Modeling and Simulation of Diaphragm Spring Clutch

A model was developed to simulate a vehicle diaphragm spring clutch with the evaluation indicators of jerk degree and friction work. First, the pressing load characteristic of the driven plate of the diaphragm spring clutch was analyzed. Then, the clutch dynamic characteristic under each state was studied according to the basic principles of tribology. Finally, the mathematical model of the clutch was developed. Based on the model, the performance of a vehicle was simulated. The simulation results show that the model can predict the dynamic characteristic of the clutch correctly and evaluate the performance of the clutch engagement effectively. The model can be used for theoretical research of automatic clutch control and can be easily applied to simulate vehicle longitudinal dynamics.