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What is a Coupling?

A coupling, as we all know , is an element in a power transmission system, that connects a drive such as an electric motor or an engine, to a driven machine such as a conveyor,an excavator, etc. for transmitting torque and speed ie., power.

Classification of Couplings
Couplings can be broadly classified as follows. 1) Rigid Couplings 2) Flexible Couplings 3) Hydrodynamic or Fluid Couplings A simple Rigid coupling can be a Flange coupling connecting a motor flange to a driven machine flange with the help of bolts and nuts. A Flexible coupling on the other hand can be a Universal coupling or more popularly known as a cardan shaft.

What then is a Hydrodynamic or Fluid or Turbo Coupling ?

What is a Hydrodynamic or Fluid or Turbo Coupling?


A Hydrodynamic Coupling is a coupling which transmits power, making use of Fluid Power. It is essentially a combination of a Hydraulic Pump and a Hydraulic Turbine.

Basic Principle of operation

A centrifugal pump and a Francis turbine with guide vanes are connected by piping and an oil reservoir, which contains operating fluid. The pump absorbs the mechanical energy supplied by motor or engine and produces kinetic energy which is absorbed by turbine and in turn converted back into mechanical energy. By eliminating all avoidable sources of loss such as draft tubes, spiral casing and the piping itself, a compact Hydrodynamic Coupling results.

Advantages of Hydrodynamic couplings


Smooth acceleration of the heaviest masses with an inexpensive squirrel cage motor. Wear-free power transmission; no metal-metal contact between transmitting elements. Non-stressed motor start-up even when the machine is loaded or has stalled; quick reduction of the starting current. Torque limitation at starting (important eg., at belt conveyor plant) Effective cushioning of shocks, load vibrations and torsional vibrations. Safe protection for motor, driven machine and goods handled in case of overload or stall because of limitaion on maximum torque that can be transmitted. Simple control of maximum torque by altering the filling. Load balance in the case of multi motor drives; individual motors can be started one after another thus avoiding the need for simultaneous switching arrangement. Explosion-proof design is possible. Very high efficiency due to low slip at rated duty.

Salient features of a Hydrodynamic Coupling


A Hydrodynamic coupling when used in combination with a simple, inexpensive and almost maintenance free squirrel cage motors, finds a wide field of applications. It enables a quick start-up without high initial starting currents. The coupling behaves according to the Propeller Law ie., torque transmitted increases with square of the input speed and power transmitted increases with cube of input speed. Hydrodynamic couplings can be designed to be protected against excessive temperature rise . This can be done by incorporating Fusible plugs in which the solder melts at high temperature, allowing oil to escape out. If oil escape is undesirable, then an element can be fitted which senses temperature and at excess temperature (which is normally set below the melting temperature of solder) an actuator moves to cut-off the Power supply.

Major Applications of Hydrodynamic couplings


Material Handling and Conveying
Belt conveyors Bridge cranes Port loading plants

Mining
Chain and armored conveyors Bucket wheel excavators Crushers, Pumps, Fans

Chemical Industry
Centrifuges Fans/Blowers Stirrers , Mixers Compressors

Mechanical Engineering
Textile Machines Wire drawing machines Extruders Machine tools Fans, Cranes Balancing machines

Ship building

Marine propulsion

Why Fluid couplings ?


Problems with rigid coupling
On a variety of machines such as Mixers, tube mills and particularly Beltconveyor drives, motors are often fitted to a single drive for technical and availability reasons. With such drive arrangements, if there is a rigid connection between the motor and the gear unit, it is impossible to avoid constraining forces arising in the drive. These constraining forces and the resulting varying loads of the electric motors in multi-motor drives arise as a result of the following reasons. 1. Different motor characteristics in the various motors This is due to different characteristics of squirrel cage induction motors manufactured by different manufacturers. Even if it is the single manufacturer, characteristics vary because of manufacturing tolerances. 2. Different Gear transmission ratios Different makes of gear units can vary by +/- 3% from the nominal transmission ratio. 3. Different drive pulley diameters This can be due to manufacturing tolerances or due to wear. 4. Loads that differ between the various drive stations Various motors are subjected to different loads by the machine.

Whats the solution?


In multi-motor drives, if we install a Hydrodynamic coupling, then the motors are no more connected to one another by positive connection by way of the conveyor belt. The load can be evenly shared between the various motors. By varying the filling in each coupling, each motor can be run at a speed that all motors share the load uniformly. 1. Different motor characteristics in the various motors By referring Fig.1 , we can see that the difference between the torques transmitted, in case of Direct coupled drive Mrigid is substantially higher than the torque difference when the drive is connected with Hydrodynamic coupling, MTC Now by adapting the oil filling, slip of each coupling can be so adjusted that both motors deliver a similar torque i.e., P5 and P6 Hence, by adjusting the oil fillings both motors can be loaded equally in spite of their different speeds. 2. Different gear transmission ratios This can be explained using Fig.2. With rigid connection, the difference in torques transmitted by two motors with different gear transmission ratios , Mrigid is considerably higher than, when a Hydrodynamic coupling is installed ie., MTC

3.

Different drive pulley diameters Different Pulley diameters have a similar effect as different gear transmission ratios and the explanation which applies to different gear transmission ratios, also applies to different pulley diameters. Here again, adjusting the fillings of the couplings makes it possible to equalize the motor loads.

4.

Loads that differ between the various drive stations Refer Fig.3 In case of rigid couplings, the motors are forced to run at the same speed (point P1) and thus to deliver similar torques though the loads (Mload1 and Mload2) differ. The result is stresses in the coupling elements. In case of Hydrodynamic coupling, by varying the oil fillings, the required different loads(Point P2 and P3) can be achieved. The n 2 speed curves differ in slope. They intersect the motor curves at the required differing operating points and thus, in spite of different loads, internal constraining forces within the system are avoided.

Conclusion
We have had an introduction to Hydrodynamic Coupling which is definitely a better alternative to Rigid couplings in terms of adjustability to different speeds, different load conditions and ultimately different torque requirements. However, attention must be drawn to the fact that in theory, load sharing can be achieved with the installation of fluid couplings for any speed and thus for any torque within the operating range of the plant. In practice , however , for different motor characteristics or gear transmission ratios, to keep the efficiency of the drive systems high, load sharing is kept within narrow limits.

Properties of Recommended mineral oil


Viscosity at 40 degC Air release property at 50 degC Viscosity Index Pour point Flash point : : : : : 29-33 5 minutes 100 -21 degC 200 degC

FLUID COUPLINGS IN INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION SALIENT FEATURES OF FLUID COUPLING CONSTRUCTION PROPERTIES OF OIL NEED FOR FLUID COUPLINGS ADVANTAGES APPLICATIONS CONCLUSION

Whats Inside...
1. What is a Fluid coupling? 2. Salient features of Fluid coupling 3. Assembly of Fluid coupling 4. Properties of recommended oil 5. Why Fluid couplings? 6. Advantages of Fluid coupling 7. Major applications 8. Calculation of important parameters 9. Conclusion

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