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The effect of rotor alloy composition on thermal conditions in a disc brake system was determined analytically. The three alloys selected were gray cast iron, 356 aluminum, and copper -1% chromium. This study includes calculations of the temperature and heat storage in the various portions of the brake system, as well as the variations of convective heat transfer throughout the system. These computations were made for the transient conditions existing during a series of 60 mph stops (15 ft/sec2 deceleration). The steady-state rotor surface temperature and the thermal gradients were found to decrease with increasing thermal conductivity of the alloys. The rotor surface temperatures for the first two stops were relatively independent of thermal conductivity, but were strongly dependent on heat capacity. Convection was found to occur almost entirely (greater than 90%) from the rotor surface and ventilating passages.

A drag dynamometer was used to evaluate the performance of automotive brake drums made from four kinds of materials with different thermal conductivities. In the order of decreasing thermal conductivity they are chromium copper, aluminum/cast iron composite, cast iron, and nickel-aluminum bronze. All of the drums were of the standard configuration used in SAE J 661a, or closely approximated it. The drums were run in conjunction with three types of lining materials: nonabrasive, moderately abrasive, and highly abrasive. Temperatures near the lining/drum interface, coefficients of friction, and lining wear were measured and compared. For a given amount of work done, the temperature near the drum surface was found to be lowest for the chromium copper drums, with progressively higher temperatures in the aluminum/cast iron composite, nickel-aluminum bronze, and cast iron drums. Relative lining wear and coefficient of friction varied with the type of lining tested.