Detailed CFD transient heat transfer modelling in a brake friction system

Abstract

In a brake system the contact between the friction grooves of the discs and the steel elements leads to a consistent heat dissipation that is excised by the oil thermal vector in its flowing along the grooves channels. These are very complicated physical system were many variables may be taken in consideration, first of all the extensive integration of the different time scheduling actions that take place and that characterizes the translation of the interacting bodies and the correspondent deceleration, and also the heat dissipation derived from this contact. The simulations of similar physical system may result in too expensive computational efforts leading to very complicated simulations that need to take in account an extensive coupling between many physics, first of all the solid/liquid heat transfer and then the turbulence and the bi-phase models for the oil/air mixture that serves as thermal refrigerator vector in the braking system. Herein a simplified 3D model that focuses only on a discs / piston coupling is presented were the braking action is simulated in a simplified way modelling the velocity of rotation of the elements and the dissipated heat during the braking cycle. Focusing on the grooves channels the oil flows and thermal averaged flows are presented and detail contours are used to characterise a single brake event.