Parametric Optimization Design Method for Friction Plates of Hydro-Viscous Clutches

The hydro-viscous clutch (HVC) operates based on the theory of liquid viscous transmission, using viscous fluid as the working medium to transmit power through the shearing force of the oil film between friction plates. The groove structure on the friction plates directly affects the torque transmission capacity and rise in the shear-induced temperature of the oil film. Therefore, designing friction plate structures that balance efficient torque transmission and low temperature rise is of great significance. To address this issue, this study analyzes the impact of the groove structure on the oil film characteristics and identifies the key influencing factors. Subsequently, simulation software was used to calculate the torque and temperature rise of the oil film under different groove structures. The structural parameters of the friction plates were then optimized using the Box-Behnken design of the response surface methodology (RSM). The results show that the optimized friction plate design, featuring a groove depth of 0.214 mm, an arc length of 5 mm, 16 radial arc-shaped grooves, and 5 circumferential grooves, can significantly reduce the oil film temperature while ensuring high torque transmission. This design approach provides a reference for the optimized design of friction pairs in hydro-viscous clutches of various sizes.