The fill-controlled fluid coupling type TPKL represents a new drive concept which has been developed by Voith Turbo as a compact and actively controlled drive, especially for belt conveyors. Since its introduction, more than 150 drives have been successfully installed – primarily in the USA and Australia, but also in China, Korea, France and Indonesia.

he development of the fill-controlled TPKL coupling combines years of experience gained by Voith Turbo from hundreds of complex belt conveyor drives with the continuously growing demands made by the market to modern drive systems. The TPKL coupling concept is predestined for the control of highly complex drive systems, for example belt conveyors with several tripper drive stations and axle distances of over 10km. In practical service, the coupling has proven itself as a very reliable, low-maintenance drive component with an availability rating of over 98%.

A typical characteristic of fill-controlled Voith turbo couplings is that the volume of the operating medium in the coupling can be steplessly changed by controlling the fluid circuit. Therefore, the transmitted torque and also the speed of the driven machine can be varied.

In conveyor applications, the Voith Turbo TPKL concept fulfills primarily the following tasks and functions:

  • Start-up control
  • Time ramp

    a) Torque ramp

    b) Limitation of acceleration torque
  • Belt control
  • Creep speed approx. 15%
  • Natural and controlled load sharing
  • Frequent start-ups under load
  • Speed recognition of driving drum, protection against drum slip

During the development of the new TPKL coupling, special attention was paid to high thermal capacities, combined with compact design. The omission of movable parts contributes to the robustness of the coupling.

Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications, as well as marine drives, is a Group Division of Voith.

Voith is setting standards in paper technology, power transmission, energy technology and industrial services. Founded on 1 January 1867, with approximately 24,000 employees, a turnover of EURO 3.1 billion and 180 locations world-wide, Voith is one of Europe’s large family-owned companies.