DYNAMOMETER FOR SIMULATING THE INERTIAL AND ROAD LOAD FORCES ENCOUNTERED BY MOTOR VEHICLES AND METHOD

摘要

A chassis dynamometer including a frame (33), a set of rolls (14, 18) for engaging the wheels (12) of a motor vehicle (10) and an eddy current brake/inertia simulating unit (30) with a ferrous metal rotor wheel rotatably mounted on the frame and a plurality of stationary field coils. The rotor wheel has a rotational mass within the range 70 % to 90 % of the base or minimum inertia of the dynamometer. A force transducer (34) and a speed encoder (36) provide a measure of the force applied to the roll by the wheel and the speed of the roll, respectively. A controller (38), in response to the roll speed and force applied to the roll controls the current to the field coils in accordance with a selected simulated inertia and road load for the vehicle.