Brian Borgstede [SMTP:borgstede@umsl.edu] wrote:
>
> How much is drive train loss on an IRS TR?
> How can it be measured as a %?
> If I have a 100 hp engine and swap it for a 200 hp engine,
> Does my drive train use twice as much hp?
> I would think the drive train loss is a static figure.
Although it's not strictly proportional, it's close. Most of the friction is
between surfaces where the pressure is related to hp (think gear teeth sliding
across each other as the gears turn). And, the "fun" formula of high school
physics (f = uN, where F is the friction, u is the coefficient of friction,
and N is the normal force) tells us that the friction is proportional to the
normal force, which is proportional to the torque, which is proportional to the
horsepower. Certainly there are static losses, but they are relatively small.
So, Yes, if you swap your 100hp engine for a 200hp engine, you can expect
roughly twice as much loss in the drive train (until it breaks, then the losses
are much higher <g>)
Randall
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