road vehicles

Hydrodynamic converters are mainly used in conjunction with automatic transmission, especially in commercial vehicles. The first test of a passenger car with a hydrodynamic converter was carried out by Hermann Föttinger") in 1931.[2]​.

Hydrostatic units are mainly used for auxiliary drives with low power or for driving construction machines, where the possibility of separating the engine and the power element is used.

Hydrodynamic power transmission is used in automatic transmissions, in the form of hydrodynamic clutches and converters. There are also hydromechanical mixed units, such as the Voith differential converter (Diwa-Differenzialwandlergetriebe), in which part of the power is transmitted directly and part through the converter depending on the speed and power difference.

In buses and other heavy commercial vehicles, the retarder is used as an (almost) wear-free brake and at the same time as a second independent braking system that increases operational safety. A retarder is a special form of converter where the turbine wheels are braked and all the energy is converted into heat. This requires an auxiliary device to cool the fluid.

Rolling stock

Hydrodynamic power transmission is used in diesel locomotives, cars and units of all power categories, in vehicles with combustion turbines and even in ÖBB 1067 electric locomotives.[3] It is a cheaper and lighter alternative in the transmission of electrical energy, but with lower efficiency. Both power transmissions are mainly used for higher horsepower vehicles. Unlike mechanical power transmission, they allow high traction forces to be obtained when starting without using a friction clutch, that is, components subject to wear proportional to the amount of power loss. In railway rolling stock, hydrodynamic gearboxes with multiple converters or a combination of converters and clutches are used to increase the efficiency of the transmission, gradually filling and emptying fluid as the vehicle speed increases.

Hydrodynamic power transmission on the railway was first used in Germany during the reconstruction of the Rail Zeppelin in 1932. During the post-war period, this transmission was used in the DB locomotives V series 200, 216, 218 and DR series 106, 110, 118 and 119. Czechoslovak state railways applied hydrodynamic transmission mainly in the M series railcars 286.0 and 1 and M 296.1 and 2 (respectively, now 854). The locomotives with hydrodynamic transmission were not very successful (it was only maintained later in the T 334.0 and T 444.0 and 1 series).

For lower power outputs, so-called hydromechanical power transmission is sometimes used, which means that the gearbox contains a single converter and the gears are shifted mechanically. This power transmission is used, for example, by the r.810 railcars, even to the updated version of the 814 series. An example of a rare use of this transmission for high power is a part of the r locomotives. IN 200 equipped with a four-speed Mekydro hydromechanical gearbox.[4]​.

In the field of rolling stock, the so-called hydrodynamic brake (H-Bremse in Germany) can be found. The construction is much more robust than for road vehicles and the size of the radiators must correspond to the braking power. Hydrodynamic brakes are equipped, for example, on DB series 218 locomotives and r railcars. 612.

It is not normally used for traction of rolling stock, but is often used for auxiliary drives: fans, compressors, even for locomotives with electric power transmission.[5]​.

road vehicles

Hydrodynamic converters are mainly used in conjunction with automatic transmission, especially in commercial vehicles. The first test of a passenger car with a hydrodynamic converter was carried out by Hermann Föttinger") in 1931.[2]​.

Hydrostatic units are mainly used for auxiliary drives with low power or for driving construction machines, where the possibility of separating the engine and the power element is used.

Hydrodynamic power transmission is used in automatic transmissions, in the form of hydrodynamic clutches and converters. There are also hydromechanical mixed units, such as the Voith differential converter (Diwa-Differenzialwandlergetriebe), in which part of the power is transmitted directly and part through the converter depending on the speed and power difference.

In buses and other heavy commercial vehicles, the retarder is used as an (almost) wear-free brake and at the same time as a second independent braking system that increases operational safety. A retarder is a special form of converter where the turbine wheels are braked and all the energy is converted into heat. This requires an auxiliary device to cool the fluid.

Rolling stock

Hydrodynamic power transmission is used in diesel locomotives, cars and units of all power categories, in vehicles with combustion turbines and even in ÖBB 1067 electric locomotives.[3] It is a cheaper and lighter alternative in the transmission of electrical energy, but with lower efficiency. Both power transmissions are mainly used for higher horsepower vehicles. Unlike mechanical power transmission, they allow high traction forces to be obtained when starting without using a friction clutch, that is, components subject to wear proportional to the amount of power loss. In railway rolling stock, hydrodynamic gearboxes with multiple converters or a combination of converters and clutches are used to increase the efficiency of the transmission, gradually filling and emptying fluid as the vehicle speed increases.

Hydrodynamic power transmission on the railway was first used in Germany during the reconstruction of the Rail Zeppelin in 1932. During the post-war period, this transmission was used in the DB locomotives V series 200, 216, 218 and DR series 106, 110, 118 and 119. Czechoslovak state railways applied hydrodynamic transmission mainly in the M series railcars 286.0 and 1 and M 296.1 and 2 (respectively, now 854). The locomotives with hydrodynamic transmission were not very successful (it was only maintained later in the T 334.0 and T 444.0 and 1 series).

For lower power outputs, so-called hydromechanical power transmission is sometimes used, which means that the gearbox contains a single converter and the gears are shifted mechanically. This power transmission is used, for example, by the r.810 railcars, even to the updated version of the 814 series. An example of a rare use of this transmission for high power is a part of the r locomotives. IN 200 equipped with a four-speed Mekydro hydromechanical gearbox.[4]​.

In the field of rolling stock, the so-called hydrodynamic brake (H-Bremse in Germany) can be found. The construction is much more robust than for road vehicles and the size of the radiators must correspond to the braking power. Hydrodynamic brakes are equipped, for example, on DB series 218 locomotives and r railcars. 612.

It is not normally used for traction of rolling stock, but is often used for auxiliary drives: fans, compressors, even for locomotives with electric power transmission.[5]​.