Fl id coupling

Fluid li

B b Anto
Boben A t C
• Principle of fluid coupling

Impeller Runner
 Fluid coupling is a combination of pump and turbine acting and
reacting simultaneously to give birth a new hybrid element for
torque transmission. As we everybody aware that pump is
t
transforming
f i ki
kinetic
ti energy off iimpeller
ll into
i t pressure head
h d in
i
fluid and turbine in turn absorb the pressure head and produce
kinetic energy of runner. So the kinetic energy transfers from
one shaft to other one without any mechanical contact in
between them.
 Now the point comes into play on the selection of working fluid
for smooth running of pump and turbine placed in close vicinity
in a common chamber. Like in all cases of transmission and
energy transformation, lost energy handling is very big problem
in this case. Consideringg heat generated
g due to loss and
lubricating requirement of the internal components, lub oil of
low viscosity and high flash point is selected as working fluid
 Usually mineral oil is used as working fluid for the reason -
 Universally available
 Relatively low in cost
 Lubricates the fluid coupling internals when running, and
protects them when stationary.
 Non-- toxic, requiring only simple precautions in use.
Non
 No erosion or cavitation problems arise within the working
 The toque transmitted by the coupling is proportional
the difference in moment of momentum of the fluid as
it enters and leaves each member
member. The speed
difference or ‘slip’, creates the net difference in
opposing
pp g centrifugal
g heads of impeller
p and runner to
circulate the fluid against the friction & shock loss with
in the vaned space. So speed of the primary shaft i.e
input is always greater than that of secondary i.e ie
output shaft .
 slip
p is defined as 100 X (p (primaryy speed
p –secondaryy
speed)/ primary speed.
 This slip characteristics is deciding factor for the
selection
l i off working
ki fluid
fl id andd the
h necessity
i off cooling
li
circuit of working fluid and provision of heat
dissipating fins as change in viscosity at elevated
temperature may deteriorate the performance of
coupling.
• Classification

FLUID COUPLING

Constant Fill Controllable

Fill

Stepped Circuit with Scoop control

Antechamber

Modified
M difi d Stepped
St d Circuit
Ci it with
ith delayed
d l d filling
filli
chamber.

Scoop trim
Multi Vane Circuit with Baffle and
Reservoir Volume
• Before going to the main points of elaborate discussion of
different class of fluid couplings about their constructional
design and advantage and utility applications, one thing is to be
very clear
l th
thatt position
iti off iimpeller
ll andd runner w.r.tt iinputt shaft
h ft iis
designed to suit the sealing system and delayed chamber
location i.e some coupling have the orientation having impeller
adjacent to input shaft and extended part of resilient plate
covers the runner and sealing with output shaft and in some
coupling impeller is on the output side and connected with
resilient driving
gp plate throughg circumferential bolting.
g
• Although in each cases the operating principal is same as
described in Dr. Harmann Fottinger, an electrical engineer.
This changeg in orientation of impeller and runner and delay y
chamber is modified in course of time to suit the requirement of
handling ,heat dissipation, loading pattern and weight of the
FCU. Some technologist regarded Fluid coupling as the
hydraulic analog of the AC squirrel cage induction motor as the
motor torque is developed by interaction between the magnetic
field at synchronous speed created by the stator current, and
the field created by the current it generates in the rotor cage,
which in turn is slightly lower speed equivalent to the slip.
Multi Vane Circuit with Baffle and Reservoir Volume

Stepped Circuit with Antechamber

• Mounting arrangement is of carden shaft
design i.e FCU load is distributed in 2:1 M:L
• Multi vane impeller & runner are of similar
shaped vanes. disc shaped baffle on the hub of
the
h runner. Th
The casingi or shell
h ll covering
i IIplr.
l
Rnr is acting as reservoir of working fluid.
• Torque/output
T / t t speed d characteristics
h t i i can b be
varied by selecting appropriate size of baffle
disc & adjusting fluid filling accordingly upto
120% to 250% of FLT at4.5 4.7% slip and helps
field commission trouble
trouble.
• Aluminium casting enables to incorporate fin
and other protuberances to improve self
thermal dissipation .
• Stepped Circuit with Antechamber

• During rapid acceleration of motor up to full speed some

fluid is held back in the antechamber & inert in torque
transmission but comes in to action when full speed attained.
• A no baffle
As b ffl inside
i id FCU
FCU, optimization
ti i i iin fifield
ld can only
l bbe
done by varying impeller configuration in a Ltd zone & have low
top speed slip.
• Impeller & runner are of different profile and antechamber
within the inner profile of the impeller of all steel construction
generally
g y used in conveyor
y and in coal mine .water is working g
fluid.
• Operator safety is ensured at all times by provisioning three
o/l protection features operating in sequence namely fusible
plug ,responsive to temperature , a bursting disc which will
rupture at slightly higher pressure of fusible temp. and finally
floating ring type shaft gland will operate if previous 2 fails
fails.
Modified stepped circuit with
delayed filling chember
• In the version shown, the delayed filling chamber rotates with the primary
ports and is located directly behind the impeller. By conducting special test
to view in a stroboscopic light the fluid escape through the nozzles into the
working g circuit at motor start-up,
p, and its re-entry
y into the chamber through
g
the appropriate ports, either under severe overload conditions or shutdown,
this was found to be a preferable location to one in which the chamber,
whilst rotating with the primary parts, was located behind the runner.
• In the mid-filling
mid filling regions of the coupling a motor unloading effect more
pronounced than that with an antechamber can be achieved. As may be
expected, with very low and very high fillings, there is virtually no change in
the nett fluid coupling of the working circuit, and thus an additional softening
effect is not obtained
• Probably the most important contribution of all made by the delayed
filling chamber, is to enable the good characteristics conferred by the
designs having runner shafts of diameter proportioned only to their duties of
torque transmission and load carrying also to be available on the hollow
shaft mounted versions. The latter have substantially greater shaft diameters
to accommodate the large hollow bores necessary to receive the gearbox (or
motor) shaft. Tests show that the space in the center of the toroid plays an
important part in achieving low top speed slips in combination with low
acceleration torque levels. Where space is of necessity obstructed or filled
by a large diameter runner shaft, then it is found that the provision of a
delayed filling chamber volume rotating with the primary parts has a
compensatory effect.
effect
 System resistance curve ( valve throttle )
speed n1

H 2*
e System resistance curve
a
d speed n2
1
H
2

speed n1
speed n2

P Power saving due to speed

regulation

Q capacity
• . The working circuit is contained within an inner casing which,
with the surrounding reservoir casing, rotates at motor speed. A
sliding scoop tube with open mouth facing into the motor
rotation
t ti isi carried
i d within
ithi th
the rotating
t ti reservoiri casing
i ffrom a
stationary bracket assembly bolted to the drivehead framework.
Calibrated nozzles at the periphery of the inner casing allow a
continuous controlled escape flow from the working circuit
space in the reservoir casing.
• Movement of the sliding scoop tube by an external pivoted lever
to which a suitable actuator can be connected
connected, will control the
amount of fluid remaining within the reservoir casing and not
returned to the working circuit. Hence, scoop lever position
determines the net fillingg of the working
g circuit at any
y time, and
the dynamic head generates as the scoop tip circulates the fluid
(through an external cooler if need be) back into the working
circuit. The scoop tube is double ended to cater for both
directions of motor rotation.
rotation The calibrated nozzles (three in
number) are each drilled into a plug screwed into a threaded
seating in the inner casing. When the application so requires,
these plugs can be replaced, in the field if need be, by input
speed sensitive centrifugal valves, or diaphragm quick
emptying valves
P Pump impeller
T Turbine wheel
S Scoop chamber
1 Main lube oil pump
1.
2. Input shaft
3. Output shaft
4. Gear
5. Working oil pump
6. Scoop tube (adjustable)
7. Scoop tube control (VEHS)
Scoop trim coupling
Basic scheme of fluid coupling

Pump Runner

Ws
Primary shaft

Wp Secondary shaft

Turbine Runner

Flow of oil
• To better understand what benefit a fluid coupling provides when connected
between an electric motor and gear train, the speed and torque profile of the
electric motor must be considered. During start-up, an across-the-line
started motor transmits torqueq to the drive system
y components.
p As shown in
the graph, these values can range anywhere from 180 percent starting
torque to 250 percent breakdown torque based on full load.
• Severe damage may result to the connected equipment if less than 180
percent of full
full-load
load torque for starting is required because components in the
drive train must absorb the additional load. Any number of components,
from belts on a conveyor to bearings or rotating shafts and more, could fail
as a result of "over-torquing."
If the driven equipment requires more than 180 percent breakaway torque torque,
the motor will fail to start. This is when the benefits of a fluid coupling
become evident. The fluid coupling controls the motor's output
characteristics to match load requirements.
When the electric motor is started
started, no load is demanded since fluid has not
flowed between the impeller and runner. The only load imposed on the
motor is the inertia of the casing and impeller.
As the motor accelerates, the impeller begins to pump oil to the runner and
torque gradually builds following the square of the motor speed
speed. Therefore,
Therefore
torque build-up is smooth and gradual. Once the torque build-up has
matched the required breakaway value, the runner will begin to rotate and
accelerate the driven load. The electric motor is now running at full-load
speed and "flow"
flow in the coupling is fixed
fixed. The torque developed by the fluid
coupling is directly related to the amount of oil circulating between the
impeller and runner. Adjustment of the coupling's fill can provide a wide
range of torque values. More oil in a fluid coupling provides higher starting
torque and more available torque for acceleration
TM= motor torque TK = coupling trq TL = Load torque TN= rated toprque

NM = motor speed NL = Load speed U = transition point

• The operating characteristics of a coupling type T
with two different machine characteristics (constant
torque, parabolic torque characteristic). From the
secondary coupling characteristics, the primary
characteristic as a function of motor loading can be
derived and the associated time characteristics can
derived,
be derived from the operating data of the machine
being driven.
• These system
ystem characteristics
haracteristics clearly show the
almost parabolic torque build-
build- up as the motor runs
up to speed, after which the coupling characteristic
d
dependsd onlyl on its
i design.
d i The
Th torque transmitted
i d
by the coupling to each machine differs only with
respect
p to the initial breakawayy torque,
q and the
transition point Ü in the coupling characteristic
depending on the moment of inertia of the machine
in question.
q
• Fluid media
• Power is transmitted in hydrodynamic couplings as specific kinetic energy of
fluid flow. This depends primarily on the physical properties of the fluid –
density and viscosity– and also demands the efficient removal of heat due to
losses. The fluid characteristics required in practice vary widely, depending
on the kind of coupling and how it is integrated in the drive system. As far as
energy transmission
t i i iis concerned, d water
t iis even bbetter
tt th
than mineral
i l oilil or
synthetic fluids. With regard to safety and availability, water is excellent.
However, river or seawater in particular is unsuitable with regard to
abrasion bearing lubrication,
abrasion, lubrication corrosion and cavitation
cavitation.
• Although Föttinger carried out tests with seawater, it turned out to be
unsuitable in practice. The fluids mainly used comprise mineral oils, which
can be modified according to drive system demands
demands. Apart from their good
long-term operating characteristics, mineral oils also meet control and
lubrication requirements. The majority of these oils comprise paraffin-based
solvates with excellent ageing resistance and additional properties as
required. Mineral oils with low viscosity are preferable, since they reduce
flow friction losses through the blading channels and thus increase power
transmission efficiency. y
• If hydraulic oil is also used for gear lubrication, properties must be carefully
balanced.In order to keep oil supply aggregates as compact as possible,
good delivery capacity is also important.
• let us assume p is input speed s be
secondary speed i.e angular velocity so power
input to the primary wheel & power output in
terms of torque(T) and angular velocity()
• Pi = T
Pin Tp.p P
Pout = Ts.s
T
• Therefore efficiency of transmission  = Ts.s
/ Tp.p
T and
d as there
h iis no parts iis iin b
between
to provide torque reaction so the input and
output torque is considered to be same ignoring
the minor loses. Tp=Ts so =s/p
•  = 1-s
1s
• [s = (p -- p)/ p
•
 U3
Vr3
U2 V3 Vf
U2 > U3

V2 Vw2 Vw3
Vw2=Vw3 Vw3
Vr2 Vf
Turbine half
Vw2
pump half Wp
Vw4

Vf=constant 4 5
Vf
Vw1 V4
1 2 Vr4

Vf V1 Vr1 Vw4=Vw1
U4

U1 U1 >U4
• Let us draw velocity triangle
Assumption fluid enter & leaves impeller& runner with
same tangential velocity component i.e zero whirl slip
Vw2=Vw3 , Vw4=Vw1
Now By Euler’s eq. the work done by the primary per
unit mass Ep/m=Yp=(Vw1.U2-Vw2.U1)/g
As U2= p.ra U1=p.ri from velocity triangle
Vw2=U2= p.ra Vw1=Vw4=U4=s.ri
So we get Ep/m=Yp=(p.ra2 p.s.ri2)
similarly,
Es/m=Ys=(p.s.ra2-s2.ri2)
So the energy dissipation may be obtained
dY=Yp-Ys=(p-s)(p.ra2-s.ri2)/g it is also assumed
that dy=kQ2
• The power transmission characteristic of a hydrodynamic
coupling can be shown graphically by plotting the relation = f ().
The entire characteristic field is described byy a series of curves
as a function of the filling level V.
• The basic characteristic of hydrodynamic couplings exhibits a
steadily reducing power factor with rising speed n (decreasing
slip), beginning at the startup point A.
• Hydrodynamic couplings are selected according to their power
transmission characteristic so that the rated torque (N) is
transmitted at lowest possible nominal slip sN. The other
characteristics can then be developed according to
requirements of a particular driven machine
machine.For
For startup and
safety couplings, the flattest possible characteristic is usually
required over the entire startup range, with relatively low torque
peakk max.
• For variable-speed and fill-controlled couplings, consistently
reducing power factor characteristics are requiredfrom = 0.
This ensures stable operating points with various kinds of
speed-regulated machinery.
• Dimensional analysis on law of geometric similarity
• Let mass flow m fluid density 
฀ filling volume Vol profile Dia Dp
• power factor press diff acr.
acr implr dP
speed characteristic Vn = ws/wp Kinetic viscosity Reynolds no. Re=w.D2/
• Geometrical similarity
• Euler number Eu= dP/(c2)

• Parameter Equation Model law

• Streaming pressure Eu = const. p ~ D2 · 2
• Streamingg force F = p · dA 
F ~D4 · 2
• Volumetric flow V=c·A V ~ D3 · 
• Mass flow m=·V m ~ D3 ·
• Hydraulic torque T=F·r T  D5 · 2
• Hydraulic power P=T  ·
T. ~ D5 · 3
P ~

• Basic dimensions: Length r, l D

• Surface area A D2
• Velocities u, w, c D ·
• Hydraulic similarity
• Reynolds number Re= · D2/

..
• Important
p Do’s & don’ts
• Never do painting on the FCU surface as heat dissipation will be hampered
as well as performance
• Always
y check the recommended level of filling
g

• In case of scoop control coupling after stopping motor always put the scoop
in 100% position to have extended time & quantity of lub oil supply to the
internal component of coupling .
• Generally FCU are bi-rotational and of straight radial blading. So reversal of
motor rotation causes server o/L due to output gear box
• Only one VFD was supplied experimentally
to a major power plant in India for the drive
of BFP and this was never repeated
• For the drive of ID fans
fans, the business is
almost equally shared between Voith
y
hydraulic couplings
p g and VFDs depending
p g on
the experience of the end users.
• There are of course a few customers,, who
have opted for VFDs for ID fan drives
• But,, there are also customers,, who have
reverted to hydraulic couplings in their
extension units after using VFDs in the
earlier ones.
 S tartin g to rq u e

P u ll u p tto rq u e

Breeak -aw ayy to rq u e

T O R Q UE
• Torque curve

Mo
t or t or qu

Ac c
el
ec

Pu
u

SPEED
ra
r

m
in
ve

pt
g

or q
tor

u
q

e
ue

c ur ve

F u lll lo ad to rrq u e

P u ll o u t to rq u e
•Thank
Th k you