Influences of Groove Geometry of Friction Disk on the Flow in an Engaged Wet Dual Clutch

Abstract

Based on FLUENT software, the flow field of cooling oil between a friction pair in an engaged wet dual clutch is simulated and the influence of groove structural parameters on the flow filed characteristics of cooling oil is studied. The results show that the structural parameters of radial groove have a great influence on the cooling oil flow field between a friction pair. When the inclination direction of groove is opposite to the rotation direction of friction pair, the groove inclination angle has a great influence on oil flow field between fiction pair, and the influence is relatively small when the groove inclination angle is consistent with the rotation direction of friction pair. In addition, the velocity distribution trend in the inclined radial groove is the same as that of the inclination angle = 0, but the velocity magnitude is larger and the highest velocity appears near the opposite side of the groove to the inclined direction of the grooves either for clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the friction pair. On the other hand, when the cross sectional area of the groove is kept constant, the average velocity in the central circumferential section of the groove is decreased rapidly with the increase of the groove aspect ratio (width to depth ratio) until the aspect ratio is equal to 5, and then slowly.