Experimental investigation of drag loss and plate separation behavior of wet clutches under external forces

Understanding the drag loss behavior of wet clutches is crucial for the development of low-loss clutch systems. For non-horizontal installation positions and non-stationary applications, external forces caused by the inclination or vehicle dynamics act on the plates. It has yet to be investigated how external forces influence the plate separation process and distribution and, subsequently, the drag loss behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to fundamentally investigate wet clutches' drag loss and plate separation behavior under the effect of external forces. The investigations were conducted in three steps. First, fundamental knowledge of the plate separation and drag loss behavior was gained. The effects of relevant design and operating parameters on the drag loss behavior were determined then. Separation springs were finally tested to avoid the influence of external forces. The drag loss and plate separation behavior were investigated on a drag torque test rig based on different clutch systems. The external forces were applied by inclining the test rig. The plate separation behavior was determined through image-based measurement of the plate movements. It was found that the plates separate under external forces and that the drag torque curve shows characteristics similar to wet clutches operated without external forces applied. The utilization of the set total clearance depends on the inclination angle. Hence, increasing the set total clearance does not generally imply lower drag losses, but increasing the inclination angle leads to higher drag losses. It was confirmed that the drag loss behavior is not influenced by external forces when using spacing elements. The findings of this study extend the existing body of literature and may support the development process of brake and clutch systems. • The wet clutches' plates separate even under external forces. • Increasing external forces leads to significantly higher drag losses. • The drag torque curve of a wet clutch operated under and without external forces shows similar characteristics.