Automobile Engineering

ME 308

Supplementary Lecture Note

CLUTCH SYSTEM
1. Introduction

Clutch is a mechanism that enables the transmission of rotary motion from the
driving shaft to the driven shaft without slipping. In manual transmission system of an
automobile, the power from the engine crankshaft to the drive wheels flows through a
clutch which is located between the engine and the gear box.

The clutch couples and uncouples the transmission and the engine.
Engagement of clutch allows for power to transfer from the engine to the transmission
and eventually to the drive wheels. Disengagement of the clutch provides the
necessary halt of power that allows the engine to continue running while no power is
supplied to the wheels. The clutch is kept engaged when the vehicle is moving and
the needs to be disengaged when

(i) starting the engine; any load will stall the engine
(ii) shifting of gears; to avoid any vibration issue during the gear meshing
(iii) idling the engine and stopping the vehicle

2. Functions and requirements of clutch

The clutch is an essential part of the manual transmission system and it has the
following functions to perform

(i) to transmit the engine power to the wheel and make the vehicle move
(ii) to permit the operator to shift the transmission and select the proper gear
ratio when the vehicle is in motion
(iii) to permit coupling or uncoupling of a gear for a stationary vehicle but with
the engine running

Any type of automobile clutch is expected to meet the following requirements

(i) The clutch should require a minimum physical effort by the driver to engage
and disengage
(ii) The clutch should be free from slipping when engaged
(iii) The engagement and disengagement of the clutch should be gradual in
operation to avoid and shock or jerk during its operation
(iv) The clutch should be capable of transmitting the maximum possible torque
generated at the engine side for effective power delivery at the wheel

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 (v) The material used for the clutch should have sufficient friction for effective
coupling
(vi) The material used in clutch should have better wear resistance to offer good
life
(vii) The clutch should be capable for absorbing small changes in the torque
during its engagement and disengagement
(viii) The clutch mechanism should allow proper dissipation of heat generated
in the clutch during its operation
(ix) The clutch should also offer cushioning effect for the power transmission so
that noises and vibration can be eliminated to enter in the transmission
system
(x) The clutch should be comprised of light driven members for its smooth
operation

3. Classification of clutch

In general the clutch is classified into two categories as per the mechanism of
engagement and disengagement. The two categories are positive clutch and gradual
engagement clutch. Positive clutch work on in or out condition. This is the most basic
form of clutch that is not suitable for any automobile where the torque transmission is
expected to be smooth. One of the major limitations with this clutch type is that the
power transmission cannot be smooth and gradual. The gradual engagement clutch
on the other hand designed to achieve the smooth interlocking of the power
transmission shafts for effective delivery of power from the engine to the transmission
system. The gradual engagement clutch are the most popular form of the clutch
system used in most of the automobile with manual transmission system. The gradual
engagement clutch system mostly relies on the principle of friction for the coupling of
the input shaft and the output shaft through friction material used in the clutch system.

Another classification of gradual clutch system is based on the friction material

used to develop the clutch. This types include dry friction clutch and wet friction clutch.
In the dry friction clutch system only the friction materials or linings are used whereas
in the wet clutch system apart from the friction material oil or lubricants are also used.
In general it is observed that the dry friction clutch offer more power transmission than
the wet friction clutch as in case of wet friction clutch the coefficient of friction is less.

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However, the life of wet friction clutch is found to be more compared to that of dry
friction clutch.

Apart from these classification a few types of clutch is also found to be used in
various automobile such as cone clutch, centrifugal clutch, semi-centrifugal clutch,
diaphragm clutch system, vacuum clutch system and hydraulic clutch system. All
these clutches have their own merits and demerits with respect to another and
depending on the type of power transmission required in the automobile, the selection
of the clutch system is made.

4. Principle of friction clutches

The friction clutches work on the principle of gradual engagement of clutch

mechanism. The principle of the clutch engagement and achieving a common speed
can be seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1: Schematic representation of working of friction clutch

In the figure, the shaft A is connected to the engine and the shaft B is connected
to the transmission gear box input shaft. The discs C and D are connected rigidly with
the shaft A and shaft B, respectively. The starting of the engine rotates the shaft A and
it starts to rotate at a speed equal to the speed of rotation of the engine crank shaft.
With the shaft A, the disc C also rotates at the same speed. The shaft B is initially at
rest and there is no rotary motion of the disc D. In order to achieve the rotation at disc
D, some axial force W is applied to the disc D, the disc move towards the disc C and
the discs comes into contact with each other. At this point in time the friction between

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the discs C and D comes into action and this makes the disc D and also the shaft B
starts rotating. The speed of rotation of the shaft B will depend on the axial force W.
With the gradual increase in the axial force W, the speed of the shaft B will gradually
increase and after certain interval due to the friction, the shaft B will also rotate at the
same speed as that of shaft A. This is the condition when the shaft B is said to be
engaged with shaft A the system is ready for the power transmission from the engine
to the transmission system. In actual system the shaft A is the engine crankshaft, and
disc C is the engine flywheel and the shaft B is the clutch shaft and D represents the
pressure plate in the clutch mechanism. The axial force W is the effort of the operator
to disengage the clutch plate from the flywheel during the motion of the automobile.

In order to understand the effect of various factors on the torque transmission

using the friction clutch let us try to form a mathematical expression for the same. Let
us consider that W is the axial force acting on the clutch perpendicular to the friction
surfaces. The magnitude of the friction force necessary to avoid slipping between the
mating surfaces is given in Eq. (1).

𝐹 = 𝜇𝑊 (1)
where, μ is the coefficient of friction between the mating surfaces and W is the axial
force acting perpendicular to that of the friction surfaces.

The torque transmitted by the clutch can be estimated by the expression given
in Eq. (2).

𝑇 = 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 = 𝜇𝑊𝑅 (2)

where, R is the mean effective radius of the friction surfaces and T is the effective
torque transmission by the clutch.

The mathematical expression as given in Eq. (2) guide us to find the effective
torque that a clutch system can transmit. It can be observed that with the increase in
any of the factors in Eq. (2) the effective torque transmission can be increased.
However, there are some limitations in increasing the torque with the increase of any
of the factors. The effect of the factors in torque transmission is detailed below.

a) Coefficient of the friction: Friction is the main factor affecting the torque
transmission using the clutch system. The coefficient of friction relies on the

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 materials used in the friction surfaces and all the material combinations has
certain limitations in the friction. Thus, the value coefficient of friction cannot be
increased to any arbitrary values. Hence, the torque transmission is also limited
with the variation in coefficient of friction. The Table 1 enlists a few friction
materials along with the coefficient of friction. It is to note that the list only
highlights the coefficient of static friction. Usually it is observed that the
coefficient of static friction is more than that of dynamic friction.
Table 1: Values of static friction of various friction materials used in clutch
Material Coefficient of friction (static)
Leather 0.27
Cork 0.37
Cotton fabric 0.4-0.50
Asbestos base material 0.35 - 0.40
SW3-AF (non-asbestos) 0.28 - 0.36
HWK 200 (non-asbestos) 0.39 - 0.40

b) Axial force: It is the force that the operator needs to workout in order to
effective disengage the clutch system from the engine shaft during the
operation of the vehicle. The higher value of the force W would lead to more
strain the operator and this is not advisable. The limit of the axial force should
be optimized to get the better performance.
c) Mean effective radius: The mean effective radius is the geometric factor
associated with the clutch mechanism. Theoretically, the more the mean radius
the more the torque transmission by the clutch. However, this is not possible to
achieve in practical. The clutch is the component which is installed in the
automobile in between the engine and the gear box in the transmission system.
The space available in this zone in any automobile is quite limited as other
critical accessories are also need to install along with the clutch mechanism.
Thus, any arbitrary value of the mean effective radius would not be suitable to
be considered for more torque transmission. The mean radius has to be
computed effectively during the clutch design process for efficient torque
transmission.

The clutch designers have come up with many solutions in order to improve the
torque transmission by making suitable modifications on the single plate clutch system
such as multi-plate clutch system, cone clutch, and some advanced clutch system

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such as centrifugal clutch and semi-centrifugal clutch system, vacuum clutch system,
hydraulic clutch system.

5. Components of clutch system

The components associated with a friction clutch in general can be categorized

into three major group namely (i) driving members, (ii) driven members and (iii)
operating members. The schematic of a friction clutch system with its major parts are
shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2: Major components of friction clutch system

(i) Driving members: This unit comprises of flywheel, pressure plate, pressure
springs, and the release lever. The flywheel acts as the foundation system
where the entire assembly of the clutch is mounted. The pressure plate act as
the load bearing member in the clutch system and responsible for the axial
thrust needed during the disengagement of the clutch. The release lever aid
during the disengagement and engagement of the pressure plate.
(ii) Driven members: The main parts in this unit are the clutch plate, friction linings,
retention springs.
(iii) Operating members: These members aid the clutch operation for smooth
engagement and disengagement with the engine shaft. This include foot pedal,
release or throw out bearing and release lever and springs.

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6. Single plate and multi-plate clutch

A single plate clutch essentially consists of three main parts namely driving
plate or the flywheel, the driven plate or the clutch and the pressure plate. The
schematic representation of a single plate clutch system is shown in Fig. 3 in engaged
and disengaged conditions. The pressure plate has to be pushed against the spring
force for the disengagement of the clutch plate. And when the external pressure is
released, the spring pushes the clutch plate back in the engaged position. The external
force is applied by the operator operating the automobile. The friction between the
clutch plate and the driving flywheel is achieved through the friction lining as shown in
Fig. 3. Various materials are used as the friction lining as listed in Table 1.

(a)

(b)
Fig. 3: Schematic representation of single plate clutch (a) disengaged condition (b)
engaged condition

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 The single plate clutch system are most commonly used in automobile when
the torque requirement is relatively less. In case when the requirement of torque is
more than the single plate clutch system is not efficient. In the cases where the
requirement of torque is higher, multi-plate clutch system is mostly used. Multi-plate
clutch is the modification of the single plate clutch system with more number of friction
linings. The schematic representation of a multi-plate clutch system used in
automobile is shown in Fig. 4. The major difference between single plate clutch and
multi-plate clutch can be seen in terms of the construction. In case of multi-plate clutch,
the friction linings are distributed in the hub and one part of the system is connected
to the engine flywheel. The system offers more friction in terms of the connection thus
with the same amount of external pressure, the torque delivery at the transmission
side can be improved. One of the advantages of multi-plate clutch over single plate
clutch is that the dimension of the multi-plate clutch is less, thus the system can fit into
smaller places in automobile than the single plate clutch system.

Fig. 4: Schematic representation of the multi-plate clutch

7. Analysis and design of single plate clutch

The performance of the single plate clutch for torque transmission can be
evaluated through mathematical formulation of the system.

In order to develop the mathematical formulation, an elementary ring of radius

𝑟 and thickness 𝑑𝑟 is considered as shown in Fig. 5. The elementary ring is subjected
to pressure intensity 𝑝.

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 Fig. 5: Elementary ring of the clutch plate with the differential element

The axial load 𝜕𝑊 on the differential element can be estimated using Eq. (3)

𝜕𝑊 = 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 × 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟 (3)

The total axial force acting of the clutch plate is given in Eq. (4)

𝑟2 𝑟2

𝑊 = ∫ 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋 ∫ 𝑝𝑟 𝑑𝑟 (4)
𝑟1 𝑟1

And the torque transmitted by the clutch is given by Eq. (5) as derived from Eq. (2)

𝑟2

𝑇 = 𝜇 × 2𝜋 ∫ 𝑝𝑟 2 𝑑𝑟 (5)
𝑟1

where, 𝜇 is the coefficient of friction and 𝑟1 and 𝑟2 are the inner and outer radii of the
friction surfaces.

The expression as presented in Eq. (5) can be evaluated under two conditions namely
uniform pressure intensity (p = constant) or uniform rate of wear (p.r = constant).

A. Uniform pressure intensity (𝒑 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕)

This condition is essentially valid if the surfaces of the friction material is truly
plane i.e., the clutch is relatively new. With the prescribed conditions, the Eq. (4) and
Eq. (5) can be evaluated as follows.

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 𝑟2 𝑟2
𝑟
𝑟2 2
𝑊 = ∫ 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝 ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝 | | = 𝜋𝑝(𝑟22 − 𝑟12 ) (6)
2 𝑟
𝑟1 𝑟1 1

𝑟2
𝑟
𝑟3 2 2
𝑇 = 2𝜋𝜇𝑝 ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝜇𝑝 | | = 𝜋𝜇𝑝(𝑟23 − 𝑟13 ) = 𝜇𝑊𝑅
2
(7)
3 𝑟 3
𝑟1 1

3 3
2 𝑟2 −𝑟1
where, 𝑅 = [ 2 ] is referred as the effective mean radius.
3 𝑟2
2 −𝑟1

B. Uniform rate of wear (𝒑. 𝒓 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕)

This assumption is valid for a broken clutch i.e., when the pressure distribution
changes and that permits uniform wear.

𝑟2

𝑊 = 2𝜋𝑝𝑟 ∫ 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝𝑟(𝑟2 − 𝑟1 ) (8)

𝑟1

𝑟2
𝑟22 − 𝑟12
𝑇 = 2𝜋𝜇𝑝𝑟 ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝜇𝑝𝑟 [ ] = 𝜇𝑊𝑅 (9)
2
𝑟1

𝑟2 + 𝑟1
where, 𝑅 = is referred as the effective mean radius
2

Note:

(i) If n is the number of fiction plates in the multi-plate clutch, then the number of
pairs of contact surfaces equals (n-1). Accordingly for a multi-plate clutch:
(a) for uniform pressure intensity

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 𝑟 − 𝑟1 3 3
2
𝑇 = (𝑛 − 1) × 𝜇𝑊 [ 2 ] (10)
3 2
𝑟 −𝑟 2
2 1

(b) For uniform wear rate

𝑟 + 𝑟1
𝑇 = (𝑛 − 1) × 𝜇𝑊 [ 2 ] (11)
2
8. Cone clutch and its design analysis

The friction surfaces of a cone clutch are in the form of cones called the female
(inner) cone and the male (outer) cone. The conical surfaces of the male cone is
covered by the friction material. The flywheel mounted on the engine shaft contains
the female cone and the male cone is attached to the gearbox shaft. The schematic
representation of the cone clutch is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6: Schematic representation of cone clutch

During the engagement, the central compression spring provides the engaging
force that forces the female and male cones to press tightly over each other. When
the operator presses the clutch pedal down, the male cone slides against the spring
force and the clutch gets disengaged. Apparently, the normal force acting on the cone
clutch is greater than the axial force. Consequently, the chance of slip between the
contacting surfaces is much less in cone clutch.

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Let,

𝑟1 and 𝑟2 = inner and outer radii of friction surfaces

p = intensity of pressure normal to friction surfaces

θ = cone angle

Consider an element of width at an arbitrary radius r as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7: Analysis of cone clutch

Normal load on the differential element is given in Eq. (12)

𝜕𝑁 = 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 × 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

(12)
𝑑𝑟
= 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 𝑑𝑠 = 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟
sin 𝜃

Axial load on the differential element is given in Eq. (13)

𝑑𝑟
𝜕𝑊 = 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 × sin 𝜃 = 𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 sin 𝜃 = 2𝜋𝑝𝑟 𝑑𝑟 (13)
sin 𝜃

Total axial load on the clutch is given in Eq. (14)

𝑟2 𝑟2

𝑊 = ∫ 𝛿𝑊 = 2𝜋 ∫ 𝑝𝑟 𝑑𝑟 (14)
𝑟1 𝑟1

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and total torque transmitted by the clutch is given in Eq. (15)

𝑟2 𝑟2
𝑑𝑟 2𝜋𝜇
𝑇 = ∫ 𝜇 {𝑝 × 2𝜋𝑟 }×𝑟 = ∫ 𝑝𝑟 2 𝑑𝑟 (15)
sin 𝜃 sin 𝜃
𝑟1 𝑟1

A. Uniform pressure intensity (p=constant)

𝑟2 𝑟
𝑟2 2
𝑊 = 2𝜋𝑝 ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝 | | (16)
2 𝑟
𝑟1 1

𝑟2 𝑟
2𝜋𝜇 2 2 𝜋𝜇𝑝 𝑟3 2
𝑇= ∫ 𝑝𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = | | = 𝜇𝑊𝑅 (17)
sin 𝜃 3 sin 𝜃 3 𝑟
𝑟1 1

2 𝑟23 −𝑟13
where, 𝑅 = [ ] is called as the effective mean radius
3 sin 𝜃 𝑟22 −𝑟12

B. Uniform rate of wear (pr=constant)

𝑟2 𝑟2

𝑊 = 2𝜋𝑝 ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝𝑟 ∫ 𝑑𝑟 = 2𝜋𝑝𝑟(𝑟2 − 𝑟1 ) (18)

𝑟1 𝑟1

𝑟2
2𝜋𝜇𝑝𝑟
𝑇= ∫ 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 = 𝜇𝑊𝑅 (19)
sin 𝜃
𝑟1

𝑟2 +𝑟1
where, 𝑅 = is the mean effective radius
2 sin 𝜃
It should be noted that the for both design criteria, the axial load W is
independent of the cone angle, whereas, the mean effective radius depends on the
cone angle and thus the torque transmitted also depends on the cone angle.

9. Centrifugal clutch

The centrifugal clutch utilizes the centrifugal force (set up due to engine speed)
to apply the pressure needed for the engaging of the clutch for the transmission of the

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desired torque. The system does not require any clutch pedal for its operation and the
clutch operates automatically due to the engine speed, the clutch automatically
disengages itself when the speed falls below a certain set limit and re-engages when
the speed rises above some predetermined value. The use of centrifugal clutch results
in capability to stop the vehicle in gear without stalling the engine and the transmission
shifting can be made possible without the disengagement.

Fig. 8: Schematic representation of centrifugal clutch

There are many types of centrifugal clutch system used in automobile and the
Fig. 8 represents the schematic diagram of Newton centrifugal clutch. The
construction of the Newton centrifugal clutch is very simple and the clutch works on
the principle of centrifugal force. This type of clutch is automatically operated due to
the engine speed and does not need any pedal for its actuation like the single plate
clutch. The clutch is fitted with pivoted mass as shown in the figure. As the engine
rotates the driving shaft rotates along with the flywheel. With this rotation the mass
also rotates and it experiences the centrifugal force. The centrifugal force pushes out
the pivoted mass and this results in operation of the ball crank lever connected to the
clutch plate. The lever pushes the friction plate working against the spring S 1 and the
friction plate is engaged with the flywheel. The engagement is in place as soon as the
speed of the engine is maintained at a predetermined value. Once the engine speed
reduces below the set value, the centrifugal force acting on the masses reduces and
this results in pulling back the friction plate by the spring S2. In this process the spring
S2 maintain a set force to keep the clutch plate in the disengaged condition. Once the

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engine speed increases further, the lever pushes back the friction plate to be engaged
with the flywheel for effective power and torque transmission. The stop limits the
movement of the mass for its operation in controlling the ball crank lever. It has been
observed from the working principle that the centrifugal clutch is automatically
operated with the change in the engine speed and does not demand to be operated
externally by some operator. One of the limitations observed with centrifugal clutch is
the slip of the clutch plate. The engagement of clutch is controlled by the engine speed
and the centrifugal force acting on the pivoted mass. Due to wear and sudden change
in engine speed, the clutch plate may not be properly engaged and this may lead to
the slip of the clutch. This type of clutch is more commonly used in scooters, mopeds
etc.

10. Clutch actuating mechanisms

The manual clutch system needs to be operated with external work by the
operator. In order to actuate the different systems associated with the operation of the
clutch, various mechanisms have been developed. A few important mechanisms are
detailed below for reference.

10.1 Mechanical operation

The mechanical actuation of clutch operates with a system of levers that works
with a leverage of about 10:1 to 12:1. This means that a pedal force of 150 N would
exert a force of 150×12 = 1500 N at the clutch pedal.

Fig. 9: Schematic representation of mechanical actuation of the clutch system

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 A schematic diagram of the mechanical actuation of clutch is shown in Fig. 9
for reference. The major parts of the system are clutch pedal, fork lever, release fork,
thrust bearing and shafts for the transfer of motion. When the clutch pedal is pressed
by the operator, the shaft A turns and this results in the movement of the fork lever
and finally operates the release fork to actuate the thrust bearing. The resulting
movement of the thrust bearing is transmitted to the clutch lever for the disengagement
of the clutch. For re-engaging the clutch, the clutch pedal has to return to the original
position. This is achieved through the springs attached to the clutch hub and no effort
is required to be put by the operator. The system is so designed that there is no
immediate pressing of the thrust bearing as soon as the clutch pedal is operated. This
condition is referred as the free play of the clutch pedal. This reduces immediate shock
acting on the thrust bearing and controls the movement of the bearing in a uniform
manner. The pedal fee play also ensures that the wear and tear of the bearing, levers
and the linkages is minimum. The pedal free play is usually limited to 20 – 30 mm at
the pedal end.

10.2 Electro-magnetic operation

The schematic representation of the clutch actuation mechanism is shown in

the Fig. 10. The major parts of the system includes flywheel, clutch plate, pressure
plate, driving shaft, driven shaft and other accessories. The working of the clutch
mechanism relies in the basic principle of electro-magnetic force. It is known that when
the current is passed through a conductor, it generates magnetic field around it. This
results in the generation of a static magnet. The same idea is extended in this
mechanism. A coil winding is made in the flywheel housing and the coils are energized
with external power supply. Usually, a battery is used to supply the current to the coils
for its actuation and sometimes a dynamo connected with the engine is also found to
be used in the mechanism. The flow of the current to the coils are controlled with a
control resistance as shown in Fig. 10. When the current is passed to the coils
windings, due to the flow of the current and the generation of the magnetic field, the
pressure plate is attracted towards the flywheel. This results in the engagement of the
clutch plate sandwiched between the flywheel and pressure plate. At the working
condition of the engine, the clutch plate is connected with the flywheel for the effective
torque transmission and power delivery. The control resistance (refer Fig. 10) is

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connected to the accelerator pedal of the automobile which controls the resistance
input to the circuit that in turn controls the current flowing through the actuation coil.
When the power delivery is not expected or not required, the current is cut from the
circuit by increasing the resistance or cutting the electrical power supply. This is
achieved by introducing a control mechanism with the engine speed measuring
system. As the speed drops, the current in the coil is reduced, thus making
disengagement of the clutch from the flywheel for the engagement of the gears in the
transmission system. The system is free from any wear and tear as no mechanical
linkages are required for the actuation of the clutch. This mechanism can offer smooth
engagement and disengagement of the clutch from the flywheel. However, this
mechanism suffers from the issues like heating of the coil windings, electrical faults in
the system and high setup cost.

Fig. 10: Schematic representation of electromagnetic clutch actuation system

10.3 Hydraulic operation

Hydraulic operation of clutch actuation mechanism is based on the use of

hydraulic pressure for the transmission of motion from the clutch pedal to the pressure
plate governed by the Pascal law. A schematic diagram of the hydraulic operation
system is shown in Fig. 11 along with the schematics of master and slave cylinder.
The major components included in the mechanism are clutch pedal, push rod, master
cylinder, slave cylinder, piping system for the flow of fluid, and hydraulic fluid reservoir.

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The disengagement of the clutch system is achieved by operating the clutch pedal
which pushes the push rod connected to the master cylinder connected to the clutch
pedal. The master cylinder than pushes the fluid into the piping system and finally the
pressurized fluid reaches the slave cylinder connected to the pressure plate. The
pressurized fluid operates the clutch releasing fork for the disengagement of the
pressure plate and the clutch plate from the flywheel. The engagement of the clutch is
achieved by the retention springs mounted on the pressure plate. The system is
efficient and offer better control of the clutch system as there is very less mechanical
linkages. The system does not suffer from any mechanical wear. However, the
mechanism suffers from the issues like air trapping in the piping system, cavitation,
low viscosity of the working fluid and leakage.

(a)

(b)

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 (c)
Fig. 11: Schematic representation of (a) hydraulic clutch actuation system (b) master
cylinder (c) slave cylinder
10.4 Vacuum operation

The vacuum clutch utilizes the partial vacuum that exists inside the engine
intake manifold for tis operation, engagement or disengagement with the transmission
gear box. The typical working of the vacuum clutch is presented in the schematic
representation as shown in Fig. 12. The essential components of the system include
vacuum reservoir, battery that operates the solenoid, vacuum cylinder containing the
piston and piston rod.

The vacuum required is always maintained in the reservoir and this is possible
due to its connection with the engine intake manifold. At the throttle condition the
vacuum is just sufficient in the intake manifold. The pressure in the intake manifold
goes up with the opening of the throttle. However, during this the non-return valve
(NRV) closes and the reservoir gets isolated from the intake manifold. Under the
normal operating condition the switch as shown in the Fig. 12 is open and the solenoid
valve remains in its bottom position. Both sides of the piston in the vacuum cylinder
are then acted upon by the atmospheric pressure. The solenoid switch closes when
the gear lever is moved to accomplish the change of gear. The closing of the switch
energizes the solenoid and that pulls the valve up. The passage between the vacuum
cylinder and the vacuum reservoir opens and the piston gets subjected to unequal
pressure on the two sides. This pressure differential imparts movement to the piston
which transmitted through linkage to disengage the clutch. When the operator releases

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the gear lever after change of the gears, the switch would open, air would get released
from the system through vent holes the solenoid valve would return to its normal
position and the clutch would get re-engaged.

The system offers smooth engagement and disengagement of the clutch from
the flywheel. But the system is difficult to maintain as the chances of air leakage is
high from the system. Moreover, as the system uses the vacuum created by the intake
manifold, any change in pressure at the manifold may affect the working of the engine
which is not desirable.

Fig: 12: Schematic representation of vacuum operation of clutch actuation

11. Common faults in clutch system

A clutch is likely to develop many different troubles that produce various

conditions and complications. A few typical clutch problems, their possible cause and
appropriate corrections that need to be applied are listed below.

(i) Clutch slip: In normal working condition of the clutch, the torque is transmitted
in the engaged condition. If the engagement of the clutch is not proper then
the torque transmission will be effected. If the friction linings get worn out, or if
the pressure plate is not connected to the clutch plate with proper alignment, or
if the retention spring stiffness is not proper, or if the operating lever and
linkages of the clutch have some play the condition of clutch slip can be
experienced. In the slip condition of the clutch apart from the improper torque
transmission, the transmission system may also experience abnormal shock or
vibration which is not desirable for the effective transmission system.

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 In order to avoid the condition of slip, the stiffness of the springs should
be properly adjusted, play in the levers and operating linkages should be
minimized, and the friction linings should be replaced if worn out.
(ii) Clutch drag or spin: The condition of clutch drag occurs when the clutch shaft
continues to spin even after the pressing of the clutch pedal for the release of
the clutch shaft from the driving shaft. This results in difficult condition to engage
or disengage the gears in the transmission gear box. If the condition of clutch
drag is more severe, the gears in the gear box may fail and the engine may
also stall in the working condition. The causes for the clutch drag could be
improper pressure at the pressure plate, failure of the retention springs, fault in
the master and slave cylinder in the clutch operating mechanism, improper
friction lining with more thickness and non-uniform wear in the clutch plate. The
condition of clutch drag can be avoided or minimised by maintaining proper
friction lining, correct spring stiffness of retention springs, proper working of
master and slave cylinders.
(iii) Clutch rattles and clutch noise: The clutch rattle is the typical noise noticed
in the clutch plate when the engine is in idle condition and vehicle is stationary.
The causes of clutch rattle can be damaged clutch plate, bent clutch shaft,
disconnected or loose pedal for clutch disengagement, misalignment of the
thrust bearing. The issue of clutch rattle can be avoided by maintaining the
proper health of the clutch system including the clutch shaft, pressure and
clutch plate. The clutch noise is observed during the engaged and disengaged
condition of the clutch. The possible causes of clutch noise can be poor
alignment between the driven and the driving shaft, broken or weak friction plate
and friction linings, and damaged pressure plate and retention springs.

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12. Numerical Example (Solution will be given in the tutorial class)

12.1. An automobile engine developing a maximum torque of 200 Nm has a single

plate dry friction clutch. The outside diameter is 1.2 times the inner diameter, the
maximum allowable pressure intensity for the clutch is 90 kPa and coefficient of friction
is 0.3. Assuming the clutch is in use for some good amount of time, determine the
dimensions of the clutch and axial force of springs.

12.2. An automobile is fitted with single plate friction clutch and its engine develops 35
kW of power while turning at 4000 rev/min. The inside diameter of the clutch is 0.6
times the outer diameter. The clutch must not slip with 25% loss of engine torque due
to wear of the clutch facing. Allowing a pressure intensity of 80 kPa and assuming
coefficient of friction as 0.32 for the clutch facing, determine the size, mean effective
radius and frictional area of the clutch plate.

12.3. A cone clutch having total included angle of 30° transmits 15 kW of power while
turning at 1250 rev/min. The width of its face is 1/4th of its mean diameter. The normal
pressure between the contact face is not to exceed 90 kPa and the coefficient of
friction is 0.32. Compute the dimensions of the clutch and also estimate the axial load
on the clutch facing. Assuming the case of uniform rate of wear.

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