Study on Transient Thermal Analysis of a Disc Brake During Braking and Releasing Periods

Automobile braking system is considered as one of the most important safety systems in modern vehicles as its main intention is to stop or decelerate the vehicle. The frictional heat generated between the pads and disc during the braking application can cause various negative impacts, such as brake fade, thermal cracks, disc thickness variation and wear. This project studied the transient thermal behavior of a disc brake system during the braking phase and the followed releasing period. A three-dimensional finite element model with a moving heat source was developed with COMSOL Multiphysics to predict the temperature distribution in the disc braking system, including two pads, a rotor disc, bolts, and a section of the shaft. The maximum surface temperature on the contact surface has been found to increase in the braking period and then decrease as the rotor slows down and further decrease during the releasing period. The maximum temperature on the contact surface depends on both the car velocity and deceleration rate. The effects of convective and radiative heat transfer are also studied. It is found that heat is mainly dissipated through convective heat transfer at the disc surfaces