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brake horsepower

noun

  1. the horsepower made available by an engine or turbine for driving machinery other than itself, as measured by a dynamometer.


brake horsepower

noun

  1. the rate at which an engine does work, expressed in horsepower. It is measured by the resistance of an applied brake bhp
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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How does brake horsepower compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

The series has equality: one male and one female driver sharing the duties by driving one lap each with equal machinery - the battery-powered Odyssey 21 'SUV', which delivers 550 brake horsepower through two motors, and goes from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds.

From BBC

"I work on the design of the suit which is mainly 3D printed in metal and polymer," Rogers explained, noting the suit has 1,000 brake horsepower and is capable of reaching speeds of 50 mph.

Mr Nicks has spent more than £13,000 creating the shed, which boasts a turbo-charged 400 brake horsepower engine.

From BBC

Its 580-brake-horsepower V-12 engine has 28 more brake horsepower than the base Rapide.

The 53-year-old gardener from Oxfordshire has spent more than £13,000 creating his bespoke shed on wheels, which now boasts a turbo-charged 400 brake horsepower engine that is quicker than many sports cars.

From BBC

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More About Brake Horsepower

What is brake horsepower?

Brake horsepower is a measure of the power of an engine or turbine, often after additional components that lessen power have been factored in.

A common, but old, unit used to measure power is horsepower. One horsepower is equal to the work of a single horse, which could supposedly move 33,000 pounds 1 foot in 1 minute.

Brake horsepower is, in a manner of speaking, the horsepower that an engine is capable of when it’s actually in the machine that it will supply power to. This number is affected by friction and power losses to parts connected to the engine.

For the most part, brake horsepower is the measurement that car salespeople and auto magazines will use to brag about the power of a vehicle’s engine. The abbreviation of brake horsepower is bhp. Often, sellers will just use the term horsepower when referring to this measurement.

Why is brake horsepower important?

The first records of the term brake horsepower come from around 1887. Brake horsepower’s name comes from the method used to measure it. Brake horsepower is measured with a dynamometer, a mechanical brake that measures the force of the engine at different loads.

In the United States, the measurement of brake horsepower will be higher than when measured in other countries. The reason behind this is that American automakers measure brake horsepower without factoring in auxiliary parts, such as the gearbox, power-steering pump, and generator. Non-American automakers do factor in these other parts, so the brake horsepower measurement of non-American cars is often lower.

Did you know … ?

The horsepower that an engine is capable of without any outside factors affecting it is called indicated horsepower, abbreviated as ihp.

What are real-life examples of brake horsepower?

This image shows the equation used to calculate brake horsepower.

<img loading="lazy" src="https://www.flight-mechanic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/formula-4.jpg" alt="" width="679" height="265" />

Flight-mechanic.com

The average person is unlikely to know what brake horsepower is. This specific type of measurement is most familiar to engineers or auto enthusiasts.

 

What other words are related to brake horsepower?

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

Brake horsepower is a measurement that measures the power of brakes.

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