Aaron’s Power Corner

 

Fact or Fiction???

A large diameter single rotor tube prony brake dynamometer offered by Dyno Tech creates more heat during dynamic operation than a smaller multiple-sectioned prony brake dynamometer.

 

It is Fiction!!!

All prony brakes being used as a dynamometer absorb the same amount of heat when operated at the same power level.

A single-chambered rotor tube prony brake absorbs both heat and load equally, along with a single and controllable coefficient of friction.

One major issue with multiple section prony brakes is the imbalance in the coefficient of friction, none of the sections will absorb power equally or convert heat evenly during dynamic operation as experience has demonstrated.

As with all dynamometers the absorption rate is 42.6 BTUs per horsepower, no matter what the prime mover is or what is being tested.

 

Just to follow through, at Dyno Tech we use the mechanical equivalent of heat, rotor surface feet per minute, area of kinetic friction, along with the coefficient of friction, plus many other factors when designing our prony brake dynamometers, including my 50+ years of prony brake experience. 

April 14, 2025