System for monitoring the status of a braking system, method for estimating of thermal properties of a braking element and method for estimating of thermal exchange parameters of a braking system

A method for estimating the thermal properties of a braking element monitored by a system for monitoring the status of a braking system comprising:

• setting up a static test in the laboratory where a braking element under thermal condition is pressed/rested on a hot plate at a controlled and constant temperature higher than that of a braking element on the side of the block of a friction material, the braking element on the side of a support being thermally insulated by a thermal insulation element, the block of friction material being suitably equipped with at least one, typically a plurality of temperature detectors;
• heating the braking element on the hot plate and acquiring the temperature data detected by a temperature sensor and by the at least one, typically a plurality of temperature detectors;
• sending the temperature data acquired during the static test by the temperature sensor and by the at least one, typically a plurality of temperature detectors and the data detected by external sensors to a electronic control unit;
• processing the temperature data detected by the temperature sensor, by the plurality of temperature detectors and by the external sensors in a model tuning block of the model of the thermal properties of the braking element, comprising at least a mathematical model and an optimizer;
• obtaining from the model tuning block an optimized estimate of the thermal properties and characteristics of the braking element;
• employing the optimized estimate of the thermal properties and characteristics of the braking element as input data to a braking element thermal model in the mathematical model.

A method for estimating the thermal power exchange parameters of a braking system monitored by a monitoring system:

• setting up a dynamic test on a braking system comprising at least one braking element of a target application, typically a motor vehicle, in real mode, or in the laboratory test, typically into a dynamic test bench capable of reproducing all the conditions of the application in real mode;
• equipping a friction material of each braking element on board with at least one, typically a plurality of temperature detectors;
• sending the temperature data acquired during the dynamic test of the braking element by a temperature sensor and by the and at least one, typically a plurality of temperature detectors, and by a external sensors, and by any further vehicle electronic control units if present, to the electronic control unit;
• processing the temperature data acquired in a model tuning block of the thermal power exchange parameter model of the braking system comprising at least a mathematical model and an optimizer;
• obtaining from a model tuning block an optimized estimate of parameters of the thermal power exchanged in the braking element;
• employing the optimized estimate of the parameters of the thermal power exchanged in the braking element as input data to a block for estimating the boundary conditions in the mathematical model.