Bidirectional Cooling Fin for Wheel Brake Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing heat dissipation structures in buses and autotrucks are not effective for cooling brake devices in track-based transportation systems, as they are designed for one-directional travel and fail to adequately cool the brake devices when the vehicle changes direction, leading to degraded brake performance.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a cooling fin integrated into the wheel, which produces airflow through ventilation holes or decorative holes to cool the brake device regardless of the wheel's rotational direction, and includes a wind guide member to enhance airflow direction and efficiency, allowing for effective heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat dissipation structure using wheel rotation to force air into the rim is applied to track-based transportation systems, then brake cooling is achieved in forward direction, but brake cooling fails when the vehicle travels in reverse direction
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin is designed with an asymmetric cross-sectional shape where one surface is inclined relative to the rotation direction and the other surface is substantially perpendicular to the rotation direction. This asymmetric geometry creates different airflow characteristics on each side, enabling the fin to effectively direct air into the rim regardless of whether the wheel rotates forward or backward, thus resolving the directional cooling limitation
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fin structure is designed to function effectively in reverse by creating airflow paths that work in both rotation directions. The inclined surface configuration allows the fin to push air into the rim during forward rotation while the perpendicular surface maintains airflow generation during reverse rotation, essentially making the cooling mechanism bidirectional rather than unidirectional
2Volume of moving object
If the brake device is housed inside the wheel rim, then the brake structure is compact, but heat radiation from the brake device is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fin is positioned at the leading edge of the wheel rim to preemptively force air into the rim before the brake device overheats. This preliminary airflow action continuously removes heat from the brake device during wheel rotation, preventing heat accumulation while maintaining the compact housed configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling mechanism utilizes pneumatic principles by using the kinetic energy of rotating wheel to force air flow through the rim and over the brake device. The cooling fin acts as a pneumatic element that directs and accelerates air flow, creating effective heat removal through forced convection without requiring additional mechanical cooling systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cooling device ensures consistent brake performance by efficiently cooling the brake device in both forward and reverse directions, reducing heat transfer to the tire and brake components, and prolonging their lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
produces an airflow passing through the brake device through a ventilation hole for allowing the inside and outside of the wheel to communicate with each other by the rotation of the wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device provided with cooling fins which: is provided in a wheel of a running wheel which integrally rotates with a axle shaft and has a brake device positioned in the interior thereof; and produces, by rotating in both the forward and reverse directions of the wheel, airflow which flows through the brake device via ventilation holes passing from the inside to the outside of the wheel. Therein, the cooling fins produce an airflow which flows through a plurality of decorative holes serving as the ventilation holes and formed in the wheel along the circumference centered around the rotational axis of the axle shaft.