Flow and Heat Transfer Analysis Through a Brake Disc: A CFD Approach

Abstract

This paper describes the numerical simulation of the flow and heat transfer around a ventilated brake disc. The aim of this investigation is to provide more insight on ventilated brake disc flow phenomena with a view to improve heat dissipation. Analysis of brake disc has been carried out using FLUENT (CFD code based on the Finite Volume Method). Numerical predictions of the flow and heat transfer are compared with available experimental data in the literature [2]. In the present work validation of numerical results are discussed in two parts. In the first part, the optimum grid was found from the grid independence test and in the second part the effect of turbulence models on flow field development was studied. Three rotors have been considered with each of 36, 40 and 45 number of vanes. Each rotor of two flow passages has been considered for the analysis. An isothermal analysis has been carried out to analyse the heat transfer. From the grid independence test it was found that the grid with 300,000 cells is seems to be the appropriate. SST k-ω turbulence model was able to predict the flow field with an accuracy of 3% and 1% in predicting tangential velocity and radial velocity respectively. From the isothermal rotor analysis it is found that the geometry having 45 vanes dissipates 7.7% and 5% more heat compared to geometries having number of vanes 36 and 40 respectively.