Windmühlenbetrieb

English translation: no-load mode or freewheel(ing)

11:19 Jan 13, 2021

German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Automotive / Cars & Trucks / Electric and petrol-driven vehicles

German term or phrase: Windmühlenbetrieb

I'm translating Ger-Eng a company brochure about electric components for vehicles. There are a number of references to "Windmühlenbetrieb". In aviation, "windmilling" is when a prop engine cuts out and the air speed acts on the blades to turn the prop. I can imagine that, in vehicles, the term means simply that the vehicle is not being powered by the engine but is coasting. Does anyone know if that's right?

Two quotes from the text:
"Zum Drivetrain Portfolio gehören Motoren mit einer Leistung von 12V/300W bis 48V/1500W.
Gleichzeitig überzeugen die Produkte mit herausragend kompakten Baumassen und äußerst geringem Gewicht für den Einsatz in Fahrzeugen mit Elektro- oder auch Verbrennungsmotor. Ganz neu: unser patentierter Algorithmus zur Optimierung des Windmühlenbetriebs."

"Außerdem erreicht der neue, patentierte Algorithmus eine bahnbrechende Optimierung des Windmühlenbetriebes – und unterstützt so ein erstaunliches Maximum an Leistung und Effizienz."

Alan Halls KudoZ activity Questions: 6 (none open) Answers: 2 Germany
Local time: 13:29

English translation:no-load mode or freewheel(ing)

Explanation:
I guess this is about electric motors, also operating in hybrid engines.
Now an electric engine also always acts as a generator.
So when a vehicle has reached a certain speed, the motor will need to be disconnected from the battery (and then reconnected when power is needed again). Or in a hybrid engine, when the fossil engine takes over the electric motor (in windmill mode so to speak) will still be spinning and create a current.
Though one could use the current generated this is different to KERS or RB(Regenerative braking - https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/31124/electric-...

So the text here refers to a wheel/motor spinning freely under no load. Apart from the mechanical friction this could/would create undesired wear on other connected electronic component and the induced current is not necessarily wanted either. Hence a flyback diode or some other microcontroller is needed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R_3jHeimiE
https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=164421.0

Selected response from:

thefastshow
Germany
Local time: 13:29

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Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

no-load mode or freewheel(ing)

thefastshow

4 +1

windmill mode

Cillie Swart

5 -1

overspeed condition (windmilling)

Johannes Gleim

kinetic energy recovery system (KERS)

Lancashireman

Summary of reference entries provided

Wendy Streitparth

Answers

3 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

no-load mode or freewheel(ing)

thefastshow
Germany
Local time: 13:29
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 20

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Many thanks to all who responded. Great background info. I used "windmill mode" for this translations but have a made a note of the other suggestions (particularly KERS) for future jobs. Thanks all round!

8 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -1

overspeed condition (windmilling)

Explanation:
Eine Möglichkeit den Zielkonflikt von Kraftstoffverbrauch und Ansprechverhalten zu lösen ist es, den Abgasturbolader durch einen Druckwellenladers zu ersetzen.
:
Ziel der weitergehenden Entwicklung von BBC war es dann, den Bereich der Rotordrehzahl gegenüber der Motordrehzahl einzuschränken, sodass der Druckwellenlader näher am Auslegungspunkt betrieben werden konnte. In einem ersten Schritt wurde der Riemenantrieb des Rotors um eine Freilaufkupplung ergänzt. Bereits 1942 erkannte Claude Seippel, dass sich bei genügend hohen Gasgeschwindigkeiten und geschickt gewählten Anströmwinkeln der Kanäle das Reibmoment überwinden und der Rotor frei drehen ließ ( Windmühlenbetrieb ) [39].
https://docplayer.org/storage/66/56338039/1610565672/W1gEvRV...
Hier geht es um einen Druckwellenlader (Abgasturbolader) im Freilauf, d.h. unbelastet durch Abgase in Bewegung gesetzt.
"Windmühlenbetrieb" wird als Vergleich verwendet und ist die Umkehrung des Lastbetriebs.

Windmühlenbetrieb / windmilling (Luftfahrt)
(Kučera, Dictionary of Exact Science and Technology)

Anti-windmilling motor
An electric motor having a design rotational direction when electrically energized and an anti-rotation mechanism to prevent reverse rotation due to external loads when the motor is de-energized which reverse direction could otherwise continue when the motor is energized.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US5117143A/en

EddyWirbelstrom (Electrical) (OP): When a motor is ‘windmilled’ does it draw more than its normal starting current ?
itsmoked (Electrical): I can only answer the last point. If that motor were windmilling backwards when energized it can absolutely draw more than normal.
waross (Electrical) : In addition to Keith's comment;
If a motor is forced over-speed in the forward direction it may also draw excess current.
Using a 1750 RPM motor as an example;
As the motor speed is increased to 1800 RPM the current will drop. At 1800 RPM only the magnetizing current will be flowing.
As the speed is increased further the current will increase.
At about 1850 RPM the motor will be regenerating close to full load current.
As the speed is increased the current will increase
The motor has become an induction generator and it doesn't take much over-speed to make it a badly overloaded induction generator.
Respectfully
https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=203301

A feature in the generator mode in parallel to the grid is that the rotor speed is higher than in the driving mode. Then active energy is being given to the grid.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_motor#Steinmetz_equi...

13. An induction motor will function as an alternator when in an overspeed condition.
The ability for induction motors to function bilaterally—that is, as either motor or alternator—is an important energy-saving feature.
https://www.hydraulicspneumatics.com/technologies/hydraulic-...

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Note added at 8 hrs (2021-01-13 19:54:03 GMT)
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Note: I am electrical engineer and made my thesis about induction motors driven by frequcy invertes at different speeds, including overspeed and generating modes.

Johannes Gleim
Local time: 13:29
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 224

Notes to answerer

52 mins confidence:

kinetic energy recovery system (KERS)

Explanation:
A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is an automotive system for recovering a moving vehicle's kinetic energy under braking. The recovered energy is stored in a reservoir (for example a flywheel or high voltage batteries) for later use under acceleration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy_recovery_system

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Note added at 10 hrs (2021-01-13 21:46:48 GMT)
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Disclaimer/Caveat: I am not electrical engineer nor did I make my thesis about induction motors driven by frequcy invertes at different speeds, including overspeed and generating modes. I claim not Confidence Level 5.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2021-01-13 23:04:51 GMT)
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Z-Translations arrives with a ref on 'Airworthiness'.

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:29
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 395

Notes to answerer

19 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

windmill mode

Explanation:
I like windmill mode, given that the German contains betrieb, which is a type of operation. So windmill mode of operation, or just windmill mode. It is when the engine is operating or running in windmill mode.

https://www.linguee.com/english-german/search?query=Windm%C3%BChlenbetrieb

Cillie Swart
South Africa
Local time: 13:29
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 10

Notes to answerer

Reference comments

55 mins peer agreement (net): +2

Reference

Reference information:
[0009] One way of overcoming this would be to utilise power from the windmilling fan of the extinguished engine, instead of bleed flow energy from the neighbouring engine, to accelerate the engine spool.

https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0659234B1

Sounds as though its the engine cooling fan.

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56

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Windmühlenbetrieb

English translation: no-load mode or freewheel(ing)

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Windmühlenbetrieb

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