The Investigation of Additional Cooling Fan on the Brake System to Overcome the Overheating Issue: A Case Study of Oil Cooler Retarder Brake

The retarder brake is a critical component for articulated trucks, particularly in coal mining, where heavy loads are transported on steep terrains. The primary braking system often proves inadequate under these conditions, making the retarder brake essential. However, overheating in the retarder brake system reduces braking efficiency and increases the risk of mechanical failure. This study investigates the causes of overheating and assesses the effectiveness of adding a fan cooler to the oil retarder brake system. The methodology employed is quantitative observation, where a fan cooler was installed in the cooling line before the oil entered the retarder cooler. Data were collected during vehicle operations on a steep slope, with retarder oil temperatures measured before and after fan installation. The results show a temperature reduction from 120 °C to 108 °C after installing the fan cooler, significantly improving the cooling efficiency. Furthermore, the fan cooler installation reduced the vehicle’s breakdown unscheduled (BUS) time from 40 hours to just 2 hours. These findings suggest that adding a fan cooler prevents overheating and enhances the reliability and safety of braking systems in heavy-duty mining vehicles. Future studies could focus on integrating more excellent fan systems with enhanced pump capacity to optimize thermal management further.