Alex Vogel

Name: Alex Vogel

Research Title: An innovative approach to a Long Fibre Carbon Fibre Reinforced Ceramic (CFRC) Brake Disc design

Key Contact Details - Email: alex.vogel@bcu.ac.uk

About the Project: The brake disk is the most common system in use for applications where kinetic energy has
to be absorbed. The friction coefficient is dependent on the material of the components and the operating temperature. If the brake disc and pad reaches a too high temperature, the friction coefficient decreases and the brake system experiences fade. The most effective feature to cool down the brake disc is the inner ventilation.

This project includes use of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Knowledge Based Engineering and genetic algorithms to find the best performing design for a Long Fibre Carbon Fibre Reinforced Ceramic (CFRC) brake disc.

Research Activities: To validate existing and prototype designs, a virtual brake test environment is utilised at the design stage and its simulated results are validated on a real brake dynamometer. Proven correlation with real-world applications of brake discs allow a rapid design approach using Knowledge Based Engineering.

Findings: The project allows the understanding of various factors of thermal brake disc performance and contributes to a temperature drop of up to 100°C under high load applications. This has a positive effect on wear rates, oxidation, consistent performance and durability.

Affiliations: Surface Transforms Plc