Motor elasticity
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 8:32 pm
At the meet Tuesday, I was talking with Sabre and the good Doctor about motor elasticity: a term that appears often in German publications on cars, but that I've never seen in English. I did my best to describe it to them, but came up short. So, I present today, the German Wikipedia snippet translated in English. It is fairly succinct and clear, but I am happy to clarify and questions regarding the phrasing. Please forgive my poorly formatted math equations. The italics are my emphasis are for keywords. Sidenote: the poor elasticity of a 600cc sportbike (despite being crazy fast) is the reason why immature 18-yo's think they need a liter bike at minimum. Alright, I'm done yelling at the clounds.
Elasticity (automotive technology)
Elasticity of a motor vehicle powertrain describes the condition where the rated RPM of a powerplant is greater than the RPM at which the unit creates its greatest torque; the rated RPM is the RPM at which the rated output (RJ's note: in this case, horsepower) is produced. During an increase in load (in the sense of an increase in driving resistance) such as going uphill or driving into a headwind, this allows you -not- to downshift as your speed falls, due to an increase in torque. The farther the RPM of the maximum torque is (relatively) removed from the RPM of maximum output, the more elastic the motor is.
Calculating Elasticity
For motor elasticity, a distinction is drawn among torque elasticity, RPM elasticity, and the total elasticity of a motor.
Torque elasticity
eMd = Md2/Md1
Where Md1 is the torque at maximum HP and Md2 is maximum torque
RPM elasticity
en = n1/n2
Where n1 is the RPM at maximum output (rated RPM) and n2 is RPM at maximum torque
Total motor elasticity
E = eMd * en = Md2/Md1 * n1/n2
Sometimes RPM elasticity is called "total elasticity" and torque elasticity is called "motor elasticity"; n1 - n2 describes the "elastic range"
Examples of various RPM elasticities:
Puch-Motorcyle (post-war model), gasoline, 1.01 (not elastic)
Dodge Viper R/T 10, gasoline, 1.28
Honda motorcycle (modern sportbike), gasoline, 1.40
Steyr tractor (modern), diesel, 1.57
Opel Vectra A 2.0i, gasoline, 1.93
Mercedes 220 CDI, diesel, 2.10
VW Golf V R32, gasonline, 3.10 (very elastic)
Series-wound electric motors and steam motors, that have their maximum torque available at an RPM of 0, and therefore usually forego transmissions, are considered particularly elastic.
Elasticity (automotive technology)
Elasticity of a motor vehicle powertrain describes the condition where the rated RPM of a powerplant is greater than the RPM at which the unit creates its greatest torque; the rated RPM is the RPM at which the rated output (RJ's note: in this case, horsepower) is produced. During an increase in load (in the sense of an increase in driving resistance) such as going uphill or driving into a headwind, this allows you -not- to downshift as your speed falls, due to an increase in torque. The farther the RPM of the maximum torque is (relatively) removed from the RPM of maximum output, the more elastic the motor is.
Calculating Elasticity
For motor elasticity, a distinction is drawn among torque elasticity, RPM elasticity, and the total elasticity of a motor.
Torque elasticity
eMd = Md2/Md1
Where Md1 is the torque at maximum HP and Md2 is maximum torque
RPM elasticity
en = n1/n2
Where n1 is the RPM at maximum output (rated RPM) and n2 is RPM at maximum torque
Total motor elasticity
E = eMd * en = Md2/Md1 * n1/n2
Sometimes RPM elasticity is called "total elasticity" and torque elasticity is called "motor elasticity"; n1 - n2 describes the "elastic range"
Examples of various RPM elasticities:
Puch-Motorcyle (post-war model), gasoline, 1.01 (not elastic)
Dodge Viper R/T 10, gasoline, 1.28
Honda motorcycle (modern sportbike), gasoline, 1.40
Steyr tractor (modern), diesel, 1.57
Opel Vectra A 2.0i, gasoline, 1.93
Mercedes 220 CDI, diesel, 2.10
VW Golf V R32, gasonline, 3.10 (very elastic)
Series-wound electric motors and steam motors, that have their maximum torque available at an RPM of 0, and therefore usually forego transmissions, are considered particularly elastic.