Brake system in Automobile

B. B. Ale
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Pulchowk Campus, Institute of Engineering, TU
2008
Brake system
 Purpose and classification of brake
system according to their use
It is intended to reduce the speed of a vehicle or
Service bring it to a standstill as the driver considers
brake necessary. The driver operates the service brake
by means of a pedal; it must be progressive in
action and act on all road wheels.
It is intended to prevent a vehicle from rolling
Parking away when it has been stopped or parked, even
brake if the road surface is slopping. It can also act as
emergency brake in case the main service brake
fails.
Continuous It is a device which prevents the vehicle from
brake or over-speeding downhill; it is often referred to as
retarder the “third brake”.
Drum and disc brakes
Drum and disc brakes

Drum [Link]

Disc [Link]
 Advantages of drum brakes
• The leading brake shoe presses more firmly
against the drum wall thereby boosting the
braking action. This self-servo effect can be
extremely high if the brake shoes are suitably
arranged.
• The drum brake is housed inside the dished
area of the road wheel and is thus protected
against dirt to a large extent.
• It is easy to install a mechanically-operated
parking brake.
 Disadvantages of drum brakes
• The diameter of the brake drum is limited
by the size of the wheel.
• Relining work takes longer than on a disc
brake.
• Problems also arise in the disposal of
lining dust and dissipation of heat. This
latter problem causes fading (a drop in
braking effect) during a long period of
continuous braking.
Leading and Trailing shoes in drum brakes

• A leading shoe tends to

be forced into closer
contact by the frictional
drag of the rotating drum
– a self-applying action
which increases the
braking force on the
wheel.
• A tailing shoe tends to be
pushed away from the
drum, and so does
considerably less work
than a leading shoe.
Forces action on the shoes of drum brake
• A single actuating element applies both
brake shoes to the drum; it can be a
double acting wheel cylinder, a cam, a
spreader lever or a wedge. Each brake
shoe has a fixed pivot and attachment
point.
• Two leading shoe brake is a drum
brake in which both shoes are applied
against the direction of drum rotation.
• On the Duo-Servo brake the self servo
action of the leading shoe is utilised to
increase the contact pressure of the
second leading shoe. This type of
brake needs only low effort to apply
and is equally efficient forwards or in
reverse.
Brake lining attached with brake shoes

The braking linings are

attached with shoe
brakes by synthetic resin
adhesives or by riveting.
The first method is
preferable due to
following reasons:
– Absence of riveting holes
– More contact surface
– Free from scoring action
– More effective wearing
thickness
 Lining materials

Bad
Friction

Good

0 100 200 300 400 500

Temperature, oC

The strength of linings at high temperatures and their ability to conduct heat
should be sufficiently high, and they should be highly resistant to water and oil.
 Tyres and braking
• For good braking, tyres should grip the
road well; badly worn tyres have little grip
and reduce braking effectiveness.
• Condition of road surface may also reduce
the friction between the road and tyres.
• A locked wheel has less adhesion
between the tyres and the road than a
rolling wheel.
The brake pads
The caliper, which contains a piston
The rotor (disc), which is mounted to the hub
 Advantages of disc brakes
• Braking effect can be applied with greater
sensitivity
• Equal wear of the inboard and outboard brake
pads if the appropriate degree of thermal load is
provided
• Less susceptible to cracking than drum brakes
• Less tendency to develop brake noise
• Relatively constant characteristics with minimum
fading tendency
 Disadvantages of disc brakes
• Shorter brake-pad life
• Usually higher purchase and operating
costs (compared with drum brakes)
• Since the pads are very close to the
pistons, this can cause the brake fluid to
boil and form vapour in the brake circuits.
• It is more difficult to install a parking brake
on a disc brake.
Disc brake vents
• A moving car has a certain
amount of kinetic energy,
and the brakes have to
remove this energy from the
car in order to stop it. How
do the brakes do this? Each
time you stop your car, your
brakes convert the kinetic
energy to heat generated by
the friction between the
pads and the disc. Most car
disc brakes are vented.
• Vented disc brakes have a
set of vanes, between the
two sides of the disc, that
pumps air through the disc
to provide cooling.
Disc brake with parking brake
• Emergency Brakes
In cars with disc brakes on all
four wheels, an emergency
brake has to be actuated by a
separate mechanism than the
primary brakes in case of a
total primary brake failure.
Most cars use a cable to
actuate the emergency brake.
• Some cars with four-wheel
disc brakes have a separate
drum brake integrated into the
hub of the rear wheels. This
drum brake is only for the
emergency brake system, and
it is actuated only by the cable;
it has no hydraulics.
• Other cars have a lever that
turns a screw, or actuates a
cam, which presses the piston
of the disc brake.
Vacuum Booster
• On cars with a vacuum booster, the
brake pedal pushes a rod that passes
through the booster into the master
cylinder, actuating the master-
cylinder piston. The engine creates a
partial vacuum inside the vacuum
booster on both sides of the
diaphragm. When you hit the brake
pedal, the rod cracks open a valve,
allowing air to enter the booster on
one side of the diaphragm while
sealing off the vacuum. This
increases pressure on that side of the
diaphragm so that it helps to push the
rod, which in turn pushes the piston
in the master cylinder.
• As the brake pedal is released, the
valve seals off the outside air supply
while reopening the vacuum valve.
This restores vacuum to both sides of
the diaphragm, allowing everything to
return to its original position.
 Vacuum booster in action

Brake off. The partial Slight pressure. Hydraulic Full pressure. More air
vacuum at the inlet fluid lifts the air control passes through the air
manifold sucks air from valve, letting in air which control valve, greatly
both sides of the main applies atmospheric increasing the air pressure
piston which is then held in pressure to one side of the behind the main piston,
places by its return spring. main piston. This applies a which moves fully across,
The air control valve force to a supplementary pushing the slave piston and
remains closed maintaining hydraulic piston, the slave applying maximum pressure
low pressure. piston. to the brakes.
 Brake fluid
Brake fluids with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS)
Viscosity at Boiling We boiling
Designation
-40°C point point
Conventional brake Max. 1500 Min. Min. 140°C
(DOT 3) + light duty mm2/s 205°C
vehicle
Brake fluid for disc Max. 1800 Min. Min. 155°C
brakes (DOT 4) + mm2/s 230°C
heavy duty vehicle
Note: DOT – Department of Transportation (USA)
Change the brake oil at regular intervals (once a year)
 Hydraulic Brake Fluid
• Brake fluid used in brakes is a synthetic liquid which is
table at high temperatures and harmless to natural
rubber which can be deformed by contact with oil, petrol,
paraffin or grease.
• With age and use brake fluid absorbs moisture, mostly
through the flexible hoses. A 2-3% water content lowers
the brake fluid’s boiling point from 200-220°C to about
140°C, thereby causing very spongy brake pedal
response (for the fluid becomes compressible). For that
reason fluid should be changed at periods
recommended.
• DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake oils (glycol-based) absorbs
water whereas DOT 5 (silicon-based) is not effected by
moisture.
 Brake fade
• Excessive heating of the brakes can result in
fade. Heat causes temporary changes in the
friction properties of the material used for brake
pads and linings, and the brakes becomes less
efficient as they get hotter.
• Brake pads and linings also wear away faster at
higher temperatures.
• Brake fade can also be caused by vapor
formation in hydraulic fluid that has not been
replaced at the intervals recommended by the
makes.
Filling and bleeding hydraulic system
Weight transfer during braking
Air brake system
 Main components of air brake system
• Air compressor to build up air pressure in reservoir.
• Unloader valve to control the pressure of air in the
reservoir.
• Reservoir to store the air at specified pressure for brake
application.
• Brake valve controls the intensity of braking in an air
pressure system.
• Brake chamber converts the energy of the compressed
air into mechanical force and motion necessary to
operate the vehicle brakes.
• Quick release valve accelerates the release of air from
the brake chambers.
• Relay valve speeds up the application and release of air
from the brake chambers.
• Warning signal warns the low pressure in the circuit.
 Advantages of air brake

• Much more powerful than the ordinary

mechanical or hydraulic brakes
• Simplified chassis design.
• The compressed air from reservoir, apart
from braking, can be used for tyre inflation,
windscreen wipers, horns, door openers
for buses etc.
 Disadvantages of air brakes
• Involves relatively more parts.
• The air compressor uses a certain amount
of the engine power.
 Conclusions
• Check fluid level in the reservoir whenever the system is
inspected.
• All the brake linings on any axle must be renewed at the
same time.
• Refill or top up the brake system only with the specified
grade of brake fluid; keep brake fluid in sealed
containers.
• As soon as the vehicle is moving, the driver should test
the function of the service brake and the parking brake at
the earliest opportunity.
• Repair/replace the defective parts as soon as they are
detected.
• Never drive the vehicle with faulty brake system.
What are the advantages of air brakes over hydraulic brakes?

• The theory for brakes working on air and hydraulic carry the same
advantages, disadvantages as what it is in normal circuit use.
– Air brakes: 1) Free resource so no refilling or changing requirement 2) Air
pressure is quick to act and hence air brakes are immediate 3) the pressure of
brakes applied is directly proportional to the air pressure 4) a little feather touch
on the brakes would apply the same pressure 5) Gives a jerk when applied, used
for heavy load applications such as Trains, buses, trollies, trucks etc.
– Hydraulic brakes: 1) Uniform pressure and hence jerk is avoided 2) Needs
occasional maintenance 3) used for low load applications e.g. cars, bikes etc.

• The advantage with air-over-hydraulic, external dry caliper disc

brakes, is the ease in accessibility when servicing is required. The
most significant advantages are the safety elements. Power Air
brakes can effectively stop loads of over 14 tons compared to
hydraulic.