Quick Animation Shows How a Torque Converter Functions

By Tony Markovich - August 11, 2016

torque_inverter

Many of your favorite 4×4 vehicles use mechanical devices called torque converters. The Wrangler, Cherokee, and the Grand Cherokee all have ’em. But do you have any idea what they actually are, or what they do, or how they work? This quick video uses both a real-world analogical demonstration with household fans and a quick animation to break it down.

For starters, a torque converter is a coupling device that takes the rotational force from one input and typically uses fluid to transfer that energy or multiply it to a separate output. The input would be an impeller attached to the engine, and the output would be connected to the transmission.

In the video below, the host uses two box fans to perform a simple example. He turns one fan on (the engine in the analogy), and the energy and wind created by that fan then starts to turn the other fan that is not attached to any power at all. The animation dives a little deeper and adds a more realistic visual example. Take that, clutch!