Effect of two-phase flow on transmission torque of oil film at high rotational speeds

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the working characteristics of hydro-viscous clutch at high rotational speeds and obtain the trend of flow field variation of oil film. Design/methodology/approach The FLUENT simulation model of the oil film between the friction disks is built. The effect of variation of working parameters such as input rotational speed, oil flow rate and film thickness on two-phase flow regime and transmission torque is studied by using the volume of fluid model. Findings The results show that the higher the rotational speed, the severer the cavitation is. In addition, the two-phase flow region makes the coverage of oil film over the friction pairs’ surface reduce, which results in a decrease in transmission torque for the hydro-viscous clutch. Originality/value These simulation results are of interest for the study of hydro-viscous drive and its applications. This study can also provide a theoretical basis for power transmission mechanism of oil film by considering the existence of a two-phase flow regime consisting of oil and air.