CLUTCHES & BRAKES

Clutches, Brakes & Flywheels

Design calculations:
1. Actuating force
2. Torque transmitted
3. Energy loss
4. Temperature rise
Types:
1. Rim type with internal
shoes
2. Rim type with external
shoes
3. Band
4. Disk or axial
5. Others

Multi-disc Clutch/Brake

dr

Coefficient of friction f = constant

For a new (not worn) clutch
with rigid discs, pressure is
uniformly distributed over
interface area
p pa
Required: torque capacity
Take a ring element of disc
Normal force: dF
D2

pa 2S

d 2

rdr

d
D

pa 2S rdr
F

S pa
4

 d2

This is the axial force clamping the driving & driven discs

Friction Torque

dT

frdF
D2

dr

fr  pa 2S rdr 

2S fpa 3
2S fpa r dr
D  d3

24
d 2

fF  D  d
3

or

3 D 2  d 2 

d
D

This is the total torque that can be developed over

the entire surface

With successive engagement and

disengagement, the discs will start wearing
Wear rate friction force x rubbing velocity
But f is constant
Wear rate pressure x sliding velocity
Wearing a piece of wood with sandpaper
But on the clutch surface, velocity radius
Therefore wear rate pressure X radius
Consequently, the disc will initially wear more on
the outer radius
After this initial run-in wear, the friction lining will
tend to wear at a uniform wear rate
Pressure x radius = constant
pr const

const
Uniform Wear pr
Maximum pressure will now occur
at minimum radius
pr

pa

d
2

d
2r
p 2S rdr

2S prdr S pa d

d /2

D/2

D/2

S pa d

dr

d /2

Torque: dT

frdF

pa

Normal force: dF
D/2

dr

d
D

D  d

fr  p 2S rdr 

2S fpr dr S fpa d

d /2

D/2

d /2

rdr

S fpa d
8

Or: T

 d2
Ff
D  d
4

Conclusion
Uniform pressure: T
Uniform wear rate: T

2S fpa 3
D  d3

24
S fpa d 2
D  d2

8

Assumption of uniform wear rate gives a lower

calculated clutch capacity than the assumption
of uniform pressure
Clutches are designed on the basis of uniform
wear & have a little extra torque capacity when
new

Conclusion

Multiple Disk Clutches

Number of disks are n
with 2n friction
surfaces.
For 2n friction surfaces
the axial force does
not change.
For 2n friction surfaces
the torque is
multiplied by 2n

D
r
d

Conclusion

Caliper Disk Brakes

Part of disk
angle E (rad) is
at both sides of
rotor.
Axial force is a
function of E.
Torque is a
function of E.

Automobile Disk Clutch

Automobile Caliper Brake

Rotor
Caliper

Cone Clutch

Friction Materials

Slip Time of Clutches

Je

Ja

Tc
e

a
Ta

Te

The figure above shows Je and e as the collective mass

moment of inertia of the driving parts, and Ja and a as
the collective mass moment of inertia of the driven parts.
The torque Tc is the torque needed by the clutch to drive
the driven parts, while Te is the engine (or driving) torque
and Ta is the torque of the driven parts.

Slip Time of Clutches

e
C

Tc
Ta

Tc
Ta

te
ts

Actual torque/omega vs time

ts

Simplified torque/omega vs time

The slip time ts is the time needed for clutch to let a = e

. The time te is the engagement time needed by the clutch
to achieve the value Tc

Slip Time of Clutches

The differential equation of motion of masses of the
system is:
dZ
dZ
T
J
 Ta
Te  J a
Tc
c
a
dt
dt
The differential equation of motion of masses of the
system is:
t

Ze

Z0

Te  Tc dt
Ze

Z0 

J e dZ

Te  Tc
t
Je

Slip Time of Clutches

The differential equation of motion of masses of the
system is:
t

Za

Z0

Tc  Ta dt
Za

Z0 

J a dZ

Tc  Ta
t
Ja

The slipping ceases when e and a become equal to

each other, thus we can find the slip time ts :
ts

J a J eZ 0
J e Tc  Ta   J a Te  Tc 

Energy Dissipation in Clutches

The rate of energy dissipation
power) is:

Je  J a


E T T T c Ze  Za T c

J
J

e a

(i.e.

i.e. max at t=0 or

E max T c (Ze  Za )

Energy Dissipation in Clutches

The total energy dissipated from t=0
to t=tt is then:
tt

 dt
E

Or

tt

1 1
T c Ze  Za T c  t dt
J e J c
0

(Ze  Za ) 2
1 1
2 
Je Ja

which is not a function of Tc.

Energy Dissipation in Clutches

The temperature rise 'To can be
obtained approximately as:
E
o
'T
Cm
where:
'To = temperature rise in oC
C = specific heat
m = clutch or brake mass in kg

Sample Application
A multi-disk clutch transmits 25 kW at 1575 rpm. It
has 3 disks on driving shaft and 2 on driven shaft.
Disks outside and inside diameters are 240 mm
and 120 mm. Coefficient of friction is 0.3. Find
maximum axial pressure
Data: H=25 kW, N=1575 rpm, D=0.25 m, d=0.125 m,
f =0.3
Number of contact surfaces:
n = 2(3+2-1)= 8
Torque T= 60H/2S N =151.6 N.m

Sample Application

Solution:
For uniform wear,
T

n f F (D  d )

Or F=2T/n f(D+d)= 1404 N.

Since F S p (d 2) ( D  d ) ,
p=1404/0.0072S =0.06 MN/m2

Design Process
Preliminary Design:
(i) Relations:
N Fa
T # fN R m 2 n

Uniform pressure:

D
Rm
d

Fa

4 N
S (D 2  d 2 )
S
T # n f p max (D 3  d 3 )
8
Usually d / D # 0.6 o 0.8
p max

or

d 3 (0.2 o 0.5) D 3

T # (0.3 o 0.2 ) n f

p max D 3

Design Process
Preliminary Design:
(ii) Procedure:
1. Usually H and Z are given.
Calculate T as
T # 10,000

H kW
N rpm

Multiply by 2.5o5 for safety.

2. Select materials (Tables and
Figs.) which gives f and pmax.

Design Process
Preliminary Design:
(ii) Procedure (cont.):
3. Find n and D from
n D3

T /(0.3 o 0.2) P pmax

Take n = 3o8 disks (usually 5) and

find D. Then d =(0.6o0.8)D
4. If large D or large n are obtained,
change materials or lining.

Design Process
Preliminary Design:

Ranges of Material Properties

Friction Coefficient f:
Dry 0.15-0.6,
Wet (Oil immersed) 0.04-0.12
Working Pressure ~ pmax(MN/m2):
Dry 0.175 2.8,
Wet (Oil immersed) 0.7 - 4.2
Pressure * Velocity (pV) (MPa*m/s):
1.05-3.0

Design Process
Clutch Diameter (m)

Preliminary
Design Chart

100
1
0.1
0.01
10

0.001
0.0001
Base

1o P . pmax= 0.05 MN/m2

0.1o P . pmax= 0.5 MN/m2

Diameter (m)

Legend:

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0.1

0.01o P . pmax= 5 MN/m2

0.001o P . pmax= 50 MN/m2

0.01

0.0001o P . pmax= 500 MN/m2

0.001
Log [Power(kW)/(number of disks*N(rpm))]

Sample Application
Design a multi-disk clutch that
can transmit 25 kW at 1575 rpm.
Assume that it has 3 disks, the
coefficient of friction is 0.3, and
the maximum axial pressure is
0.06 MN/m2.
Find the disks outside and inside
diameters.

Sample Application

SOLUTION
Data: H=25 kW, N=1575 rpm, n =
3, f = 0.3, and pmax= 0.06 MN/m2.
Torque T = 60H/2S N =151.6 N.m (T |
10,000 HkW /N =158.7 N.m)
n D3

T /(0.3 o 0.2 ) f p max

152 /[(0.3 o 0.2 )0.3 u (0.06 u10 6 )]
152 /(5400 o 3600 ) 0.042 o 0.028

Take n = 3 gives:
and

D3

0.014 o 0.0093

0.240 o 0.210 m

(0.6 o 0.8) D 0.125 o 0.190 m

Sample Application

Detailed Design:
(i) Relations:
D

Uniform Wear:
Fa
T

d
S pmax ( D  d )
2
S
n f p maxd (D 2  d 2 )
4

Rm
d

Uniform Pressure:
S
2
2
Fa

12

pmax ( D  d )

n f p maxd (D 3  d 3 )

Sample Application
Detailed Design:

(ii) Procedure:
1. Usually H and Z are given.
Calculate T as
T

9549

H kW
, N.m
N rpm

2. Find design torque Td .

Td

K start K service T
1.2-2 1-2.5

Fa

Sample Application
Detailed Design:
(ii) Procedure (cont.):

3. Select uniform wear or uniform

pressure and select materials of
parts which gives pmax and f.
4. With preliminary n, D and d, check if
T t Td

T from T
Or T

S
12

n f p maxd (D 2  d 2 ) Uniform wear

4
n f p maxd (D 3  d 3 ) Uniform pressure

Sample Application
Detailed Design:
(ii) Procedure (cont.):

5. Find required Fa from eqs.

Fa
Fa

S pmax ( D  d )
2
S
2
2
2

pmax ( D  d )

Uniform wear
Uniform pressure

6. Find temperature rise 'T , check

maximum temperature (Table),
check pV (Table, V= velocity), and find
wear (Table). Check power rate
(Area/Power) (Table)
7. Iterate if required.