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ABSTRACT
This project aims to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the cooling of the front disc brakes on
Glenn Setons V8 RaceCar. This is done by improving
the flow through the cooling duct at the front of the car,
which runs from the front air spoiler to the front brake
discs.
Background
INTRODUCTION
The Australian Touring Car Series rules states that a
competitors car must be adapted from a commercially
produced car with modifications allowed for racing
conditions including performance and safety. These
modifications include the brakes, which consists of the
brake pads, calipers and disc. The standard brake disc is
replaced with a 14-inch diameter hollow disc with vanes
running through the centre. The disc is hollow to allow
air to flow through the centre cooling the disc, with the
vanes adding extra surface area to improve cooling. The
brake pads are special high temperature pads able to
perform with uniform characteristics at the high
temperatures associated with the heat generated from
racing conditions. The calipers are larger to hold the
larger pads and have a greater area in the piston to allow
a greater force to be applied on the disc to give greater
stopping capabilities.
A common problem with high performance V8 racing
cars adapted from the road to the racetrack is over
heating of the brakes leading to brake fade. The kinetic
energy of the vehicle is transformed into heat due to the
friction between the brake pads and disc. The large
amount of energy transformed into heat quickly causes
the brake disc, pads, calipers and surrounds to heat up.
The heat generated is not easily dissipated due to the
confined space. The heat from friction is often left in the
wheel arch. In high performance racing vehicles the heat
in the brake discs is sufficient to cause problems.
Heat
the side of the rim as well as back into the wheel arch
and under the car causing lift.
Convection is the heat transfer process of moving air
across a surface with a higher temperature than the
stream temperature. The velocity at which the air blows
over the disc will influence the heat transfer rate. The
temperature gradient is dependent on the rate at which
the fluid (air in this case) carries the heat away. A high
velocity produces a large temperature gradient. Thus the
temperature gradient at the disc depends on the flow
field. However, as stated above, the physical mechanism
of heat transfer at the disc is a conduction process.
V
a
q = hA(Tw T )
If
Approximate values
coefficients are:
of
convection
heat
transfer
T = 20oC = 293 K
V = 250 km/h = 70 m/s
Cp = 1005 m2/s2K
Then
T01 = T + V2 = 295 K
2 Cp
Ma2 = 5(T01 1)
T
By increasing the velocity the heat transfer coefficient,
or more importantly the rate of heat transfer increases.
The area has an equally important effect in the rate of
heat transfer.
The aim of this investigation is to increase the cooling of
the brake disc. This can be done by increasing the exit
velocity of air the duct across the disc. As shown on the
above formula, increasing the surface area that the air
blows across will also increase the cooling.
In forced convection as in this case the heat transfer
coefficient is redefined as the average heat transfer
coefficient hbar. The average heat transfer coefficient
takes into account the effect of the velocity of the fluid.
The average heat transfer coefficient calculations
depends on the Stanton Number, Prandtls Number and
Reynolds Number. It is dependent upon whether the air
is turbulent or laminar. This affects the constants
relating the above dimensionless parameters. The heat
transfer coefficient also depends on the Mach number
and if the flow is supersonic or subsonic.
Mach Number
Constraints
Variables
Positions
of meter
Duct
Material:
Length max:
Radius inlet:
Radius outlet:
Thickness:
Cross-sectional shape:
Colour:
Fibreglass
625mm
55mm
63.5mm
3mm
Circular-Oval-Circular
Blue
Flexible Duct
Material:
Length max:
230)
Diameter:
Thickness:
Cross-sectional shape:
Colour:
PVC, wire
155mm
average(60-
5inches
2mm
Circular
Orange
Diffuser
Material:
Length max:
Width:
Radius inlet:
Thickness:
Colour:
Fibreglass
105mm
180mm
63.5mm
5mm
Black
1.
2.
3.
Dh = Hydraulic diameter
A = area
= wetted perimeter
Hf = f L V2
D 2g
Hf = friction loss
f = Moody friction factor
L = length pipe (m)
V = velocity (m2)
D = diameter pipe (m)
The head losses in a pipe are proportional to the friction
factor, f.
The loss coefficient, K, for each duct was calculated
separately due to the different geometry of each duct.
This is why the values in the tables do not match up
exactly. Some ducts had a region of straight pipe where
others had no straight section and contracted from the
start to the end of the duct. The loss coefficient for each
part can be seen in the table below.
Losses in Pipes
Losses (K)
Contraction
Duct
Duct Expansion
Duct Contraction 1
Duct Contraction 2
Bend
Flexible Tubing
Diffuser/Bend
Exit
Current System
0.008
0.6
0.02
0.5
0.083
0.5
1
Contraction
V1A1 = V2A2
One feature of a contraction with inviscid flow is that
when considering wall profiles which do not give rise to
Re
max
5 x 104
10
10 x 104
8.5
15 x 104
7.5
20 x 104
6.5
Solution 2
RESULTS
Effect of Angle
For example, as the angle decreases to the flexible pipe decreases the flow.
the bend in
Effect of Height
v2
Current Set Up
Solution 2 - 5
10
Start of Contraction
End of Contraction
Centre of Duct
Start of Flexible Tubing
End of Flexible Tubing/Diffuser
Wheel Rim to Well
Wheel Rim to Atmosphere
From the graphs, it can be seen that the system with the
highest flow is Solution 1 and Solution 3 with just over
6 m/s, with the lowest being Solution 2 with a maximum
of 4.2 m/s.
The centre of the duct was the next highest speed. This
is consistent on both graphs. Unusually on low speed the
highest speed was recorded at the bottom. The lowest
speed was recorded at the outside, which is the opposite
to the high-speed graph.
Fan
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Solution 5
Velocity %
Inlet
1.07
1.3
1.21
3.23
3.69
0.43
1.02
Outlet
1.97
3.5
4.34
6.35
5.61
5.73
4.33
169
313
96
52
1232 3.31
Constant Diameter
% Increase 84
Errors
12
"
RECOMENDATIONS
With the possible redesign of the front spoiler before
next season constraint 3 described in the constraints
section (position of entrance) is no longer applicable.
The entrance to the duct could be redesigned. A bell
shaped entrance could be designed to ensure a maximum
flow of smooth laminar flow into the duct. This would
increase the pressure in the duct before it contracts into
the flexible duct. Higher pressures will increase the
velocity of the flow as the cross sectional area is
decreased.
The brake pads and calipers could be placed at the front
of the wheel rim where they could be easily reached by
the airflow. The airflow would be most beneficial here
to remove the heat. The heat around the calipers is
stagnant because there is no air velocity around the
calipers in the current set up. The calipers would cool
with air being blown around them causing convection of
the heat.
The addition of a fan blade design of the wheel rims
would cause a lower pressure on the inside of the wheel
rim and higher pressure outside. The blades would suck
the air out through the rim and down the side of the car.
This has the advantage of reducing the amount of air
going into the wheel arch and eventually under the car.
This improves the overall airflow through out the
system. The design of the fan blades could increase the
area between blades so there is a greater area for the air
to get through. The rim design could utilise the full
limitations of racing constraints and be manufactured to
the full width. This translates to 10mm be added to the
blade dimension in the axial direction out to the edge of
the tyre. The blade dimensions could also go back 40mm
as well. This combined effect adds 50mm to the blade
width. This extra width would add strength to the wheel
rim. The main disadvantage of this design is the cost.
The rims currently in use cost $750 each and are
currently made in Italy. They are uniform throughout the
racing car industry, as they are the only ones not to
break.
Remove obstructions to reduce the backpressure build
up so the air can flow freely. This will increase the
downstream air velocity, thus increasing the cooling
through convection.
FURTHER TESTS
There are a number of further tests that could be carried
out to determine the effectiveness of the recommended
solutions.
Using a wind tunnel would greatly improve the scope of
the experiment. The wind tunnel would allow for air to
be rammed into the front spoiler and hence into the duct.
Thus the effects of the fan and the contraction are
eliminated. The wind tunnel would give a greater range
of velocities that could be tested. Given the range of air
velocities available to the wind tunnel the real life
conditions of high speeds up to 200km/hr could be
tested.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank-you to the people at Ford Tickford Racing for
their continued assistance with the project, especially to
Glenn Seton for his continued support and reliable
source of information.
Phil from PA fast glass the duct manufacturer
Dr. David Fotheringham from Technical and Scientific
Equipment and Dr. Chris Bloore from Dairy Process
Engineering Centre for assistance with the vane
anemometer.
REFERENCES
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APPENDICES
Appendix A: Photographs of Components
Appendix B: Drawings of Components
Appendix C: Velocity Graphs: Current Duct
Appendix D: Velocity Graphs: Duct Solutions
Appendix E: Velocity Tables
Appendix F: Flow Profile Diagrams Existing System
Appendix G: Flow Distribution Diagrams Solutions 1 to
5
Appendix H: Loss Coefficient Tables
Appendix I: Bend Loss graphs
Appendix J: Head loss graphs
Appendix K: Head Loss Tables
Appendix L: Error Tables
Appendix M: Moody Diagram
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