Brake Disc Fin Ridges for Low-Noise Cooling Airflow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Brake discs for railway vehicles face a challenge in reducing aerodynamic noise while maintaining cooling performance, as restricting ventilation flow rate to reduce noise typically lowers cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The brake disc design incorporates protruding ridge portions on the fins, which reduce the cross-sectional area of air passages and increase heat transfer surface area, thereby restricting ventilation flow rate and enhancing cooling performance without compromising cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the flow rate of ventilation in the air passages is restricted to reduce aerodynamic noise, then aerodynamic noise is reduced, but cooling performance of the brake disc is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The brake disc applies local quality by providing protruding ridge portions on specific fins (at least one fin includes a plurality of protruding ridge portions) rather than uniformly modifying all fins. These ridge portions are positioned at specific locations on the fin side surfaces, creating localized flow resistance in certain air passage regions while maintaining better flow in other regions, thus reducing aerodynamic noise without completely sacrificing cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The fin structures are segmented by adding protruding ridge portions that divide the air passage into multiple flow paths. This segmentation creates a more complex flow pattern that increases turbulence and flow resistance, thereby reducing the overall ventilation flow rate and aerodynamic noise while still allowing sufficient air to reach the disc body for cooling purposes
2Object-generated harmful factors
If grooves are added to fins to reduce aerodynamic noise by causing pressure loss, then aerodynamic noise is reduced, but the structural integrity and cooling efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding grooves that could compromise fin strength, the invention uses protruding ridge portions on the fin side surfaces. These ridge portions are added features that create flow resistance without removing material from the fin structure, thereby maintaining structural integrity while still achieving the goal of reducing aerodynamic noise through increased pressure loss
Solution Approach 2:
The fin structure is enhanced by adding protruding ridge portions that create a composite geometric structure. This composite structure combines the base fin geometry with additional ridge features, creating a more complex surface topology that increases flow resistance and pressure loss without compromising the underlying fin strength
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
This design effectively reduces aerodynamic noise while ensuring excellent cooling performance by restricting ventilation flow rate and increasing heat transfer, as demonstrated through thermal fluid analysis and rotation tests.
Implementation Method 1
air passages are formed by the wheel, the disc body, and the adjacent fins. The air passages allow air to pass therethrough from the inner peripheral side toward the outer peripheral side of the disc body when the brake disc rotates together with the wheel. Thus, the brake disc is cooled.
Implementation Method 2
with the grooves of each fin, pressure-loss portions, having a high coefficient of heat transfer with air, are formed across a wide portion of the brake disc and hence, it is possible to improve cooling performance during braking
Data Source
AI summary
A brake disc includes a disc body and a plurality of fins. The plurality of fins are disposed on one surface of the disc body such that each of the fins extends from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the disc body. Each of the fins includes two side surfaces and a top surface. Among the plurality of fins, at least one fin includes a plurality of protruding ridge portions. The plurality of protruding ridge portions are arranged in a radial direction of the disc body on at least one side surface of the two side surfaces of the fin. Each of the protruding ridge portions extends between the disc body and the top surface of the fin.