Transient thermal behaviour in brake linings and rotors: a mathematical and experimental study

This study aims to investigate the transient thermal characteristics of brake linings and uniformly decelerating brake discs through numerical and experimental methods. It is found that there is a strong correlation between theory and experiment, and data variations are within ±5%. The results confirm the accuracy of the developed thermal model. The temperature range for the braking process is found to be within 82.1 °C and 296.4 °C. It is found from this analysis that heat is efficiently dissipated in disc brakes, and optimal designs can achieve thermal stability for vehicles running between 80 and 100 km/h. High-performance brakes require vehicles running at more than 150 km/h for effective heat management during a single brake application. Transient temperature distribution is found to have high thermal gradients in brake disc thickness, away from the mid-plane. Furthermore, the study also quantifies the effect of various parameters on the system, and it has been shown how pad pressure and disc tightness considerably increase interface temperatures, whereas numerical accuracy is highly influenced by mesh density, time step size, and material properties. Experimental validation of the system, using a brake test rig, has also been performed and has shown improved heat dissipation characteristics of the proposed design. Overall, the results of the study provide quantitative information on thermal distribution, validation accuracy, and performance limits, which would help in optimizing the design of a brake system for improved safety and high-temperature performance.