The distribution of frictional heat generated between the contacting surfaces of the friction clutch system

Abstract

The frictional heat generated during the initial engagement will influence negatively the performance and lifetime of the friction clutches, this heat generated will lead to appear excessive temperatures in the contact surfaces and subsequently accelerate the wear process in the contact area. The amount and distribution of the heat generated are depending on many variables such as the contact pressure, the coefficient of friction, sliding speed, etc. In this research paper, MATLAB program was built based on the analytical solutions which used to determine the distribution and amount of the total heat generation at the interface between the contacting parts of the friction clutch. Furthermore, the amount and distribution of the frictional heat generation on the contact area of each element of the friction clutch system (flywheel, clutch disc, and pressure plate) during the sliding stage was calculated. Finally, the program was introduced using MATLAB GUI (graphical user interfaces) to analyze the heat generated on the friction clutch surfaces. Different types of materials (thermal properties), sliding time, torque function and angular sliding speed function can be applied into the software to find the solution for a specific case of a single-plate friction clutch.