The use of a balance calorimeter to measure the losses of drive systems

The indirect determination of machine or drive system losses, as the difference between the input and output powers of the system, demands that the letter be measured to an accuracy of four to five times the desired loss accuracy. This is often difficult to achieve if the losses are to be determined to an accuracy of 1%, however using calorimetry they can be measured directly, since all the losses in a drive systems appear as heat. The calorimeter is capable of achieving accurate measurements of machine losses and, if used in a balance mode, this can be done without having to determine the thermodynamic properties of air. The duration of each test is dependent upon the thermal time constants of the machine and sufficient time must be allowed for the system to settle to a constant temperature difference