Title: A dynamic model for automotive torque converters

Authors: Houchun Xia, Phil Oh

Addresses: Vehicle Synthesis, Analysis and Simulation Process Center, General Motors Corporation, Mail Code: 480-1 11-N26,30200 Mound Road, Warren, MI 48090-9010, USA. ' Vehicle Synthesis, Analysis and Simulation Process Center, General Motors Corporation, Mail Code: 480-1 11-N26,30200 Mound Road, Warren, MI 48090-9010, USA

Abstract: An automotive torque converter is a hydrodynamic device used in automatic transmission to transmit engine power to the vehicle. Since this critical element affects fuel economy, vehicle performance and drive quality, an accurate converter model is essential for vehicle development tasks such as powertrain dynamics simulation, energy management and system optimisation. Based on first principles, a dynamic torque converter model has been developed in this work. This model satisfies the energy conservation law and dynamic torque balance for all converter elements. Example results show that converter dynamics has a significant effect on vehicle launch performance and thus city fuel economy. The torque converter model presented here accounts for these dynamic effects better than some previous models.

Keywords: energy management; powertrain dynamics; automotive torque converter; vehicle performance; automatic transmission; simulation; dynamic torque converter; fuel economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1999.005589

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1999 Vol.21 No.4/5, pp.344 - 354

Published online: 21 Oct 2004 *

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