SUSTAINABLE T: VOITH MAKES ITS FLUID COUPLINGS MORE SUSTAINABLE

Voith’s hydrodynamic fluid couplings have been fixtures in many industries for decades. They are used wherever maximum reliability even in extreme environmental conditions is demanded of the equipment – often 24 hours a day. Thanks to their robust design, they provide for efficient production flows in mining systems, especially belt conveyors, crushers, impactors, separators and mixers. The couplings are also used in port facilities, construction machines and equipment, pumps and compressors, and a wide variety of other industrial drive systems. Wind turbine manufacturers have also already discovered the advantages that Voith technologies can offer them.

It is only a matter of time before the requirements for processing, disposal and recycling will be tightened further in the interests of better environmental protection and health, according to Hilka. For customers, these innovations bring with them further advantages. Products that do not contain hazardous substances do not have to be handled or disposed of separately later.

70 percent less fusible alloy material
One of the innovative functional improvements of Sustainable T is the design of the fusible plug, which Voith has optimized and patented. It provides savings of up to 70 percent compared with the competition in terms of the amount of fusible alloy material used. At the same time, the response behavior of the plug is improved, and Voith avoids using hazardous materials such as lead or cadmium in the slug. This is better for both people’s health and the environment.

The same applies to the use of new, more sustainable hydraulic fluids made possible through the advancements within the scope of Sustainable T. “Our constant-fill fluid couplings are made in such a way that customers can use selected hydraulic fluids that are readily biodegradable,” Hilka points out. Voith therefore offers the option of using an alternative to the mineral oil that has been commonly used to date. “In this way, we make it possible to operate our couplings more sustainably without compromising on quality. Our customers can continue to rely on the familiar reliability and long service life of our fluid couplings,” says Hilka.

Water operation at -40°C
Other advancements in the water-operated couplings from Voith also contribute to sustainability. The couplings can now be operated with a mixture of water and selected antifreeze agents. The materials of the components can be selected for use down to -40°C if necessary. Until now, operators at locations at which temperatures could drop below freezing had to use mineral oil-filled couplings. This is a particular advantage for equipment operating in sensitive environments.

At the same time, the couplings retain all the usual advantages of Voith fluid couplings: They allow soft starting of the system, dampen the torsional vibrations in the drivetrain during operation, and protect the system from torque overload. This protects the entire system and forms the basis for many decades of service, thanks to the Voith couplings.