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Angielou S. Sialana Bsme - 4 ME42B November 18, 2016: Dynamometer

1. A dynamometer is a device used to measure the torque and power of an engine. It works by measuring the frictional resistance of a brake mechanism attached to the engine. 2. There are two main types of dynamometers - absorption dynamometers which absorb all the engine's power through friction, and transmission dynamometers which transmit the power to do work elsewhere. 3. Common absorption dynamometers include the Prony brake dynamometer which uses wooden blocks and weights on a lever to apply friction, and the rope brake dynamometer which uses ropes wrapped around a flywheel.

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Angielou Sialana
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89 views

Angielou S. Sialana Bsme - 4 ME42B November 18, 2016: Dynamometer

1. A dynamometer is a device used to measure the torque and power of an engine. It works by measuring the frictional resistance of a brake mechanism attached to the engine. 2. There are two main types of dynamometers - absorption dynamometers which absorb all the engine's power through friction, and transmission dynamometers which transmit the power to do work elsewhere. 3. Common absorption dynamometers include the Prony brake dynamometer which uses wooden blocks and weights on a lever to apply friction, and the rope brake dynamometer which uses ropes wrapped around a flywheel.

Uploaded by

Angielou Sialana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Angielou S.

Sialana BSME 4 ME42B November 18, 2016

Dynamometer
A dynamometer is a brake but in addition it has a device to measure the frictional resistance.
Knowing the frictional resistance, we may obtain the torque transmitted and hence the power of
the engine.

DYNAMOMETER OPERATION
Several components are typically packaged together in a dynamometer: the shaft with bearings, the
resistance surface, the resistance mechanism in a free rotating housing, a strain gage, and a speed
sensor (see figure 1 for a schematic of an Eddy Current Dynamometer). Generally some method of
cooling is also required, and this may require either a heat exchanger or air or water circulation, this
is not shown in figure 1. The entire assembly is typically mounted on a stout frame, which is
mechanically linked to the frame of the engine being tested.

The force signal (F) from the strain gage may be converted into a torque (T) by multiplying by the
distance from the center of the shaft to the pivot point of the strain gage (R):
T=RxF
If the units are in Newton-meters and shaft speed (S) is measured in radians per second, then the
shaft power or break power (P) of the engine can be calculated by multiplying the speed and the
torque:
P=TxS
Obviously if you are using different units than you will need to use the appropriate conversion
factors.

Application of Dyanamometers
Types of Dynamometers
Following are the two types of dynamometers, used for measuring the brake power of an engine.

1. Absorption dynamometers - The entire energy or power produced by the is absorbed by the
friction resistances of the brake and is transformed into heat, during the process of measurement.

2. Transmission dynamometers - The energy is not wasted in friction but is used for doing work. The
energy or power produced by the engine is transmitted through the dynamometer to some other
machines where the power developed is suitably measured.

Classification of Absorption Dynamometers


The following two types of absorption dynamometers are important from the subject point of
View:
1. Prony brake dynamometer.
2. Rope brake dynamometer.

Prony Brake Dynamometer


A simplest form of an absorption type dynamometer is a Prony brake dynamometer, as shown
in Fig. It consists of two wooden blocks placed around a pulley fixed to the shaft of an engine
whose power is required to be measured. The blocks are clamped by means of two bolts and nuts,
as shown in Fig. A helical spring is provided between the nut and the upper block to adjust the
pressure on the pulley to control its speed. The upper block has a long lever attached to it and
carries a weight W at its outer end. A counter weight is placed at the other end of the lever which
balances the brake when unloaded. Two stops S, S are provided to limit the motion of the lever.

When the brake is to be put in operation, the long end of the lever is loaded with suitable weights
W and the nuts are tightened until the engine shaft runs at a constant speed and the lever is in
horizontal position. Under these conditions, the moment due to the weight W must balance the
moment of the frictional resistance between the blocks and the pulley.
Frictional torque Wl=Mgl

Power of the machine under test =MNk


Where k is a constant for a particular brake.

Note: That the expression for power is independent of the size of the pulley and the coefficient of
friction.

Rope Brake Dynamometer


It is another form of absorption type dynamometer which is most commonly used for measuring the
brake power of the engine. It consists of one, two or more ropes wound around the flywheel or rim of
a pulley fixed rigidly to the shaft of an engine. The upper end of the ropes is attached to a spring
balance while the lower end of the ropes is kept in position by applying a dead weight as shown in
Fig. In order to prevent the slipping of the rope over the flywheel, wooden blocks are placed at
intervals around the circumference of the flywheel. In the operation of the brake, the engine is made
to run at a constant speed. The frictional torque, due to the rope, must be equal to the torque being
transmitted by the engine.
Power of the machine = T
= (Fr)

Note: Since the energy produced by the engine is absorbed by the frictional resistances of the brake
and is transformed into heat, therefore it is necessary to keep the flywheel of the engine cool with
soapy water. The flywheels have their rims made of a channel section so as to receive a stream of
water which is being whirled round by the wheel. The water is kept continually flowing into the rim
and is drained away by a sharp edged scoop on the other side, as shown in fig.

Classification of Transmission Dynamometer


1. Epicyclic-train dynamometer.
2. Belt transmission dynamometer.
3. Torsion dynamometer.

Epicyclic-train Dynamometer
An epicyclic-train dynamometer, as shown in Fig. Consists of a simple epicyclic train of gears, i.e. a
spur gear, an annular gear (a gear having internal teeth) and a pinion. The spur gear is keyed to the
engine shaft (i.e. driving shaft) and rotates in anticlockwise direction. The annular gear is also keyed
to the driving shaft and rotates in clockwise direction. The pinion or the intermediate gear meshes
with both the spur and annular gears. The pinion revolves freely on a lever which is pivoted to the
common axis of the driving and driven shafts. A weight w is placed at the smaller end of the lever in
order to keep it in position. A little consideration will show that if the friction of the pin on which the
pinion rotates is neglected, then the tangential effort P exerted by the spur gear on the pinion and the
tangential reaction of the annular gear on the pinion are equal.

Since these efforts act in the upward direction as shown, therefore total upward force on the lever
acting through the axis of the pinion is 2P. This force tends to rotate the lever about its fulcrum and it
is balanced by a dead weight W at the end of the lever. The stops S, S are provided to control the
movement of the lever.

For equilibrium of the lever,

And torque transmitted= F.r where r is the radius of the driving wheel Thus power,
Examples of Dynamometer
Water-brake dynamometer is similar to a Pronybrake but employs fluid friction (rather than dry
friction) to dissipate energy.

When testing engines using a water-brake dynamometer, the braking action (or load) is
developed by the principle of direct momentum exchange between the rotor(s) and stator(s) of
the dynamometer.

The dynamometer rotor(s) directs the water against the water-brake housing or stator. The
stator in turn, redirects the water back against the rotor so that it opposes the movement of
the rotor(s).

It is this turbulence and back pressure which causes the braking action or load. The greater the
flow of water through the dynamometer, the greater the braking action or load.

The stator is held in position by a strain gauge (torque link) which will measure the force
acting on the stator. With proper calibration, this force is a measure for the torque produced by
the engine when it moves the rotor in the water.

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