Water Brake?

[Dave Williams]

-> Soooo, anyone seen a set of working plans for a water brake that can
-> consume up to say 400HP at peak (actually if I was limited to 300HP,

 I've yet to see anything.  The Superflow brake is about the size of a
Winchester disk pack, filled with plates sort of like a disk pack, or
probably more properly like a motorcycle clutch.  I recently found out
about an interesting device called a Tesla turbine, and I believe the
Superflow works on the same principle.

 I own a Clayton chassis dyno.  The water brake in it is a pair of half
toroids that looks for all the world like an 8" or so torque convertor.
It is rated to 200hp.  I gave some thought to investment casting copies
of it and chaining them together (not being sure how the device would
scale up) but abandoned that idea when I lucked onto an enormous
electric motor I intend to rewire as an eddy current brake.


-> Most of my testing will be on a torqueNthrust stand (just about
-> completed) with the varying load coming from a pitch-adjustable prop

 You have hit on the only viable low-cost setup.  I found that props
were available cheap when they no longer passed FAA limits, though
they'd work just fine for a dyno.  Unfortunately I live in a typical
suburban housing project and the noise would have the police down here
pronto.  On the other hand, it'd be the Leaf Blower From Hell...

 I'd go ahead and proceed with the prop setup and get it operational
before going on to anything else.

(I did give semi-serious thought to building a prop dyno like yours,
except mounted on a trailer, so I could tow the rig out someplace where
the noise wouldn't be a problem, but never did much with the idea)

====dave.williams at chaos.lrk.ar.us========================DoD#978=======
  can you help me...help me get out of this place?...slow sedation...
ain't my style, ain't my pace...giving me a number...NINE, SEVEN, EIGHT
==5.0 RX7 -> Tyrannosaurus RX! == SAE '82 == Denizens of Doom M/C '92==