Simulation-based estimation of an automotive magnetorheological brake system performance

Magnetorheological (MR) brakes, owing to their quick response, are being investigated as a possible candidate for substitution for the conventional hydraulic brakes of road vehicles. The MR brake system for a two-wheeler application was envisaged in this article. Based on analytical equations, the system was modelled in the MATLAB Simulink environment. The braking performance of the system in terms of the stopping distance was estimated with the help of the model. The output from the model was compared with the Indian Standard (IS) automotive brake standard requirement for two-wheelers. A single-disc MR brake system did not seem to satisfy this requirement. It took six or more MR disc brakes to meet the stopping distance requirement of the IS standard. Moreover, weight and space constraints may not allow these brakes to be used for automotive applications. With the current state of the technology, MR brakes do not fulfil the requirements of an automotive brake system.