Fluid flywheel (or) fluid coupling

Unit III
Fluid coupling:
• A fluid coupling is a hydrodynamic device
used to transmit turning effort(rotary
mechanical energy) from the engine to
the gear box.

Purpose:
• It has been used in automobile
transmissions as an alternative to a
mechanical clutch.
Applications:
• It has widespread application in :
Automobiles
marine drives and
industrial machine drives,

– where variable speed operation and/or

controlled start-up without shock loading of the
power transmission system is essential.
Location:
• It is located between the crankshaft and the
gear box .

• Fluid coupling is always a major part of the

engine flywheel assembly.
 Concept
• Imagine you have two fans facing
each other.

• Turn one fan on, and it will blow

air over the blades of the second
fan, causing it to spin.

• But if you hold the second fan

still, the first fan will keep right on
spinning.
Concept:
 Construction :
 An automotive fluid coupling consists of a split housing which is
rotate by the engine crankshaft.
 Inside the housing is a driven member is called runner and the
driven member is connected by a shaft to the gear box.
 The driving member is mounted on the crankshaft and it is called
impeller.
 The driving (input) and driven (output) members are very close
with their ends facing each other and enclosed in housing, so that
they can be turned without touching each other.
 The liquid or oil is filled in the housing.
 The fly wheel housing is divided into a number of cells by means of
radial vanes. These cells correspond to similar openings in the
driven member.
working:
• When the crankshaft turns, the driving member or impeller also rotates.

• The fluid flows outwards due to the centrifugal force and circulates from
the flywheel to the driven member.

• The fluid is also carried out round by the driven member so; the fluid
tends to rotate the driven member. Thus the torque is transmitted from
the crankshaft to the gear box shaft.

• The liquid coupling is not suited for use with an ordinary gear
box. It is generally used in conjunction with epicyclical gears
to provide a semi or fully automatic gear box.
Efficiency:
• Although fluid couplings use hydraulic fluid within their construction, the

mechanism loses a portion of its force to friction and results in the

creation of heat.

• No fluid coupling can run at 100 percent efficiency.

• Excessive heat production from poorly maintained couplings can result in

damage to the coupling and surrounding systems.