I emailed Rexnord rep to see if he had any fluid coupling ideas for
me...guess not...

Begin forwarded message:

 From: Brian Clark <Brian.Clark@rexnord.com
 Date: August 24, 2011 2:14:57 PM CDT
 To: gene kahn
 Subject: RE: question about fluid coupling

 Gene, spoke with some engineers about your application, the HP is no
problem, but
 the max speed for a fluid coupling is 1800 rpm.
 If you are looking for soft/start flexibility you might want to
 look at a inverter for the motor.
 Thanks
 Brian Clark

 Brian,

 I am investigating the use of fluid couplings for applications
 of up to 600 HP, at 6-8 thousand rpm.  The diameter could
 be up to 14 inches or so, and the length [the thinner the
 better] could be up to 6 to 8 inches.  Do you have anything
 like that?  Thanks.

 Gene Kahn



If one reads the article on the Fluidamper harmonic balancer that someone
put on this cite, it says the silicon in it never wears out and heat doesn't
bother it.  It will turn to several thousand rpm.  Seems like the silicon is
coupling one piece of metal to another to allow minute rotatational
reversals.  Hope someone can use engineering voodoo to make something like
that work.

Van