Numerical Simulation and Topological optimization of the dry clutch pressure plate

Abstract

The common dry clutch pressure plate was prone to produce high temperature and axial thermal deformation due to the frictional heat generated during engagement. The overheated and overdeformed pressure plate decreases the torque transmission capacity of the clutch system and causes some kind of clutch malfunction including clutch slip and fracture. In this paper, the clutch pressure plate was firstly optimized by the topological optimization. Inspired by the topological optimized result, an improved design of the pressure plate was brought out, where the specific radial cooling channels and axial cooling holes were introduced in the new improved design in order to improve heat transfer and reduce the mass and thermal deformation as well. The performance of the new improved design is simulated and further optimized by the FE method. It is indicated that the mass of the optimum pressure plate was greatly reduced from the original design, with a mass reduction of 3.1 kg. The axial thermal deformation is also significantly decreased from the original pressure plate, decreasing from the original 0.35mm to the present 0.28mm while keeping the maximum temperature of pressure plate unchanged. These comparisons show that thermal-mechanical performance of the new pressure plate is improved effectively.