Fluid coupling

What is fluid coupling?

Fluid coupling is also known as hydraulic coupling is a hydrodynamic device and a
form of flexible copling which is used to transfer rotational power from one shaft to
another by the use of transmission fluid. It is used in automotive transmission system,
marine propulsion system and in industries for power transmission. It is used as an
alternative for the mechanical clutch.
It was discovered by Dr. Hermann Fottinger. He patented his discovery of fluid
coupling in the year 1950.
Working Principle
When the driving shaft with pump impeller is rotated, the oil start moving from the inner
radius to the outer radius of the pump impeller by centrifugal action. Due to centrifugal
action and speed of the pump impeller, the pressure and kinetic energy of oil at the
outer radius increases. This oil then enters the turbine runner at the outer radius of the
runner & flows inwardly to the inner radius of runner. The oil, while flowing through the
turbine runner exerts force on the runner blades & makes the runner to rotate. The
magnitude of the torque increases with an increase in the speed of the driving shaft.
The oil from the runner then flows back into the pump impeller, hence having a
continuous circulation. In the actual practice, the speed of the driven shaft is always
less than the driving shaft by 2% - 4% due to friction & turbulence loss in the impeller
and runner passage, which is known as slip
Construction
It consist of two rotating elements as radial pump impeller and radial flow reaction. The
pump impeller is mounted on a driving shaft and turbine runner is mounted on a driven
shaft. Both the impeller and the runner are identical in shape and they are enclosed in
a single housing filled with fluid (oil). The function of oil is to transmit torque from pump
impeller to the turbine runner and also provide lubrication, and stability. There is no
direct contact between the driving and driven parts.
Principle of fluid coupling

Impeller Runner
Classification
Types: FLUID COUPLING

Constant Fill Controllable

Fill

Stepped Circuit with Scoop control

Antechamber

Modified Stepped Circuit with delayed filling

chamber.

Scoop trim
Multi Vane Circuit with Baffle and
Reservoir Volume
Multi Vane Circuit with Baffle and Reservoir Volume

Stepped Circuit with Antechamber

Modified stepped circuit with
delayed filling chember
Scoop trim coupling
Basic scheme of fluid coupling

Pump Runner

Ws
Primary shaft

Wp Secondary shaft

Turbine Runner

Flow of oil
Efficiency
In actual practice, the speed of driven shaft is always less then the driving shaft by 2%
to 4% due to friction and turbulence loss in the impeller and runner passage, which is
known as SLIP.
The efficiency of the power transmitted by fluid coupling is about 98%.
In fluid coupling the driven shaft is free from engine vibrations.
Characteristics
CENTRIFUGAL LOADING: Fluid coupling has centrifugal loading characteristic in
working condition or in other words the power output by fluid coupling is directly dependent on third power
of the RPM1, and output torque is proportional to second power of RPM.

SLIP: Slip is the difference between in input and output speed with respect to input
speed. A fluid coupling cannot develop output torque when the input and output
angular velocities are identical. Hence a fluid coupling cannot achieve 100 percent
power transmission efficiency. Due to slippage that will occur in any fluid coupling
under load, some power will always be lost in fluid friction and turbulence, and
dissipated as heat.

RISING TORQUE: The fluid coupling allows to prime mover at rated speed and
machine at overloaded speed. That means the fluid coupling takes power constant
and by reducing output speed the torque increases. The fluid coupling can increase
the torque up to 270% of the rated torque.

DIRECTION OF ROTATION: The fluid coupling can be used bidirectional. The impellor of
the fluid coupling is associated with the casing (housing) of the fluid coupling and the
rotor is freely supported on bearing only hence the rotor has less inertia than impellor.
The fluid couplings rotor and impellor can be mounted on vice versa. This is required
when the prime movers starting torque is less and it can not sustain higher inertia at
starting.
Contd..
SET OUTPUT POWER: The fluid coupling can set the output power by varying the quantity of oil filled
inside the fluid coupling for a fixed input power. The quantity of oil once filled inside the fluid coupling can
not be change in working condition; hence the fixed quantity of oil can transfer a fix maximum power for a
particular input power.

STALL SPEED: The stall speed is defined as the highest speed at which the impellor can
rotate when the rotor is locked and maximum input power is applied. Under stall
conditions all of the prime movers power would be dissipated in the fluid coupling as
heat.
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
Makes it easy the gently accelerate the driven
machines
Limits torque, provides load sharing, dampen
torque vibrations
During start up will reduce current draw on
your electric motor by 33%
Disadvantages
Under stall conditions all of the engines
power would be dissipated in the fluid
coupling as heat leading to damage
Fluid coupling cannot develop output torque
when the input and output angular velocities
are identical