Computational thermo-fluid analysis of a biomimetic vane design of car disc brake

Abstract

Braking systems in cars are vital to ensure car safety, and thus must be considered in developing car designs as high temperatures can lead to overheating and brake failure. This study aims to conduct thermal analysis between a biomimetic-based car disc brake and the standard disc brake design. This study seeks to provide an alternative biomimetic design to determine and harness the applicability of nature-developed design. The two different designs are studied and analyzed through ANSYS Multiphysics by comparison and contrast of each system's convective cooling properties. The work uses the finite element analysis techniques to predict the temperature, and heat flux distribution on the standard disc brake and the biomimetic-based brake discs, and to identify the critical temperature of the rotor. The numerical simulation shows that the changes in the geometry of the vanes plays a significant role in cooling of the disc during the braking and stationary phase.