Torque converter

A torque converter is a type of fluid coupling which transfers rotating power from
a prime mover, like an internal combustion engine, to a rotating driven load. In a
vehicle with an automatic transmission, the torque converter connects the power
source to the load. It is usually located between the engine's flexplate and the
transmission. The equivalent location in a manual transmission would be the
mechanical clutch.

The key characteristic of a torque converter is its ability to multiply torque when the
output rotational speed is so low that it allows the fluid coming off the curved vanes
of the turbine to be deflected off the stator while it is locked against its one-way
clutch, thus providing the equivalent of a reduction gear. This is a feature beyond
that of the simple fluid coupling, which can match rotational speed but does not
multiply torque, thus reduces power.

Some of these devices are also equipped with a "lockup" mechanism which rigidly
binds the engine to the transmission when their speeds are nearly equal, to avoid
ZF torque converter cut-away
slippage and a resulting loss of efficiency.

Contents
Hydraulic systems
Mechanical systems
Usage
Function
A cut-away model of a torque
Theory of Operation
converter
Torque converter elements
Operational phases
Efficiency and torque multiplication
Lock-up torque converters
Capacity and failure modes
Manufacturers
Current
Past
See also
References
External links

Hydraulic systems
By far the most common form of torque converter in automobile transmissions is the hydrokinetic device described in this article.
There are also hydrostatic systems which are widely used in small machines such ascompact excavators.

Mechanical systems
There are also mechanical designs for continuously variable transmissions and these also have the ability to multiply torque. They
include the pendulum-basedConstantinesco torque converter, the Lambert friction gearing disk drive transmissionand the Variomatic
with expanding pulleys and a belt drive.

Usage
Automatic transmissionson automobiles, such as cars, buses, and on/off highway trucks.
Forwarders and other heavy duty vehicles.
Marine propulsion systems.
Industrial power transmission such asconveyor drives, almost all modern forklifts,winches, drilling rigs, construction
equipment, and railway locomotives.

Function

Theory of Operation
Torque converter equations of motion are dominated byLeonhard Euler's eighteenth century turbomachine equation:

The equation expands to include the fifth power of radius; as a result, torque converter properties are very dependent on the size of
the device.

Torque converter elements

A fluid coupling is a two element drive that is incapable of multiplying torque, while a torque converter has at least one extra element
—the stator—which alters the drive's characteristics during periods of high slippage, producing an increase in output torque.

In a torque converter there are at least three rotating elements: the impeller, which is mechanically driven by the prime mover; the
turbine, which drives the load; and the stator, which is interposed between the impeller and turbine so that it can alter oil flow
returning from the turbine to the impeller. The classic torque converter design dictates that the stator be prevented from rotating under
any condition, hence the term stator. In practice, however, the stator is mounted on an overrunning clutch, which prevents the stator
from counter-rotating with respect to the prime mover but allows forward rotation.

Modifications to the basic three element design have been periodically incorporated, especially in applications where higher than
normal torque multiplication is required. Most commonly, these have taken the form of multiple turbines and stators, each set being
designed to produce differing amounts of torque multiplication. For example, the Buick Dynaflow automatic transmission was a non-
shifting design and, under normal conditions, relied solely upon the converter to multiply torque. The Dynaflow used a five element
converter to produce the wide range of torque multiplication needed to propel a heavy vehicle.

Although not strictly a part of classic torque converter design, many automotive converters include a lock-up clutch to improve
cruising power transmission efficiency and reduce heat. The application of the clutch locks the turbine to the impeller, causing all
power transmission to be mechanical, thus eliminating losses associated with fluid drive.

Operational phases
A torque converter has three stages of operation:

Stall. The prime mover is applying power to the impeller but the turbine cannot rotate. For example, in an
automobile, this stage of operation would occur when the driver has placed the transmission in gear but is preventing
the vehicle from moving by continuing to apply thebrakes. At stall, the torque converter can produce maximum
 torque multiplication if sufficient input power is applied (the resulting multiplication is called thestall ratio). The stall
phase actually lasts for a brief period when the load (e.g., vehicle) initially starts to move, as there will be a very large
difference between pump and turbine speed.
Acceleration. The load is accelerating but there still is a relatively large difference between impeller and turbine
speed. Under this condition, the converter will produce torque multiplication that is less than what could be achieved
under stall conditions. The amount of multiplication will depend upon the actual dif ference between pump and turbine
speed, as well as various other design factors.
Coupling. The turbine has reached approximately 90 percent of the speed of the impeller . Torque multiplication has
essentially ceased and the torque converter is behaving in a manner similar to a simple fluid coupling. In modern
automotive applications, it is usually at this stage of operation where the lock-up clutch is applied, a procedure that
tends to improve fuel efficiency.
The key to the torque converter's ability to multiply torque lies in the stator. In the classic fluid coupling design, periods of high
slippage cause the fluid flow returning from the turbine to the impeller to oppose the direction of impeller rotation, leading to a
significant loss of efficiency and the generation of considerable waste heat. Under the same condition in a torque converter, the
returning fluid will be redirected by the stator so that it aids the rotation of the impeller, instead of impeding it. The result is that
much of the energy in the returning fluid is recovered and added to the energy being applied to the impeller by the prime mover. This
action causes a substantial increase in the mass of fluid being directed to the turbine, producing an increase in output torque. Since
the returning fluid is initially traveling in a direction opposite to impeller rotation, the stator will likewise attempt to counter-rotate as
it forces the fluid to change direction, an effect that is prevented by the one-way stator clutch.

Unlike the radially straight blades used in a plain fluid coupling, a torque converter's turbine and stator use angled and curved blades.
The blade shape of the stator is what alters the path of the fluid, forcing it to coincide with the impeller rotation. The matching curve
of the turbine blades helps to correctly direct the returning fluid to the stator so the latter can do its job. The shape of the blades is
important as minor variations can result in significant changes to the converter's performance.

During the stall and acceleration phases, in which torque multiplication occurs, the stator remains stationary due to the action of its
one-way clutch. However, as the torque converter approaches the coupling phase, the energy and volume of the fluid returning from
the turbine will gradually decrease, causing pressure on the stator to likewise decrease. Once in the coupling phase, the returning
fluid will reverse direction and now rotate in the direction of the impeller and turbine, an effect which will attempt to forward-rotate
the stator. At this point, the stator clutch will release and the impeller, turbine and stator will all (more or less) turn as a unit.

Unavoidably, some of the fluid's kinetic energy will be lost due to friction and turbulence, causing the converter to generate waste
heat (dissipated in many applications by water cooling). This effect, often referred to as pumping loss, will be most pronounced at or
near stall conditions. In modern designs, the blade geometry minimizes oil velocity at low impeller speeds, which allows the turbine
to be stalled for long periods with little danger of overheating (as when a vehicle with an automatic transmission is stopped at a traf
fic
signal or in traffic congestion while still in gear).

Efficiency and torque multiplication

A torque converter cannot achieve 100 percent coupling ef
ficiency. The classic three element torque converter has an ef
ficiency curve
that resembles ∩: zero efficiency at stall, generally increasing efficiency during the acceleration phase and low efficiency in the
coupling phase. The loss of efficiency as the converter enters the coupling phase is a result of the turbulence and fluid flow
interference generated by the stator, and as previously mentioned, is commonly overcome by mounting the stator on a one-way
clutch.

Even with the benefit of the one-way stator clutch, a converter cannot achieve the same level of efficiency in the coupling phase as an
equivalently sized fluid coupling. Some loss is due to the presence of the stator (even though rotating as part of the assembly), as it
always generates some power-absorbing turbulence. Most of the loss, however, is caused by the curved and angled turbine blades,
which do not absorb kinetic energy from the fluid mass as well as radially straight blades. Since the turbine blade geometry is a
crucial factor in the converter's ability to multiply torque, trade-offs between torque multiplication and coupling efficiency are
inevitable. In automotive applications, where steady improvements in fuel economy have been mandated by market forces and
government edict, the nearly universal use of a lock-up clutch has helped to eliminate the converter from the efficiency equation
during cruising operation.
The maximum amount of torque multiplication produced by a converter is highly dependent on the size and geometry of the turbine
and stator blades, and is generated only when the converter is at or near the stall phase of operation. Typical stall torque
multiplication ratios range from 1.8:1 to 2.5:1 for most automotive applications (although multi-element designs as used in the Buick
Dynaflow and Chevrolet Turboglide could produce more). Specialized converters designed for industrial, rail, or heavy marine power
transmission systems are capable of as much as 5.0:1 multiplication. Generally speaking, there is a trade-off between maximum
torque multiplication and efficiency—high stall ratio converters tend to be relatively inefficient below the coupling speed, whereas
low stall ratio converters tend to provide less possible torque multiplication.

The characteristics of the torque converter must be carefully matched to the torque curve of the power source and the intended
application. Changing the blade geometry of the stator and/or turbine will change the torque-stall characteristics, as well as the
overall efficiency of the unit. For example, drag racing automatic transmissions often use converters modified to produce high stall
speeds to improve off-the-line torque, and to get into the power band of the engine more quickly. Highway vehicles generally use
lower stall torque converters to limit heat production, and provide a more firm feeling to the vehicle's characteristics.

A design feature once found in someGeneral Motors automatic transmissions was the variable-pitch stator, in which the blades' angle
of attack could be varied in response to changes in engine speed and load. The effect of this was to vary the amount of torque
multiplication produced by the converter. At the normal angle of attack, the stator caused the converter to produce a moderate amount
of multiplication but with a higher level of efficiency. If the driver abruptly opened the throttle, a valve would switch the stator pitch
to a different angle of attack, increasing torque multiplication at the expense of efficiency.

Some torque converters use multiple stators and/or multiple turbines to provide a wider range of torque multiplication. Such multiple-
element converters are more common in industrial environments than in automotive transmissions, but automotive applications such
as Buick's Triple Turbine Dynaflow and Chevrolet's Turboglide also existed. The Buick Dynaflow utilized the torque-multiplying
characteristics of its planetary gear set in conjunction with the torque converter for low gear and bypassed the first turbine, using only
the second turbine as vehicle speed increased. The unavoidable trade-off with this arrangement was low efficiency and eventually
these transmissions were discontinued in favor of the more efficient three speed units with a conventional three element torque
converter. It is also found that efficiency of torque converter is maximum at very low speeds.

Lock-up torque converters

As described above, impelling losses within the torque converter reduce efficiency and generate waste heat. In modern automotive
applications, this problem is commonly avoided by use of a lock-up clutch that physically links the impeller and turbine, effectively
changing the converter into a purely mechanical coupling. The result is no slippage, and virtually no power loss.

The first automotive application of the lock-up principle was Packard's Ultramatic transmission, introduced in 1949, which locked up
the converter at cruising speeds, unlocking when the throttle was floored for quick acceleration or as the vehicle slowed down. This
feature was also present in someBorg-Warner transmissions produced during the 1950s. It fell out of favor in subsequent years due to
its extra complexity and cost. In the late 1970s lock-up clutches started to reappear in response to demands for improved fuel
economy, and are now nearly universal in automotive applications.

Capacity and failure modes

As with a basic fluid coupling the theoretical torque capacity of a converter is proportional to , where is the mass density
of the fluid (kg/m³), is the impeller speed (rpm), and is the diameter(m).[1] In practice, the maximum torque capacity is limited
by the mechanical characteristics of the materials used in the converter's components, as well as the ability of the converter to
dissipate heat (often through water cooling). As an aid to strength, reliability and economy of production, most automotive converter
housings are of welded construction. Industrial units are usually assembled with bolted housings, a design feature that eases the
process of inspection and repair, but adds to the cost of producing the converter
.
In high performance, racing and heavy duty commercial converters, the pump and turbine may be further strengthened by a process
called furnace brazing, in which molten brass is drawn into seams and joints to produce a stronger bond between the blades, hubs and
annular ring(s). Because the furnace brazing process creates a small radius at the point where a blade meets with a hub or annular
ring, a theoretical decrease in turbulence will occur
, resulting in a corresponding increase in efficiency.

Overloading a converter can result in several failure modes, some of them potentially dangerous in nature:

Overheating: Continuous high levels of slippage may overwhelm the converter's ability to dissipate heat, resulting in
damage to the elastomer seals that retain fluid inside the converter. This will cause the unit to leak and eventually
stop functioning due to lack of fluid.
Stator clutch seizure: The inner and outer elements of theone-way stator clutch become permanently locked
together, thus preventing the stator from rotating during the coupling phase. Most often, seizure is precipitated by
severe loading and subsequent distortion of the clutch components. Eventually , galling of the mating parts occurs,
which triggers seizure. A converter with a seizedstator clutch will exhibit very poor efficiency during the coupling
phase, and in a motor vehicle, fuel consumption will drastically increase. Converter overheating under such
conditions will usually occur if continued operation is attempted.
Stator clutch breakage: A very abrupt application of power can cause shock loading of thestator clutch, resulting in
breakage. If this occurs, the stator will freely counter-rotate in the direction opposite to that of the pump and almost
no power transmission will take place. In an automobile, the ef fect is similar to a severe case of transmission
slippage and the vehicle is all but incapable of moving under its own power .
Blade deformation and fragmentation: If subjected to abrupt loading or excessive heating of the converter , pump
and/or turbine blades may be deformed, separated from their hubs and/or annular rings, or may break up into
fragments. At the least, such a failure will result in a significant loss of ef
ficiency, producing symptoms similar
(although less pronounced) to those accompanying stator clutch failure. In extreme cases, catastrophic destruction
of the converter will occur.
Ballooning: Prolonged operation under excessive loading, very abrupt application of load, or operating a torque
converter at very high RPM may cause the shape of the converter's housing to be physically distorted due to internal
pressure and/or the stress imposed by inertia. Under extreme conditions, ballooning will cause the converter housing
to rupture, resulting in the violent dispersal of hot oil and metal fragments over a wide area.

Manufacturers

Current
Valeo, produces Torque converter for Ford, GM, Mazda, Subaru
Allison Transmission, used in bus, refuse, fire, construction, distribution, military and specialty applications
BorgWarner, used in automobiles
Subaru, used in automobiles
Isuzu, used in automobiles
Twin Disc, used in vehicle, marine and oilfield applications
Voith Turbo-Transmissions, used in many diesel locomotives and diesel multiple units
ZF Friedrichshafen, automobiles, forestry machines, popular in citybus applications
Jatco, used in automobiles
Aisin AW, used in automobiles
LuK USA LLC, produces Torque Converters for Ford, GM, Allison, and Hyundai
Exedy, used in automobiles

Past
Lysholm-Smith, named after its inventor, Alf Lysholm,[2] produced by Leyland Motors and used in buses from 1933-9
and also some British Rail Derby Lightweightand Ulster Transport Authority diesel multiple units
Mekydro,[3] used in British Rail Class 35 Hymek locomotives.
Packard, used in the Ultramatic automobile transmission system
Rolls-Royce (Twin Disc), used in some British United Traction diesel multiple units
Vickers-Coates[4]
See also
Clutch Torque amplifier
Fluid coupling Water brake
Servomechanism

References
1. Hydrodynamic couplings and converters. Automotive Handbook (3rd ed.).Robert Bosch. p. 539. ISBN 0-8376-0330-
7.
2. "Espacenet - Original document"(http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=US&NR
=1900118A&KC=A&FT=D&ND=3&date=19330307&DB=worldwide.espacenet.com&locale=en_EP) .
Worldwide.espacenet.com. 1933-03-07. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
3. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100302142045/http://www .intertrains.co.uk/glossary/m/mekydro-tran
smission.html). Archived from the original (http://www.intertrains.co.uk/glossary/m/mekydro-transmission.html)on
2010-03-02. Retrieved 2009-10-31.
4. [1] (https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19300220&id=8_RjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0JYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=
7237,1332667)

External links
HowStuffWorks article on torque converters
YouTube video about torque converters

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