Patent ID: 8100631

Claim:
An absorption dynamometer, comprising: an absorption dynamometer turbomachine that includes: a housing; an impeller rotatably mounted in said housing for receiving rotational energy from an external rotating load when the absorption dynamometer is operating, said impeller having a fluid intake region and a fluid exhaust region located radially outward from said fluid intake region; and a fluid intake for communicating a fluid to said fluid intake region of said impeller as an intake fluid flow when the absorption dynamometer is operating, said fluid intake including an adjustable flow restrictor that allows the intake fluid flow to be selectably restricted; wherein: said fluid intake includes an intake duct, said adjustable flow restrictor including a movable structure movable into a plurality of positions so as to provide said intake duct with differing cross-sectional flow areas; and said impeller has a rotational axis and said intake duct is annular around said rotational axis, said intake duct being partially defined by a stationary wall, and said adjustable flow restrictor including a movable wall spaced from said stationary wall so as to define a variably restricted portion of said intake duct.