Dynamometer for simulating the inertial and road load forces encountered by motor vehicles

摘要

A dynamometer for simulating the inertia and road load forces for motor vehicles is described. The dynamometer includes a moveable frame on which is mounted one or more rolls for engaging the driven wheel or wheels of the test vehicle, a power supplying and/or absorbing unit such as an electric motor and one or more mechanical flywheels. The moveable frame is pivotally mounted about the axis of rotation of the rolls. A force transducer is disposed between a point on the moveable frame spaced from the roll axis and a stationary surface for measuring a force which includes as components thereof the roll/wheel interface force and a force associated with the roll, motor and flywheel parasitic losses. A velocity transducer measures the roll speed. A controller responsive to signals from the force and velocity transducers and to the selected simulated inertia and road load controls the motor to supply power to or absorb power from the rolls so that the force applied to or received from the vehicle wheels is identical to the forces associated with the selected simulated inertia and road load.