The Temperature Field of Friction Disc in Wet Clutch Involving the Unconventional Heat Dissipation on the Contact Surface

Abstract

Wet clutches are widely used in vehicle transmission systems to start and shift. The temperature field of the wet clutch components is influenced by friction and is closely related to the vehicle performance and service life. This work improves the numerical modeling of the temperature field by taking into account groove cooling, local heat dissipation, and the time-varying friction coefficient on the contact surface. An equivalent convection heat transfer coefficient and an equivalent gain coefficient are introduced. The proposed model is more accurate than the traditional model, and its accuracy is verified by bench experiments. The influence of rotational speed difference, oil pressure, and lubrication flow on the temperature field is analyzed. Moreover, the temperature rise characteristics during deformation are measured, which also confirms the abnormal radial and circumferential change of temperature field. These results can guide the accurate simulation of interface temperature and the appropriate control operation of friction components in the wet clutch.