MACHINE DESIGN II

CLUTCHES
 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

CLUTCHES

A clutch is a friction device which permits the connection and

disconnection of shafts. The design of clutches and brakes are
comparable in many respects.

1-Plate or disk clutches:

A multiple disk clutch is shown in figure. The plates shown as A are
usually steel and are set on splines on shaft C to permit axial motion
(except for the last disk). The plates shown as B are usually bronze
and are set on splines of member D. The number of pairs of surfaces
transmitting power is one less than the sum of the steel and bronze
disks;
N = Nsteel + Nbronze - 1

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Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

B B B B

A A A A A
F/2

Ro
D C

Ri
F

F/2

The capacity is given by:

T = F.f.Rf.N
where:
T= torque capacity, Nm
F = axial force, N
f = coefficient of friction
Rf = friction radius
N = number of pair of surfaces transmitting power
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 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

UNIFORM PRESSURE UNIFORM WEAR

Uniform Pressure Maximum Pressure

F F
p pmax 
π(ro2  ri2 ) 2πri ( ro  ri )

Frictional Torque Frictional Torque

2Ff ( ro3  ri3 ) r r 

T N T  F f  o i N
3( ro  ri )
2 2  2 

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 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University EXAMPLE-1
Makkah

A multiple disk clutch, steel and bronze, is to transmit 8 kW at 750 rpm. The inner
radius of contact is 40 mm and the outer radius of contact is 70 mm. The clutch
operates in oil with an expected coefficient of friction 0.1. (Oil is used to give
smoother engagement, better dissipation of heat, even though the capacity is
reduced). The average allowable pressure is 350 kN/m2.

1)- How many total disks of steel and bronze are required?

2)- Determine the axial force required?

3)- What is the average pressure?

4)- Determine the actual maximum pressure.

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 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University EXAMPLE-1
Makkah

Given: P = 8 kW = 8000 W
n = 750 rpm
ri = 40 mm = 0.04 m
ro = 70 mm = 0.07 m
f = 0.1
pavg = 350 kN/m2

This is the case of UNIFORM WEAR. However, since the average

allowable pressure is known, the force required for one pair of surfaces in
contact is:
F  pavg A  pavg ( ro2  ri2 )  (350x103 ) (0.07 2  0.04 2 )  3630 N

The torque capacity of one pair of surfaces in contact:

T = Ff(Ro + Ri)/2 = 3630(0.1)(0.07+0.04)/2 = 19.965 N.m

60 P 60(8000)
T   101.86 N.m
Total torque in all contact surfaces: 2n 2 (750)
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 EXAMPLE-1
Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

Total torque 101.86

Number of friction interface: N=   5.1
Torque per pair 19.965

Use 6 friction interfaces with 4 steel and 3 bronze disk.

Disk a : driving disks (4 disks, 6 friction surfaces)

Disk b : driven disks (3 disks, 6 friction surfaces)

The actual torque per pair of surfaces

Total torque 101.86

T’ = 
Output Number of 6
friction interface
input
 16.977 N.m

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 EXAMPLE-1
Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

The required actual force required is found from Eq.(12):

r r  2
T'  F' f  o i   F'  T'
 2  f ( ro  ri )
2
 16.977
0.1(0.07  0.04)

= 3086 N = 3.086 kN

The actual average pressure is

F' 3086.7
pavg    297.73 N / m 2
A  (0.072  0.042 )

Maximum actual pressure is from Eq.(9):

F' 3086.7
pmax    409.4 N / m 2
2 ri ( ro  ri ) 2 (0.04)(0.07 - 0.04)
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 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

Problem 1.
A car engine friction clutch is required to transmit 10 kW at 3000 rpm. The clutch
is of single disc plate type both sides of disc plate being effective. If µ = 0.25 and
axial pressure is limited to 0.085 N/mm2 and the external diameter of the plate is
1.4 times the internal diameter. For uniform wear condition, determine the
dimensions of the disc plate.

Solution: Given : Power  10 kW, n  3000 rpm, f  0.25

pmax  0.085 N/mm2 , d o  1.4d i , N 2

60 P 60(10x103 )
Torque developed by the engine: T    31.83 N.m  31830 N.mm
2n 2 (3000)

Pressure force for uniform wear: F  2πri pmax ( ro  ri )

do = 1.4 di or ro = 1.4 ri F  2πri pmax 1.4ri  ri 


 2π 0.085  0.4ri2 
 0.2136ri2
 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

r r   1.4ri  ri 
Total Frictional Torque: T  F f  o i N  F f  N
 2   2 
 2.4ri 
F f N
 2 
 
 0.2136ri2 0.251.2ri 2 
 0.1281ri3

Torque developed by the engine = Total Frictional Torque:

31830  0.1281ri3
Solving the above equation yields, ri = 62.86 mm or di = 125,7 mm

Then, the outer diameter of disc plate is do = 1.4 di = 176 mm

 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

Problem 2.
A disc clutch is to be composed of five steel discs and 4 bronze discs. The outer
diameter of the contact surface is to be 250 mm and the inside diameter 150 mm.
Determine the pressure with which the discs must be held together if 15 kW is to
be transmitted at 600 rpm assuming f = 0.3. Consider for both uniform pressure
and uniform wear condition.
Solution: Given : Power  15 kW, n  600 rpm, f  0.3
d o  250 mm, d i  150 mm, N steel  5 N bronze  4

Number of friction interface: N = Nsteel + Nbronzel – 1 = 5 + 4 – 1 = 8 pairs intgerface

60 P 60(15x103 )
Torque developed by the engine: T    238.73 N.m  238730 N.mm
2n 2 (600)
UNIFORM WEAR ANALYSIS
Pressure force for uniform wear: F  2πri pmax ( ro  ri )
 2π 75  pmax 125  75 
 23561.95 pmax
 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

Total Frictional Torque for uniform wear:

r r   125  75 
T  F f  o i  N  23561.95 pmax 0.3 8
 2   2 
 5654868 pmax

Torque developed by the engine = Total Frictional Torque:

238730  5654868 pmax

The maximum pressure is pmax = 0.0422 N/mm2

 Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah

UNIFORM PRESSURE ANALYSIS

Pressure force for uniform pressure: F  p π ( ro2  ri2 )  p π (125 2  75 2 )

 31415.9 p

Total Frictional Torque for uniform pressure:

2Ff ( ro3  ri3 )
T N
3( ro  ri )
2 2

231415.9 p 0.3(125 3  75 3 )
T 8   7696895.5 p
3(125  75 )
2 2

Torque developed by the engine = Total Frictional Torque:

238730  7696895.5 p

The uniform pressure is p = 0.031 N/mm2

Mechanical Engineering Department
Umm Al Qura University
Makkah