Facts : 1 Torque converter A type of fluid coupling, hydraulically connecting the engine to the transmission
Facts : 2 It transmits and decouples the engine power to the planetary gears, allowing the vehicle to come to stop with the engine still running without stalling
Facts : 3 A torque converter differs from a fluid coupling, in that it provides a variable amount of torque multiplication at low engine speeds, increasing breakaway acceleration
Facts : 4 A fluid coupling works well when both the impeller and turbine are rotating at similar speeds, but it is very inefficient at initial acceleration, where rotational speeds are very different
Facts : 5 This torque multiplication is accomplished with a third member in the coupling assembly known as the stator, which acts to modify the fluid flow depending on the relative rotational speeds of the impeller and turbine
Facts : 6 The stator itself does not rotate, but its vanes are so shaped that when the impeller (which is driven by the engine) is rotating at a high speed and the turbine (which receives the transmitted power) is spinning at a low speed, the fluid flow hits the vanes of the turbine in a way that multiplies the torque being applied
Facts : 7 This causes the turbine to begin spinning faster as the vehicle accelerates (ideally), and as the relative rotational speeds equalize, the torque multiplication diminishes
Facts : 8 Once the impeller and turbine are rotating within 10 %%% of each other s speed, the stator ceases to function and the torque converter acts as a simple fluid coupling