On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 15:45:03 -0500, Matt Whiting
wrote:

Bob Chilcoat wrote:
Matt's response gives me an thought. Has anyone ever tried a torque
converter by itself as a PSRU? Seems like it might solve a number of
problems, be relatively light, and not subject to wear. Just a thought -
I'm sure there would be lots of new problems.

I suspect that heat generation would be the killer for a typical auto
unit. Also, I don't know if the lock-up clutch would work at the torque
levels required in AC use. Probably other problems as well, but I'll
bet heat generation would be a biggie, especially if the lock-up clutch
couldn't be used. And if the lock-up could be used, you'd have no
reduction ratio, which means you'd no longer have have PSRU, just a PU! :-)


Just some clarification.

A fluid coupling is a lossy device - very lossy. A torque converter is
several orders of magnitude better, actually "converting" RPM and
Torque, very much similar to a gear train. Still lossy. You would NOT
want to use the lockup.

There WERE torque converters made with planetary gears in them as both
overdrives and underdrives. Not sure if anyone makes them any more.

Matt