125=3 they are 10% different but the
approximate gives the higher answer
(more area under the torque curve)

• Bottom line- Area Under the torque rule

curve applies even for the Centrifugals