Abstract
The space allowed for mounting a torque converter on front-wheel-drive cars has been increasingly reduced in recent years due to the adoption of larger engines with more cylinders and the higher functionality achieved for transmissions, including the addition of more speed ranges and greater use of CVTs. This situation has dramatically heightened the need to reduce the torque converter's axial length. This paper presents a numerical analysis of the fluid flow state and loss characteristics in a new torque converter with a flatter design. The results make clear the effect of the flatness ratio on hydrodynamic performance. Measures for reducing torque converter loss are examined on the basis of the analysis results, and their effectiveness is evaluated.
