Prevention of Overheating Risks in Automotive Braking Systems
Context and Objectives
This project was conducted as part of the TIPE (Personal Initiative Supervised Work) during my two years of preparatory classes. The imposed theme for that year was "Health and Prevention," and my project aimed to explore this topic by leveraging concepts from our coursework, particularly thermodynamics.
The primary objective was to address the risk of brake disc overheating, a critical issue in the automotive sector, by combining theoretical analysis and experimental validation. This included reconciling experimental results with numerical models, refining these models, and validating proposed solutions.
Approach and Methodology
To carry out this project, I followed a multi-step process that combined practical experimentation, numerical modeling, and computational simulation.
Initially, a physical experiment was conducted on a quarter-disc made of aluminum (AU4G). This material was selected for its well-documented thermal properties. A heating element powered by a variable power supply simulated the heating of the disc, while temperature sensors connected to an Arduino were positioned at different points to measure thermal evolution. The collected data was processed using Python and later saved and analyzed in Excel.
Next, numerical modeling was performed using SolidWorks. This step aimed to validate experimental results by simulating heat transfer within the disc. However, as SolidWorks is not designed for dynamic simulations, the temperatures calculated for higher power inputs were unrealistic, as the software assumes steady-state conditions.
To overcome this limitation, I developed a dynamic simulation model in Python. By discretizing the heat equation, I created a 2D simulation initially, then transitioned to polar coordinates to better represent the circular geometry of the disc. While the results closely matched the experimental data, some discrepancies persisted due to simplifications, such as the absence of heat flux modeling, idealized boundary conditions, and the use of a 2D rather than a 3D model.
Finally, the ultimate goal was to test solutions to improve heat dissipation, such as optimizing materials, ventilating the discs, or altering geometries. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, these optimizations could not be implemented.
Results
The practical experiment successfully collected reliable data on the temperature rise of a brake disc subjected to varying thermal loads. Numerical models partially confirmed these results, though adjustments were required to minimize discrepancies between theory and reality.
The dynamic simulation provided deeper insights into the thermal phenomena within the disc, despite certain limitations:
Discrepancies between experimental results and simulations, stemming from the absence of heat flux modeling and geometric simplifications.
Boundary conditions that could have been refined to more accurately reflect real-world scenarios.
This project identified several avenues for further development:
Enhancing the numerical model: Incorporating heat flux modeling, transitioning to 3D simulations, and refining boundary conditions for greater realism.
Optimizing brake disc design: Investigating materials and geometrical modifications to maximize thermal dissipation.
Conclusion
By combining experimental data with theoretical models, this project demonstrated the potential for accurately simulating thermal transfer in brake discs. While further refinements are needed to optimize the models and solutions, the groundwork laid by this study highlights promising pathways for improving the thermal management of braking systems.
Access Resources
To explore this project in more detail, the following resources are available for download (in french) :
The MCOT, outlining the project's objectives and methodology.
The Full Presentation, featuring experimental results, SolidWorks models, Python simulations, and conclusions.
The Python code used for the simulation, available as an appendix in the presentation.