3000 Hp Toroid Water Brake

Three new “toroidal flow” water brake absorbers have been added to the DYNOmite lineup (above right). These include a special light duty version of our 7" Small Engine (kart) absorber, a 3,000 horsepower 16" dual-stator model, and a larger 19" heavy-duty unit for low RPM diesel applications.

All of these new brakes utilize our latest high velocity toroid stator and rotor cavities. This design provides more torque load per internal volume unit of water (compared to simple conventional vaned rotors). This fact lets us cut their internal filled volume in half, making them about twice as responsive whenever rapid load changes are required.

The toroid absorbers feature side discharge ports. This helps to eliminate induced torque readings from discharge hose water velocities, weight, and static pre-load (compared to tangential drains).

Bi-directional operation (without drain hose swapping) is provided via a unique internal stainless-steel valve system. Both CW and CCW applications can be tested, back-to-back, without stopping to make any plumbing modifications. While this feature is especially desirable for marine engine testing, it also makes accommodating both front and rear wheel drive cars on one chassis dyno easier.

Multiple mounting options are available. These absorbers' feature low filled weight and internally splined, keyed, or tapered arbors for frictionless cantilevered mounting (directly off the output shaft). Optional, “zero torque loss” trunnion bosses (for static pillow blocks) or extended solid arbor shafts (for live bearing installations) can be ordered.

Question of the month...?

We got a chuckle (and almost decided to ignore his e-mail) after we realized from the return address that this question was sent in by John @ SuperFlow East! But what the heck, we're all friends in this business:

John asks:

How are your SAE correction standards derived? I know that different manufacturers sometimes have different corrected numbers for HP and I was wondering why this is?

As we suspect that John already knows, the SAE correction standards are a set of factors used to try and estimate what a tested engine's power output would be if run under the standard's atmospheric conditions. If the standard calls for 77 Degrees Fahrenheit, 0% humidity, and 29.32 inches of Mercury (sea level) then testing under other conditions will sway the results. So, the SAE allows using their correction formulas (or tables) to try and normalize test data taken at different altitudes or weather.

For some international correction standards these table values are simply multiplied directly against the observed testing torque to derive the “corrected” output. As many experienced engineers and dynamometer operators have discovered, the resulting predictions are often measurably different from how some engines really perform when re-tested under the actual atmospheric standards!

Fortunately, the SAE recognizes that many sources of internal engine friction losses do not change as a percentage of engine power, and consequently should be excluded from the torque data prior to applying correction formulas.

Doing so brings our predicted power output significantly closer.

The most popular SAE method assumes a simple 85% Mechanical Efficiency. So, they allow the correction factors to be applied against an assumed torque that is about 17% higher than the observed test torque. The resulting correction will be slightly greater in magnitude than if it were derived against the raw measured torque. (Note: That 17% friction torque estimate itself is never added as part of the final “corrected” power, it is only used during calculation of the atmospheric influences.)

The SAE's 85% ME assumption gets us much closer to a reliable prediction of power output under changing conditions than simply ignoring friction. However, a fixed 85% efficiency will never be right for all engine types and test speeds. It is especially erroneous when testing low-friction 2-cycle or blown engines.

Instead, some engineers use motored test stands to actually measure the torque required to spin the engine (without actually running it). They substitute that recorded friction loss curve (instead of using the fixed 17% SAE estimate) when calculating the atmospheric correction.

For users without access to such actual measured frictional torque loss data, DYNO-MAX 2000 offers a computerized alternative. It allows operators to de-select the simple Fixed ME % and instead, substitute more advanced (built-in) Friction Torque Formula's.

Those equations do a much closer job of estimating the engine's internal parasitic losses. The calculations are done real-time, based on the actual operating RPM, and utilizing engine design data entered into the Run Information tabs. This method has proven to provide data that is comparable across a much wider range of atmospheric conditions than was previously possible.

Of course, some manufacturers (not including either SuperFlow or Land & Sea) do still concoct wildly optimistic “correction loss factors,” apparently just to try and make customers happy? But how can that help anyone – perhaps they can answer that question...?

DYNOmite-Pro EEPROM firmware Version 9.52 is now available as a free upgrade from prior EEPROM versions! DYNOmite-Pro board set owners can use DYNO-MAX’s

Electronics -Display DYNOmite Parameters... -Check for Upgrade button to download and flash update to the 9.52 release -at no charge!

“Black Box” Recorder

Many DYNO-MAX 2000 users do not even realize they have a “Black Box” Recorder, let alone what it does. But you should know about it, because it may really help you out sometime.

This option is named “Black Box” because it is similar to an aircraft’s “Flight Recorder.” It maintains a continuous backup recording file (containing the last 10-minutes of engine run data @ 10 Hz). So, if an important event occurs during a test period while you are not recording, you can just recover the “Black Box's” data to see what happened!

The recorder is smart enough to pause (and not waste any of its 10-minute “tape”) if it has not detected any Engine RPM within the last 30 seconds. Therefore, even though the log is only 10 minutes in length, you may still be able to recover data from an engine failure that occurred hours earlier!

By default, when DYNO-MAX 2000 is first installed, the " Black Box” option is turned on. However, if you have shut it off, simply go to Tools -Preferences -Database -Engage “Black Box” Recorder and re-checkmark that option. You are able to tell when it is engaged because, during testing, the words Ready (Black Box) appear in the Console's Status window.

Here are the steps to recover the data. You may want to try recovering your own system's log now, just to better understand the procedure.

1) Open a New Run and fill out any pertinent Run Information fields so they match the engine for which you are recovering data.

If this was the last engine you were running, then the New Run is probably already filled out correctly.

2) Select Tools -Options -Recover “Black Box” Recording and enter a file name that you wish to save the recovered run under.

You can use the same Run file naming procedure that you do for all your normal recordings.

3) Replay (or graph) the Run to review your area of interest (within the 10-minute log).

4) You can use the Graph’s Clipping Scissors to segment out just the time period of interest in the recording.

Although the data at 10Hz is a bit coarse, it is just what you need to track down the cause of an unexpected engine failure or other significant event.

Customer Spotlight

Clark's Automotive Machine Shop

Located in Reidsville, North Carolina, Clark’s Automotive Machine Shop was started in August 2000, by Rayvon Clark. Rayvon has been involved in the auto racing industry for too many years to mention. His racing experience includes numerous years driving in the NASCAR Late Model Series. During much of the period while he was competing in that series Rayvon was also tuning and building his own engines.

Soon after hanging up his helmet, Rayvon was hired by one of the Winston Cup teams. They charged him with helping them to develop their own, in-house, motor program. Besides Winston Cup, Rayvon has also built engines for both the Busch and ARCA racing divisions. Currently, Clark's Automotive Machine Shop is involved in developing engines for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This is in addition to their continuing work with the Late Model divisions.

To develop these powerful engines, Rayvon uses his DYNOmite Pro 1600 Engine Dynamometer equipped with the latest version of DYNO-MAX 2000 Pro software. Rayvon says that this dynamometer and software combination allows him to conduct repeatable real-time tests on all his engines. Serious testing of their product helps Clark's Automotive Machine Shop create and maintain a reputation on the race circuit for supplying quality engines.

Today, numerous teams rely on Rayvon's work for their winning power every weekend. With more than 1,000 engines built, and numerous championships (including over 500 wins), Clark's Automotive is a prime example of the value our customers derive out of using their DYNOmite Dynamometer Systems.

Contact Us

Land & Sea, Inc.

PO Box 96

North Salem, NH 03073

(603) 329-5645

www.land-and-sea.com

This year's Formula SAE Competition took place between May 14-18 in Pontiac, Michigan. The purpose of the competition is for SAE student members to conceive, design, fabricate, and compete with small formula-style racing cars. Restrictions on the frame and engine modifications are limiting and challenge the knowledge, creativity, and imagination of the students.

These cars are built with a team effort over a one year period. They're then taken to the annual competition for judging and comparison with approximately 130 other vehicles from colleges and universities throughout the world. The end result is a great experience for young students in a meaningful engineering project (as well as the opportunity of working in a dedicated team effort).

All vehicles are judged in three different categories: static inspection and engineering design, solo performance trials, and high performance track endurance. The total points in each category determine the overall placement.