3.4.

Solved Problems - Clutch Drive System Design

Problem 1
A plate clutch consists of a flat driven plate gripped between the driving plate and the
pressure plate so that two active driving surfaces each having an inner diameter of 204 mm
and an outer diameter of 356 mm. The coefficient of friction is 0.4. The working pressure
is limited to 172 kN/m2.

(a) Assuming that the pressure is uniform, determine the power which can be transmitted
at a rotational speed of 1000 rev/min.
(b) If the clutch is worn so that the intensity of pressure is inversely proportional to the
radius, the total axial force of the pressure plate remaining unaltered, calculate the
power which can be transmitted at 1000 rev/min, and the greatest intensity of
pressure on the friction surfaces.

Solution
(a) Uniform Pressure - Transmitted Power:

Data:
p = 172 kNm-2 = 172 x 103 Nm-2
r1 = 356/2 mm = 0.178 m
r2 = 204/2 mm = 0.102 m
 R = 140 mm = 0.14 m
n=2

Axial thrust force, W   . p r12  r22   x (172 x10 3 )(0.178 2  0.102 2 ) = 11.49 kN

2 
r3  r3 2 
Torque, T  . .W 12 22 xn  x0.4 x(11.49 x10 3 )

0.178 3  0.102 3 
x 2 = 1318 Nm
3 
r1  r2 3  
0.178 2  0.102 2 
2NT 2x1000 x1318
Power, P = Tω =  = 138 kW
60 60

(b) Uniform Wear – Transmitted Power:

T = μWR.n = 0.4(11.49 x 103)(0.14)2 = 1287 Nm

2NT 2x1000 x1287

Power, P = Tω =  = 135 kW
60 60

Axial thrust force, W  2 .cr1  r2   2 . p.r r1  r2  where p occurs at the smallest
radius, i.e r2.

W 11.49 x10 3
 p  = 236 kNm-2
2r2 (r1  r2 ) 2x0.102(0.178  0.102)

Page 1 of 7
Problem 2
A multiple disc clutch consisting of 5 input discs and 4 output discs is shown in Figure 3.4.
This clutch is required to transmit a maximum power of 2.7 kW at 1600 rpm, and the inner
diameter of the clutch is restricted to 55 mm due to the size of the shaft. Making the
assumption of:
a. Uniform pressure
b. Uniform wear
Determine the required outside diameter of the discs and the required axial force. For
both cases the coefficient of friction can be assumed to be 0.12, and the pressure is not to
exceed 360 kNm-2.
Solution
(a) Uniform Pressure – Outside Diameter and Required Axial Force:

Data:
p = 360 kNm-2 = 360 x 103 Nm-2
r1 = ?
r2 = 55/2 mm = 0.0275 m
 = 0.12
n=8
P = 2.7 kW = 2.7 x 103 W
N = 1600 rpm
60  P 60  2700
Total Torque, Tt   = 16.11 Nm
2N 2  1600

Torque per pair of contact plates, T  Tt / n  16.11 / 8 = 2.014 Nm

2
 
As torque, T  .. p r13  r23 Nm
3
2

 2.014  .  0.12  360 x10 3 r13  0.0275
3
3

3 2.014
 r13  0.0275 
3

2 0.12  360 x10 3
3 2.014
 0.0275
3
 r13  
2 0.12  360 x10 3

=>  r1  4.3060 x10 5

3

 r1  0.0351m
 35.05mm
 d1  70.1mm
 
Therefore, Axial thrust force, W   . p r12  r22  x(360 x10 3 )(0.03505 2  0.0275 2 )
= 534.12 N

Page 2 of 7
(b) Uniform Wear – Outside Diameter and Required Axial Force

r r 

T = μWR. = p r12  r22  1 2  Nm 
 2 


 2.014  0.12  360 x10 3 r12  0.0275  1
2

2  r  0.0275 

 

 2 r

 2.014  135,716.80 r12  0.0275  1  0.01375 

2 

 2 r
 
 1.4840 x10 5  r12  0.0275  1  0.01375 
2 

This equation is difficult to solve, so the value is more easily obtained by assuming that r1 is
equal to 35 mm, from part a), then equating the two sides of the equation:

 2 r

RHS  r12  0.0275  1  0.01375 

2 

 2  0.035
 0.035  0.0275   
 0.01375 
 2 
 1.4648 x10 5

This is approximately equal to the LHS, but would ideally be within 1%, so:
1.4840  1.4648
%diff   100
1.4840
 1.29%

Therefore try r1 = 35.1 mm;

 2 r
 
RHS  r12  0.0275  1  0.01375 
2 

 2  0.0351
 0.0351  0.0275   
 0.01375 
 2 
5
 1.4891x10

This is approximately equal to the LHS, but would ideally be within 1%, so:
1.4891  1.4840
%diff   100
1.4840
 0.35%

Therefore d1 = 70.2 mm, not greatly different from part a).

Therefore, Axial thrust force, W   . p r12  r22   x(360 x10 3 )(0.03512  0.0275 2 )
= 538.07 N

Page 3 of 7
Problem 3
A cone clutch is designed to transmit 210 Nm of torque at 1220 rpm. The clutch contact
surfaces have an outer diameter of 360 mm and the semi-cone angle is 6.5º. Assuming the
face width is 70 mm and the coefficient of friction is 0.22, determine the axial force
required to transmit the torque assuming:
a. Uniform pressure
b. Uniform wear
Solution
Data:
T = 210 Nm
D1 = 360 mm = 0.36 m
r1 = 0.36/2 m = 0.18 m

 = 6.50 
b = 70 mm b
x
 = 0.22

r1
r2

From the geometry:

r2  r1  x (1)

x
sin  
b
 x  b sin  (2)

Substituting (2) into (1):

 r2  r1  b sin 
 0.18  0.07 sin 6.5  0.1721m

Page 4 of 7
 a) Assuming uniform pressure:


2  .W r13  r23
T .

 
3 sin  r12  r22
2 0.22.W 0.18 3
 0.17213 
 210  .
3 sin 6.5 0.18 2
 0.17212 

3 sin 6.5 0.182  0.17212
 W  210   

2 0.22 
0.183  0.17213 
 W  615.53 N
b) Assuming uniform wear:

 .WR  .W r1  r2
T  
sin  sin  2
0.22.W 0.18  0.1721
 210  
sin 6.5 2
210  2 sin 6.5
W 
0.22  0.18  0.1721
 W  613.79 N

Problem 4
A plate clutch has 5 driving discs and 4 driven discs, i.e. 8 pairs of contact surfaces, each of
185 mm external diameter and 135 mm internal diameter.
(a) Assuming uniform pressure, calculate the total axial spring load required to permit the
clutch to transmit 38 kW at 1470 rev/min if the coefficient of friction between the disc
surfaces is 0.32.
(b) If there are 8 springs, each of stiffness 13 kNm-1, and each of the contact surfaces has
lost 0.145 mm due to wear, calculate the maximum power which can be transmitted under
the above conditions:

Page 5 of 7
Solution
Data:
P = 38 kW
N = 1470 rpm
D1 = 185 mm = 0.185 m
r1 = 0.185/2 m = 0.0925 m
D2 = 135 mm = 0.135 m
r2 = 0.135/2 m = 0.0675 m

 = 0.32

n=8
k = 13 kNm-1 = 13 x 103 Nm-1
Wear per contact surface = 0.145 mm
60  P 60  38 x103
(a) Total Torque, Tt   = 246.85 Nm
2N 2  1470

Torque per pair of contact plates, T  Tt / n  246.85 / 8 = 30.86 Nm

As torque, T 
2 r 3  r 3 
. .W 12 22 Nm
3 r1  r2 
2
 30.86  .0.32.W

0.09253  0.06753 
3 
0.09252  0.06752 
3 1
W  . .30.86

0.09252  0.06752
 1195.60 N

2 0.32 
0.09253  0.06753 

(b) Wworn = W – F, where F = kT.x

kT (8 springs in parallel) = 8 x 13 x 103 = 104 x 103 Nm-1
x (8 contact pairs x two surfaces per pair x wear per contact surface) = 8 x 2 x 0.145 mm
= 2.32 mm
Therefore:
Wworn = 1195.60 – 104 x 103 x 2.32 x 10-3
= 1195.60 – 241.28
= 954.32 N

Page 6 of 7
Therefore:
T  WRxn

 0.32 x954.32 x
0.0925  0.0675 x8
2
 195.45 Nm
Therefore:
P  Tx
2 xx1470
 195.45 x
60
 30,086.54W
 30.09kW

Page 7 of 7