Effect of starting time on hydro-viscous drive speed regulating start

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effect of starting time on hydro-viscous drive speed regulating start. Design/methodology/approach – The modified transient Reynolds equation, thermal energy equation and temperature–viscosity equation were solved simultaneously by using finite element method. And then variations of the oil film load capacity, variations of temperature and variations of the torque generated by the oil film during the starting process were obtained. Findings – The results show that during the starting process, both the oil film load capacity and the temperature show an upward trend, the torque increases during the beginning period and then decreases during the latter part of the starting process. When the starting time is less than 60 s, variations of the oil film load capacity and temperature show fluctuations, which decrease with the starting time. For any output speed, the corresponding oil film load capacity, temperature and torque decrease with the starting time, and the decreasing amplitude also decreases with the starting time. Originality/value – This paper indicates that the starting time can be set to 60-90 s to obtain a perfect starting process. The simulation results are verified by the speed regulating start experiments. Research findings of this work provide theoretical basis for the design and practical application of the hydro-viscous drive equipments.