EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF STATOR EXIT FLOW-FIELD OFAN AUTOMOTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER

The objective of this investigation is to understand the nature of the complex flow field inside each element of the torque converter throug h a systematic experimental and numerical investigation of the pow fie ld. A miniature five-hole probe was used to acquire the delta at the e xit of the stator at several operating conditions. The flow field is f ound to be highly three dimensional with substantial pow deviations, a nd secondary flow at the exit of the stator. The secondary pow structu re, caused by the upstream radial variation of the through pow, induce s flow overturning near the core. Flow separation near the shell cause s flow underturning in this region. The rate of decay of stator wake i s found to be slower than that observed in the wakes of axial flow tur bine nozzles. The pow predictions by a Navier-Stokes code are in goon agreement with the pressure and the flow field measured at the exit of the stator at the design and the off-design conditions.