Two-dimensional thermal model and temperature estimation for a MotoGP class motorcycle carbon brake

Due to the advantages in terms of friction coefficient and weight, braking systems with carbon discs have become the dominant technology for racing applications. Since their performance is highly affected by the disc temperature, an accurate assessment of their actual thermal behavior is mandatory. This work focuses on the development of a two-dimensional Finite Element thermal model of the carbon discs adopted by MotoGP class motorcycles, combined with a Kalman Filter (KF), as suitable mathematical tools for assessing the actual temperature distribution on the disc. Besides estimating the temperature, by combining the model predictions with the measurements acquired onboard, the KF is also exploited to identify other model parameters not directly measurable, namely the convection coefficient of the disc and the pressure distribution in the pads.