Experimental analysis in the test rig to detect temperature at the surface disc brake rotor using rubbing thermocouple

Brake failure is one of the causes of fatal accidents because the vehicle cannot be controlled properly. Therefore, research on improving brake safety needs to be assessed immediately. Brake temperature is used as an indicator of brake performance. If the temperature signal reads is different from the normal brake signal then it becomes an indication of a brake fault. How to measure the temperature of the rotating brake rotors and what sensors allow it to be used in real vehicles is the main question in this study. In this paper, there are two types of sensors that allow detecting brake temperature, namely rubbing thermocouple and a thermocouple sensor inserted in a pad with holes. The rubbing thermocouple sensor is expected to produce a higher heat because there is a friction effect between the rubbing steel and the rotor disc, whereas the sensor in the pad hole will show the real value. However, in the use of an actual vehicle, measuring the temperature by punching holes is not recommended because it can cause potential damage to the pad itself. When an infrared sensor is used, the installation is easier but this is not suitable because dirty conditions such as dust or sticky mud on the sensor surface will hinder the sensor reading. So the use of a rubbing thermocouple will be better in real vehicles. Therefore, the measurement of temperature by rubbing thermocouple must be made a correction factor that refers to the actual temperature. From the tests conducted, the results of measurements with rubbing thermocouple (T₄) can be converted to the equation T=-0,0058T₄²+2,7668T₄-81,257. So how to make this equation can be proposed for the development of a safety warning system related to brake performance detection devices.